Page 35 - Soccer360 Issue 104
P. 35
THE
MAKING
OF ANGE
STEPHEN DONOVAN EXAMINES ANGE POSTECOGLOU’S UNIQUE COACHING JOURNEY, FROM HIS NATIVE AUSTRALIA TO THE HIGH PROFILE OF TAKING CHARGE OF ONE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE’S LEADING CLUBS.
Until recently, Ange Postecoglou wasn’t a name that had made its way into the consciousness of many who follow the more mainstream landscape of European football. Some of the more devoted among us may have recalled him coaching Australia at the 2014 World Cup, but it’s fair to say that large swathes of Tottenham or indeed Celtic supporters will have been blissfully unaware of the excellent reputation he built in both his adopted homeland and in the Far East of Asia before he arrived on UK shores in 2021. Born in Greece and moving
to Australia at the age of five, Postecoglou spent virtually his entire playing career with South Melbourne, which included two league titles and four years under the tutelage of Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas. A central defender, he also earned four international caps for the Socceroos. His managerial career began in 1996 with South Melbourne, and he reaffirmed his legendary status at the club
by leading them to two further titles along
with the Oceania Club Championship in 1999. This already impressive list of achievements saw him join the national team setup, as he went on to manage the Australia U-17 and
U-20 sides until leaving the latter in 2007. A brief return to Greece followed before he
was eventually appointed coach of Brisbane Roar in 2009. He arrived with a point to
prove, and this was where Angeball was born. His team broke records and won successive A-League titles while playing much of the thrilling attacking football that’s become his trademark. Postecoglou became the obvious choice as coach of the Australia senior team and led them at the 2014 World Cup. His side lost all three games after being placed in an exceedingly difficult group, but won plaudits for their performances. They would live up to that promise by winning the 2015 Asia Cup;
the first and so far only time the Aussies have triumphed in that competition. In 2017 he was off to Japan and two years later, became the first Australian manager to win the J-League
as he took Yokohama F. Marinos to the title. Then in 2021, Celtic had just suffered a dismal campaign as their run of nine consecutive Scottish titles came to an end. They needed a new manager, and after a protracted search, Postecoglou was handed the reins in Glasgow, and it’s fair to say the response was lukewarm at best. The doubters were soon silenced, however, and once his Celtic team got going they were unstoppable, powering to back-to- back Scottish titles. Angeball captured the imagination, and he used his knowledge of the Asian market to make some standout signings. Nobody was questioning Postecoglou’s credentials anymore, and Tottenham duly came calling in the summer. Still, the influence he’s had in the Premier League is remarkable.
BIG WINTER MATCHES
DECEMBER 17
Liverpool v Manchester United (Northwest Derby)
Arsenal v Brighton
DECEMBER 23
Liverpool v Arsenal
DECEMBER 28
Brighton v Tottenham
JANUARY 1
Liverpool v Newcastle
JANUARY 13
Newcastle v Manchester City
JANUARY 14
Manchester United v Tottenham
JANUARY 31
Liverpool v Chelsea
FEBRUARY 3
Arsenal v Liverpool
FEBRUARY 10
Tottenham v Brighton
Aston Villa v Manchester United
FEBRUARY 17
Manchester City v Chelsea
FEBRUARY 24
Chelsea v Tottenham (London Derby)
Arsenal v Newcastle
MARCH 2
Manchester City v Manchester United (Manchester Derby)
MARCH 9
Chelsea v Newcastle
Liverpool v Manchester City
MARCH 16
Arsenal v Chelsea
MARCH 30
Manchester City v Arsenal
lowly Southampton, and from there things only
got messier, with the nadir being an unbelievable surrender at Newcastle United where they were 5-0 down after barely 20 minutes of the game before losing 6-1.
Apathy among supporters was now at breaking point, with too many players making basic
mistakes and showing a lack of commitment, while disaffection at chairman Daniel Levy’s running of the club was spilling over into the stands. However, arguably the greatest source of frustration was
with the style of football they were being served up alongside the ever-decreasing sight of success. Tottenham’s identity has been built on entertaining, front-foot football over the years in their quest for honours. Mauricio Pochettino championed that ethos and guided Spurs to exceptional heights
such as 86 points for runners-up in the Premier League in 2016-17 and an amazing run to the Champions League final in 2019. The only thing missing under the Argentine was a trophy, and it was that desperation for silverware that drove the appointments of Mourinho and Conte.
But the prestige of having one of the world’s
most revered coaches at the helm came at a cost, and that was the style of play. With four Premier League and six Serie A title wins between them in glittering managerial careers, they both chose to be
Below: Many Spurs supporters have criticised Daniel Levy’s running of the club in recent years
Tottenham’s head coach Ange Postecoglou (L) and Tottenham’s James Maddison (R) embrace after the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC
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