The defining moment of Ange Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham has arrived.
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Spurs host Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar on Friday morning Australian time in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie, needing to come from behind to keep their hopes of winning a trophy alive this season after losing the first leg 1-0 in the Netherlands a week ago.
Postecoglou’s statement back in September that “I always win things in my second year”, in reference to titles with Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos, the Socceroos, Brisbane Roar and South Melbourne, has seemingly become a rod for his own back during his second season in north London.
It is a quote that is brought up constantly, and when asked about it again in his match eve press conference, he passionately defended his words once again.
“I wasn’t making anything up. I was asked the question, and I answered it,” Postecoglou explained.
“Critics have used it for their own purposes, suggesting I’m making a bold claim, but I was stating a fact.
“Usually in my second season, I win things.
“That’s the whole idea. The first year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully, the second year is going to win things.
“If that doesn’t happen this year, then I can’t say that anymore. What am I supposed to say? I’ve always won in the second year; I have in the past, everywhere I’ve been, but here (at Tottenham) it won’t happen.
“Is that what people want to hear? People can twist these things, use them, and you know what, maybe we defy all the odds and we do win something.”
With the FA Cup and Carabao Cup gone, and Tottenham sitting a lowly 13th place on the Premier League table, Postecoglou is all-in on the Europa League.
Spurs won five, drew two and lost one of their league phase matches to avoid a playoff and gain automatic passage to the Round of 16.
But a second poor showing in the first knockout stage would end Postecoglou’s stunning second-year streak and the knives are sharpening in preparation.
Tottenham are winless in their past three matches in all competitions despite clearly playing better football as the cavalry returns following their injury crisis.
Key players getting out of the medical room and back on the pitch built positivity, which was boosted by a hat-trick of league wins before an arguably unlucky 1-0 loss to Manchester City started their current winless stretch, but the discontent, that has bubbled away for several months, quickly resurfaced.
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Reports from Italian outlet TuttoSport emerged this week that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is keeping a close eye on Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi as a possible replacement for Postecoglou.
Meanwhile, former Tottenham and England striker Jermain Defoe revealed to TalkSport that he and other coaches at Spurs in 2023 wanted now England manager Thomas Tuchel appointed instead.
The Athletic’s Tottenham-focused podcast, ‘The View from The Lane’, spent much of their most recent episode debating whether Spurs would be more likely to win the Europa League if they moved on the Australian now.
Former Tottenham and Barcelona striker Gary Lineker also poured fuel on the fire, suggesting on the Rest is Football podcast that Postecoglou may have had a falling out with attacking midfielder James Maddison because he started on the bench in their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Sunday.
Defender Cristian Romero made his return from injury in the same game, having not played since December, but the World Cup winner increased speculation of unrest by thanking the Argentinian physiotherapists, and not Tottenham’s, on Instagram for getting him back on the park.
But despite the huge amounts of negativity swirling about, Postecoglou is pushing ahead with trying to orchestrate a memorable comeback victory.
Son Heung-min started on the bench along with Maddison against Bournemouth, in a call seemingly made to ensure they are fresh for this European clash.
Romero played a little over an hour before making way for Micky van de Van, who has also returned from injury to offer Postecoglou the chance to start his preferred pairing in central defence.
But midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur, after a third booking in the competition, and Dejan Kulusevski, foot injury, will be absent because Tottenham could not possibly have their first-choice team available at the same time this season.
The key addition that Postecoglou is most counting on, however, is a supportive home crowd.
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Tottenham fans are routinely ridiculed for their negative antics, and Postecoglou has experienced a testy relationship with the supporters.
It was all sunshine and roses when they sat atop of the Premier League table ten games into the Australian’s maiden season at the helm.
He was serenaded with “I’m loving big Ange instead” to the sounds of Robbie Williams’ hit Angels upon the full-time whistle after home wins, but by the end of the season, Postecoglou blasted the club’s fragility as fans pleaded for the team to lose the penultimate game of the season to eventual champions Manchester City to deny rivals Arsenal the title.
The tension increased throughout the current campaign as Postecoglou clashed with verbally abusive fans on several occasions after disheartening losses.
He was also met with choruses of boos instead of jubilation upon the final whistle as well as calls for his sacking on social media and talkback radio.
But the 59-year-old has asked the faithful to channel their passion into supporting the team rather than ridiculing.
Postecoglou believes the players need a vibrant crowd to feed off rather than becoming engulfed by an anxious one.
“Yeah, look, again I said before, I can’t sort of dictate to people how they sort of interact, but, AZ’s crowd certainly helped them on Thursday night,” he said after the Bournemouth match.
“We need our crowd to get behind the boys on Thursday to make it an atmosphere where maybe we lose some of that nervousness and anxiety within our game.
“But the reality is, we as a team have to respond irrespective of the atmosphere and one may follow the other. If we start the game strong, it’ll get the place nice and loud, which will help us.”
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Tottenham have undeniably been a team of moment throughout the Postecoglou era.
When they are good, they have ran over the top of teams and piled on goals, proven by the fact only league leaders Liverpool have scored more goals than them despite such an underwhelming campaign.
When they are poor, the reverse is true. Unable to stem any bleeding with defensive frailties causing unrest in the stands.
An early goal would be a nightmare for Postecoglou’s side, while like Liverpool in their Round of 16 defeat to PSG in the Champions League, the fans would scarcely be able to handle the drama of a penalty shootout.
But the reality of the situation is that the feeling of impending doom will not disappear if they can advance to the quarter-final.
Tottenham have infamously not won a trophy since the 2008 League Cup, and their European drought dates back to the 1984 UEFA Cup, the precursor to the Europa League.
Patience has not been Tottenham’s strong suit in the 17 years following their 2-1 triumph against Chelsea at Wembley, with Postecoglou their eighth full-time manager since Spaniard Juande Ramos, who lifted the trophy that day.
The nerves will likely get greater if they can make it deeper into the competition, but that is far better than Postecoglou being given his marching orders.
Ange Postecoglou clashed with a journalist over questions about one of his Tottenham players’ behaviour away from football ahead of the first leg of Spurs’ crunch Round of 16 Europa League tie against Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar.
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Having been knocked out of the FA Cup last month, Tottenham had the weekend off and on Monday, midfielder Yves Bissouma posted photos on Instagram from a ski resort.
The Australian was then asked during his match eve press conference whether he had given the players extra time off ahead of an important match in the last competition in which Tottenham can win silverware this season.
Postecoglou was less than impressed by the insinuation that his team were not treating the trip to the Netherlands with respect.
“Seriously, what sort of question is that?” Postecoglou fired back before chuckling to himself.
“No I didn’t, we were training but he decided to go skiing… “Come on mate, you’re better than that!”
The reporter refused to back however, following up by asking Postecoglou whether the Mali international did actually go skiing to which the former Socceroos boss replied “well, obviously he did”.
Postecoglou was then probed further about whether he had any concerns about one of his players undertaking a potentially dangerous activity when Tottenham’s season has been embroiled by an injury crisis.
“I don’t worry about those things, mate,” Postecoglou said.
“They’re adults, they’re human beings, they had a couple of days off.
“They can choose to use that time as wisely as they can to help them be ready for what’s in store for us.
“You kind of hope that they’re sensible about these things and go about whatever they do in a manner that befits the position they hold, but I have no concerns… and he’s fine.”
Yves Bissouma posted this photo, and others, of him skiing on his Instagram earlier this week.Source: FOX SPORTS
Bissouma started on the bench in Tottenham’s last outing, a 1-0 home loss to Manchester City in the league, and Postecoglou’s starting XI remains unclear with several stars a chance to return from injury, including centre back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, as well as striker Dominic Solanke.
Son Heung-min is likely to return to the starting XI after coming off the bench against City due to Postecoglou’s desire to rest and rotate, clearly with this European opportunity in mind.
But unfortunately for Spurs, Postecoglou said that Dejan Kulusevski’s foot injury is likely to keep him sidelined until after the next international break later this month.
Tottenham finished fourth in the standings after the league stage with five wins, two draws and a loss, including a 1-0 victory at home against AZ Alkmaar, who are sixth in the Eredivisie, courtesy of a Richarlison penalty.
It has been highly publicised that Postecoglou has a habit of winning trophies in his second season in charge, as he did at Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos, the Socceroos, Brisbane Roar and South Melbourne.
Plus, Spurs have a much-discussed trophy drought, dating back to 2008 and they last triumphed in Europe in the 1984 UEFA Cup – the predecessor to the Europa League.
So, Postecoglou shared that there is no need to remind him or the players of the importance of the upcoming tie.
“Yeah, I think it is fair to say the boys really understand there is a great opportunity for us,” he said.
“It’s a competition we obviously want to do well in. We’ve got ourselves in a good position. We’re in the round of 16, we’ve got two tough games against AZ and that’s the first thing to overcome.
“The club hasn’t in recent years done well in this competition, but it’s a major European competition, we’re in the last 16 and for us there’s an opportunity there and we’ll see how far we can go in it.
“With us tomorrow night, we’ve got to make sure whatever happens at the end of the game, we’ve still got an opportunity to go back to Tottenham and win the tie.
“We understand with the home support — I’ve been here with Celtic in a Europa game, so I know the experience of it and they’re a good side — but we’ve got to make sure we play our football and dictate the tempo of the game to make sure we take a result back to Tottenham.”
As previously announced, the inaugural Championship, which will conclude with a grand final on the weekend of December 6-7, will involve eight “foundation” clubs – APIA Leichhardt (NSW), Avondale (VIC), Marconi (NSW), Preston (VIC), South Melbourne (VIC), Sydney Olympic (NSW), Sydney United 58 (NSW) and Wollongong (NSW) – as well as eight “invitational” clubs from member federations.
FA chief executive officer James Johnson said the Championship would “complement” the A-League, the Australia Cup and the NPL state competitions.
“The Australian Championship is much more than a competition – it’s a national celebration of football uniting proud historic clubs, emerging talent, and inter-generational community connection,” Johnson said.
“It reflects the core values of Australian football – authenticity, opportunity, and ambition.”
The 16 teams will be split into four groups of four teams.
Each team will play six group games, with the top two from each group to progress to the competition’s knockout stages.
Football Australia will provide travel subsidies for clubs competing in the Championship in 2025.
There will no promotion and relegation between the Championship and the A-League.
The format and structure of the Championship will be reviewed after its first season.
The tight rope Ange Postecoglou is walking is getting narrower.
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That is to be expected when a big six club like Tottenham sits 14th on the Premier League table almost two-thirds of the way through the season.
This time last week Spurs were still in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and the Europa League.
Now, only the latter remains.
The results are not stacking up in the Australian’s favour, but there is an unshakeable feeling among his backers that if he was not an outsider in English football, he might be afforded more rope.
It has been highly publicised that Tottenham have been hit with an injury crisis in recent months.
“There’s got to be a better appreciation for what a very small group of players have been doing for the last two and a half months,” he said.
“It can’t be that people think that’s an excuse. That’s just not anywhere near close to objective analysis. That’s just agenda-driven stuff.
“If it’s to get rid of me that’s fine. Good on ya. Go for it a million times.
“But in terms of this group of players, what they’ve given over the past two and half months has been outstanding, it’s a credit to them, I can’t speak highly enough of them.”
Yet, the questions keep coming despite the most glaring issue being clear for all to see.
Postecoglou has been repeatedly forced to put out a makeshift defence with first choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, centre back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, and left-back Destiny Udogie all spending extended periods on the sidelines.
Further afield, midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma have been regularly unavailable, while their goal scoring stocks have suffered the blows of injuries to Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson and James Maddison at various times.
Logically, it is no surprise that the losses have mounted.
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Just as they did for Newcastle United last season.
The Magpies lost ten of their first 21 Premier League encounters last campaign.
Undeniably, not good enough for a club with a lot of financial power considering its 80% per cent ownership by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, well-known for funding LIV Golf and spreading their wealth throughout the sporting world in recent years.
But manager Eddie Howe faced nowhere near the level of scrutiny Postecoglou has received.
It was widely accepted that the Englishman, who made his name by taking Bournemouth to the Premier League for the first time, had his hands tied by an injury-riddled squad.
The added pressure of mid-week European competition, Newcastle played in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, as well as cup fixtures and always demanding league schedule took its toll.
It sounds familiar to Postecoglou’s current predicament.
But unlike in Howe’s case, the English press, pundits, former players and fans have been baying for blood.
And despite sometimes justified criticism of Postecoglou’s polarising tactics, some of the reasons for doing so have not always been fair.
“Spurs’ Australian head coach is the latest target of the village idiots; the half-pint pundits and critics who prefer to laugh at the fact he finishes his sentences with ‘mate’ than listen to him contextualising his team’s problems,” football news correspondent for the UK Telegraph Matt Law wrote.
The mockery unfortunately goes hand-in-hand with the club Postecoglou is at.
Tottenham are repeatedly a laughing stock among rival fans courtesy of the well-documented absence of silverware in their trophy cabinet since 2008.
The regularity with which they sack managers, Postecoglou is their 12th permanent manager this century, is the bud of many jokes.
So too is the behaviour of their fans, who even wanted their own team to lose the penultimate game of last Premier League season at home to Manchester City, which they did 2-0, to deny arch enemies Arsenal the title.
Therefore, of course, when an Australian arrived in north London with tales of how he has won a trophy in his second season with Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos, the Socceroos, Brisbane Roar and South Melbourne, the punch lines were being written.
Add to that the fact he had shown an unwavering commitment to attacking football, even when times are tough. That was until their last Premier League outing, a 2-0 victory away at Brentford, as a more defensive approach broke a seven-game winless streak in the league.
Spurs sat deeper and gritted their teeth for 90 minutes, showing that they can be more resolute in defence, but Postecoglou is still spoken of as a madman.
There are choruses of laughter in pubs and football clubs across England at Postecoglou’s and Tottenham’s expense, and they have only grown louder in recent days.
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In the past week, another dismantling by Liverpool, in the form of a 4-0 drubbing at Anfield in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final after leading 1-0 following the first leg, was followed by a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
There is little shame in losing to the Premier League leaders, or Aston Villa have qualified for the Champions League Round of 16, but that did not prevent the pile on.
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp was scathing on Sky Sports after the Liverpool loss, saying “I cannot remember a team in my lifetime go down with less of a fight with what Spurs did today”.
“Not having one shot on target in the semi-final of a second leg when you’re trying to change the course of your history?” he added.
Fellow former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara, who has been a very vocal critic of Postecoglou, took to X to call for his sacking.
“It’s time to go now, Ange is out of his depth. [Unai] Emery is on a different planet compared to him and his players bopped us off the park. Should have been five, we’re like reserve team playing in academy games that don’t matter, it’s crazy,” O’Hara wrote.
It did not help things for Postecoglou either that Liverpool great Jamie Carragher opted to rub further salt into Spurs’ wounds.
“It’s Tottenham!” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise, win against the odds?”
The last few months it must have felt like Postecoglou was being forced to play game after game at a casino where the house always wins.
With the injury crisis, the odds have been massively skewed against them, but the cup competitions kept the hope alive.
Now, only the European dream remains to fulfil the Postecoglou prophecy of winning yet another trophy in his second season in charge of a team.
Spurs finished fourth in the new look league phase of the Europa League with five wins, two draws and a loss to automatically advance to the Round of 16.
Awaiting them will be one of Midtjylland, AZ Alkmaar, Real Sociedad or Galatasaray but arguably more important than the opponent they face, will be the respite Postecoglou’s injury hit squad receive.
Their next European clash is not until March 6 as they will enjoy some much-needed breathing space between matches this month after a manic December and January.
Tension eases as Spurs advance in Europa | 01:57
Spurs played 17 matches across all competitions in that stretch as the casualty ward overflowed.
It was reported by the UK Telegraph on Monday that Postecoglou has implemented a much-needed reset by affording the squad two days off this week to recharge the batteries before facing Manchester United at home in the league on Sunday.
“The boys who are coming back, we’ll get the opportunity to give them a whole week of training, which is great,” Postecoglou said.
“By the time we get to the back end of the week we should have something resembling a squad of players to prepare for a big game. That then folds into the following week when, again, we’ve got seven days and no midweek game to prepare for the next game.
“So that gives us a real good opportunity to get some work into the guys who have been out for quite a while and give some rest to the guys who have been going at it. So by the time we get back to being in Europe and having midweek games we’ll be in a much better shape.”
Postecoglou will be hoping the refresh, along with the possible returns of Vicario, Udogie, Maddison, Johnson and Wilson Odobert will be the morale booster the playing group desperately needs.
Their frustrations came to the fore during the Villa loss on Sunday.
“Spence ripped off his sock tape, threw it on the ground and headed straight down the tunnel with Yves Bissouma at full time,” The Athletic’s Jay Harris wrote.
“Pedro Porro jumped up after being nutmegged and left in a heap on the floor by Marcus Rashford. He then brought Villa’s new striker down with a wild kick on the edge of the box and somehow escaped punishment. The Spain international received a yellow card in the final 10 minutes for a tackle on Ramsey.
“Bentancur was booked for dragging down Rogers. Bergvall jumped into a tackle on Rogers and then clattered into him later on. He eventually picked up a booking for a foul on Ramsey, too.
“These are the moments when Postecoglou needs his senior players, including the captain Son and Dejan Kulusevski, to calm everyone down.”
Jovial Ange jokes before crucial goal | 00:57
If the players can reset, they may be able to claw their way back to the days of Postecoglou’s honeymoon period at Spurs.
The 59-year-old was a breath of fresh air when Tottenham amassed 26 points in his first ten games in charge, a Premier League record, when he took over last season.
Most promising for Postecoglou is that the formula is still there.
“The statistics still tell us this Tottenham team, for all their struggles this season, play a little differently to everyone else. The principles of play that had Postecoglou’s Spurs five points clear at the top of the table early last season remain in place,” Sky Sports’ Adam Bate wrote.
“No team in the Premier League has won the ball high up the pitch more times than Tottenham. No team allows so few passes per defensive action. No team plays with more width than Tottenham. By design, it is supposed to be intense and expansive.”
The numbers are a promising sign that if the medical staff can get most of their stars back on the pitch, the performances may turn quickly.
Who knows what will happen in the Europa League knockouts, but for what it is worth, Howe’s Newcastle won nine and drew four of their final 17 Premier League games last season once the midweek grind subsided.
They finished seventh, and currently sit sixth, two points shy of fourth-placed Chelsea and one of the lucrative Champions League places.
Perhaps if Postecoglou is afforded the leniency of an Englishman, he may have the time to turn things around in a similar fashion.
Who knows, they still have one chance to fulfil his trophy prophecy.
Former England goal keeper Joe Hart heaped praise on current Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou in a BBC 5 Live discussion, hailing the Australian’s tactical nous which “blew my mind” during their time together at Celtic.
Hart made his name for himself in the Premier League with 266 appearances for Manchester City and earlier this year he retired from professional football after a three-year stint at Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
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The four-time winner of the Premier League golden glove award headed to Glasgow at the same time as Postecoglou in 2021, and despite his wealth of experience, Hart found their time together to be a real eye-opener and an immense learning experience.
He had little experience playing in a formation with three at the back during his 75 international caps for England or his time in the Premier League and Serie A, so adapting to the aggressive tactics of ‘Angeball’ changed his perspectives on the game.
“My last three managers in England, David Moyes, Sean Dyche, [and] Jose Mourinho. All top, top managers in their own right and have done incredible things,” Hart said.
“But they are very much [about] hard work, dedication, learning what you need to do and going out and performing.
“Then I went and had three years [at Celtic] – two of them with Ange Postecoglou and one of them with Brendan Rodgers. Ange Postecoglou blew my mind because he really opened me up.
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“I always thought playing out from the back, does that mean I have to do [Johan] Cruyff turns, pick passes? No, it doesn’t; it means I need to stand on the ball and make sure my centre halves are on either side of me; my six is showing.
“I’m not playing out for the sake of it. I’m playing out to score. If that full press comes and all I see is opposition players next to mine, I’m given that clarity in my mind that there’s a little dink into the striker’s chest.
“All these things come together, and it’s a totally different game and a totally different thought process.
“I feel truly blessed because I would honestly feel out of my depth sat here three years ago trying to have this conversation [about playing out from the back].”
Chelsea spoil Man United homecoming | 00:50
Australian football fans have been well versed in Postecoglou’s attacking mentality since his days coaching South Melbourne in the defunct National Soccer League, his record-breaking ‘Roarcelona’ team in the A-League and, of course, the Socceroos.
Postecoglou’s eye-catching style and use of three defenders at the back on several occasions as often been controversial, but has famously reaped trophies around the world.
Celtic fans quickly fell in love with the Australian as he guided them to a treble winning season in 2022/23, and Tottenham supporters are now infatuated with him as they have scored the most goals in the Premier League so far this season.
Spurs’ hunt to end their trophy drought remains well and truly alive this season as they have made a perfect start to their Europa League campaign with three wins from three games, while they are due to face Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Newcastle United have played the role of party-poopers for Ange Postecoglou’s long-awaited homecoming to his native Melbourne on Wednesday night.
The Magpies won their English Premier League friendly against Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur 5-4 in a penalty shootout after their friendly ended 1-1 after regulation time in front of 78,419 fans at a drizzly MCG.
Considering the biggest crowd for a competitive match that Tottenham have played in front of is 85,512, against Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League at Wembley in 2016/17, and Newcastle’s is 68,386 in the old First Division almost a century ago, it puts into perspective just how huge the turnout was.
News of a penalty shootout certainly came as a surprise to Postecoglou who was clearly taken aback when he was informed of it as he searched for Newcastle counterpart Eddie Howe to shake his hand after the final whistle.
Tottenham Hotspur coach Ange Postecoglou was taken aback there was a penalty shootout. Picture: Mark StewartSource: News Corp Australia
The decisive moment of the shootout came with the first spot kick when Bryan Gil’s shot was saved by Newcastle’s Mark Gillespie. Harrison Ashby scored the last penalty to deliver the Magpies the win.
After a relatively uneventful opening half-hour, Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope laconically gave the ball straight to James Maddison on a platter in the box.
The Spurs vice-captain obliged by zigzagging his way through Newcastle’s defence and fired it past Pope who got a hand on it but not enough to stop it from rippling the net.
However, the goal should have been disallowed because Maddison clearly used his hand to control the ball in the lead-up. It wasn’t exactly Diego Maradona’s famous ‘Hand of God’ goal, but with no VAR in operation, the goal stood.
James Maddison scored for Tottenham Hotspur to open the scoring at the MCG. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Just before half-time, Newcastle equalised when Jacob Murphy crossed it into a dangerous area and while uncapped Spurs custodian Brandon Austin managed to get a hand to it, all he was able to do was place it right onto the boot of Alexander Isak who guided it home from point-blank range past the grounded Austin.
FIERY START
The pre-game entertainment was almost as eventful as the match itself.
Amidst the myriad pyrotechnics, there was a magnificent montage on the big screens documenting Postecoglou’s successful rise as a world-class manager all the way from South Melbourne to Spurs in the EPL.
There was a trumpeter’s rendition of “Oh When The Spurs Go Marching In”, and a huge group of Newcastle fans at the Punt Road end were waving black-and-white flags in unison.
While Postecoglou predictably received a massive round of applause when he strutted out onto the hallowed turf, he was actually upstaged by his captain Son Heung-min, who received the loudest cheer with a strong Korean contingent in the stands.
Almost 80,000 fans attended the MCG for the friendly. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
KUOL ARRIVES
There was also decent recognition from the crowd for Newcastle’s Aussie product Garang Kuol when his name got read out over the PA, and he got an even bigger cheer when he entered the game in the 71st minute for his maiden Newcastle game after spending his first season there on loan with Dutch side Volendam.
He capped his first Newcastle appearance by scoring in the penalty shootout with a perfectly-placed shot that flew past Spurs goalie Alfie Whiteman.
Australian product Garang Kuol made his first appearance for Newcastle United in the friendly. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
STARS COME OUT
The match provided a great opportunity for the Melbourne public to see some of the world’s best players up close and personal such as Newcastle duo Isak and Kieran Trippier as well as Spurs pair Son and Maddison.
Son was industrious down the left and showed why he is arguably the greatest Asian player of all time as he created quite a few threatening plays for Tottenham. He exited the game after an hour to a huge ovation. Tripper was subbed off in the 37th minute after a decent, spritely shift.
Tottenham star Son Heung-min received a big ovation from the healthy crowd, and played about an hour of the friendly. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
TRIPPIER, SON CLASH
A light-hearted moment occurred in the 24th minute when Trippier upended Son on the edge of the box in a challenge that was more vigorous than would normally be associated with a friendly.
Trippier was immediately apologetic, and hugged Son to make sure he was all right and playfully tapped his cheek, leading to a huge smile breaking out on the Korean legend’s face.
Clubs rumoured to been successful with their application to be part of the competition include former NSL outfits South Melbourne, Preston, Marconi, Sydney Olympic, APIA Leichhardt and Sydney United.
“This updated schedule will not only facilitate the finalisation of the competition structure but also grants all stakeholders sufficient time to finalise all logistical, regulatory, and operational aspects to guarantee a successful inauguration of the competition,” an FA statement read. Furthermore, this adjustment provides clarity for the member federations regarding their competition structures in 2024.
“The engaged collaboration and dedication of the clubs has been instrumental during this stage. Football Australia acknowledges these efforts with appreciation as stakeholders make strides towards the competition’s debut.”
James Johnson, CEO Football Australia, looks on during the Trans-Tasman Trophy international friendly match between Australia Subway Socceroos and New Zealand All Whites at Gtech Community Stadium on October 17, 2023 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Once the second division has “matured”, promotion and relegation between the second-tier competition and the A-League will be “considered” by FA.
Meanwhile, Celtic winger Marco Tilio has been included in a 24-man Olyroos squad for two away friendly matches this month against Saudi Arabi and Qatar.
However, there is no place in the squad for Adelaide United’s teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda.
Olyroos coach Tony Vidmar said it was the start of an important period for his team ahead of next year’s AFC Under-23 Asian Cup, where a top-three finish will guarantee Australia a place in nest year’s Olympic Games football tournament.
“We’ve spoken about what success at an Asian Cup and in turn, Olympic qualification looks like for the players individually and as a collective – there’s real excitement as 2024 approaches,” Vidmar said.
“We’ve got some fantastic young players coming through, playing for clubs in Australia and across Europe,” Vidmar said.
“It’s important for us to ensure we have a squad that is familiar with our environment, as they may be called upon throughout our Asian Cup campaign or beyond, be it due to injuries or player availability.
“Having a wider group of players all on the same page is an important element to any success we collectively strive for.”
Pop superstar Robbie Williams is, quite literally, singing his praises.
His players have spoken glowingly about his managerial touch and have embraced his full-throttle style of play.
Oh, and his team sits second in the league with an unbeaten record.
As far as first months in the Premier League go, they don’t get much better for Ange Postecoglou.
The Australian boss has looked at home while parading the touchline and pitting his tactical wit against 19 of the most elite footballing brains on the planet.
But it’s not just the on-field work of Postecoglou — or his players — that has the fans chanting “we’ve got our Tottenham back” long into the night, although it is a significant factor.
Postecoglou’s first order of business was to ensure his new signings hit the ground running in their Premier League opener against Brentford on August 19.
Three of Tottenham’s summer additions were named in the starting line-up for that game: goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, centre back Mickey van de Ven and star midfielder James Maddison.
One could also lump in left back Destiny Udogie into that group given it was his Tottenham debut despite having signed for the club from Udinese last summer.
On paper, three new signings doesn’t seem terribly disruptive, but two of those were key defensive positions that can significantly help or hinder a team.
It didn’t help that not long after scoring the opener against Brentford centre-back Cristian Romero had to be subbed off due to concussion.
But Tottenham remained strong and held out for a 2-2 draw in a game that represented the peaks and troughs of ‘Angeball.’
Going forward, Tottenham were electric but when defending, it was wildly chaotic at times.
“No one, least of all Postecoglou, is suggesting Spurs aren’t a team with lots of flaws and issues to resolve.
“But this game was a lot of fun and a big departure from last season. And that’s a start.”
Postecoglou earned a hard-fought draw in his first Premier League match. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Yet all eyes quickly turned towards how Postecoglou would fare in his second match against one of the biggest teams in the world: Manchester United.
Postecoglou had faced the Red Devils as a manager once before when he was coaching South Melbourne at the 2000 Club World Championship, but went down 2-0 to Sir Alex Ferguson’s troops.
But the Australian would exact revenge 23 years later in a history-making win via the same scoreline.
United boss Erik ten Hag simply had no answers for the swarms of white shirts running at the Red Devils’ goal as the Tottenham faithful found their voices once again.
Again, it was another old school saloon shootout and on another day the result could have easily swung in United’s favour, but Lady Luck was on Postecoglou’s side.
Result aside, the game was yet another reminder of the departure from the playing style of Postecoglou’s predecessors.
“Under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Spurs had shrivelled into a ball of pragmatism in the futile search for silverware,” The Times’ Alyson Rudd said.
“Under Ange Postecoglou, they are expressive, bold, fun and carefree. Erik ten Hag simply ran out of ways to handle it, the way a kindergarten teacher might despair of a class having a water fight.
“Tottenham may need to issue health warnings if this marks just the beginning of what the Australian has planned for the Premier League.”
The unbeaten start continued with a 2-0 and 5-2 victory over Bournemouth and Burnley respectively.
But if there was ever a sign ‘Angeball’ has been well and truly embraced by Tottenham’s players, it was their fifth goal against Burnley that rounded out skipper Heung-Min Son’s hat-trick.
Romero won the ball back on his own byline and just 16 passes later, Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford was picking the ball out of his own net.
Ange ball on fire! – Spurs new tactic? | 00:50
‘JUST COPYING PEP’: HOW ANGE HAS POST-KANE SPURS FLYING
The results are there and so too is the playing style, even if there are some teething problems.
So, how has Postecoglou got his troops all singing off his rather complex hymn sheet?
Firstly, there’s the usage of inverted fullbacks.
It’s not a groundbreaking invention from Postecoglou, but it takes an intelligent manager to not only implement it in their system but to ensure it works.
He even joked that he was “just copying Pep (Guardiola)” when quizzed about using the tactic.
What it means is that Udogie and Pedro Porro will drift into the middle third of the field, allowing any one of their central midfielders in Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr or James Maddison to drop from wide positions.
In turn, it opens up passing lanes for the centre-backs when they are on the ball to either feed it wide to a winger or give it to one of their midfielders who have come short to receive.
It also helps create numbers in the middle of the field to form various passing triangles, allowing Tottenham to carve teams open.
But the biggest tactical change Postecoglou has been forced to enact is up front.
Tottenham sold their record goalscorer Harry Kane to German giants Bayern Munich in an eye-watering $168 million deal.
Last season, Kane scored a staggering 30 league goals which contributed to 43 per cent of Tottenham’s goals, which was the highest figure in the league.
Additionally, Kane has scored 32.92 per cent of all Tottenham’s Premier League goals since the start of the 2012/13 season.
Whichever way you wanted to spin it, that number made it hard to disprove the argument Tottenham were a one-man team.
Whether he was dropping deep to link up play and drag opposition defenders with him or being a pest in the box, Kane was central to every attack.
Tottenham’s win rate with and without Kane also painted a rather bleak picture as to just how big of a task Postecoglou would have to revolutionise the squad, even if he insisted he had always planned for his departure.
Harry Kane’s exit could have easily derailed Tottenham’s start to the season. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Per BBC Sport, Tottenham won 167 of the 304 games Kane played for the team for a win rate of 54.9 per cent.
In the 36 games Kane did not play, Tottenham won just 16 of those and lost 12 for a win rate of 44.4 per cent.
It left Postecoglou needing a serious tactical revamp to not only attempt to plug the Kane-sized hole in his attack, but he had to find ways to share the goalscoring burden.
Four league games later and it’s safe to say he’s done that, even if Kane is irreplaceable in terms of his goals and what he brought to Tottenham as a whole.
Six Tottenham players have got on the scoresheet so far with Son leading the way with three goals while Maddison and Romero both have two, and $93 million deadline day signing Brennan Johnson may well quickly find himself on the scoresheet too.
Capable of playing on the wing or up top, the rapid Welshman was on Postecoglou’s wishlist for quite some time and for good reason too.
Son and Richarlison have both had chances as the central striker in a three-man forward line with contrasting fortunes.
Richarlison, who has scored just once for Tottenham in the Premier League, has struggled to insert himself into games.
As for Son, his rapid pace has proven key to how Tottenham play, especially when launching a counter-attack or latching onto a floated ball played over the top of opposition backlines.
The South Korean, who was handed the captain’s armband by Postecoglou after Kane’s departure, is loving his new role.
“He wants to have the ball, he wants to dominate the game and he wants to play as high as possible and in their half of the pitch which our players are really interested in and put a lot of effort into it so everyone is enjoying it and you could see on the pitch that everyone is playing with joy, with the happiness which is very helpful for the team,” Son said.
But it’s not just the players who are falling head over heels for the Aussie boss.
Son Heung-Min had plenty of kind words to say about Postecoglou. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGEBALL MEETS … BAZBALL?
Football chants are synonymous with famous songs of both old and present.
No matter how difficult a player’s name may seem to put a musical twist on it, you can bet your bottom dollar that supporters will find a way to make it work.
But for Postecoglou, the Tottenham faithful have managed to bestow two songs on him — at least for now.
One is their take on ‘Waltzing Matilda’, but the most iconic song — and one that even caught the attention of pop legend Robbie Williams — is to the tune of ‘Angels’.
It’s just the latest chapter in an already-blossoming love affair between Postecoglou and Tottenham fans.
From the very first game, the signs were there.
Before Tottenham kicked off against Brentford, their starting team ran towards the away section and applauded them before going into a huddle, sparking vocal cheers from their travelling fans.
If Tottenham’s home ground had a roof it would have been blown into space, such was the noise generated throughout their win over Manchester United.
It was that game that truly made fans fall in love with Postecoglou if they hadn’t already.
He continues to lead the fans in thunderous applause after every game, like a conductor leading his orchestra.
“The post-match celebrations summed up the relationship that’s developing between the Tottenham fans and Ange Postecoglou,” BBC Sport commentator John Bennett said after Spurs’ win at Burnley.
“He was last off the pitch to acknowledge the sustained applause from the away end.”
Socceroos legend Robbie Slater also noted the unique connection Postecoglou has already formed with the fanbase in record time.
“It’s the style of football,” Slater said on Fox Sports News.
“Look at what Son Heung-Min said after the game. It’s those expressions that are giving Tottenham fans a lot of hope and a lot of joy.
Postecoglou has formed an instant connection with the fans. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Ange’s connection already with the supporters is amazing, the way he goes to the supporters, he makes the players go to the supporters.”
Part of what has made Postecoglou an instant hit with the Tottenham fans — Celtic supporters will likely attest to this — is his witty rhetoric in press conferences.
There’s an element of relatability to what he says, with many clips of Postecoglou’s press conferences littered with comments along the lines of: “He gets it.”
Postecoglou also isn’t afraid to have playful banter with some of the journalists either, although one may argue the assembled press pack bring it upon themselves.
When one described summer signing Maddison as a “bargain” for £40 million, Postecoglou was flabbergasted that monetary figure could be labelled as such.
It feels like a lifetime ago Spurs fans were this giddy with glee, even if the best days of the Mauricio Pochettino era were less than a decade ago.
But that’s the effect of the soul-destroying and laborious stints of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte at the club.
“At this moment it feels like Tottenham Hotspur supporters are not looking far ahead – they are far too busy enjoying the moment,” The Athletic’s Tim Spiers wrote.
“They have waited a good long while for the kind of sun-kissed scenes of wondrous delirium and beaming pride witnessed at the end of the 5-2 shellacking of Burnley.
“The dreaming will no doubt follow if they keep this up but, as they keep singing, they are just happy right now to have “our Tottenham back.’”
The Guardian’s Max Rushden even went as far as likening the Postecoglou effect at Tottenham to that of a certain New Zealander on English cricket.
“Last year, no-one expected Arsenal to mount a title challenge and realistically no-one expects Spurs to this year,” Rushden wrote.
“But the vibes are good. And vibes matter.
“Angeball might be the Bazball of the Premier League. Make everyone happy, enjoy yourself doing it and the results might follow.”
But how long will these results and the positivity last?
The Tottenham fans are singing all sorts of songs about Postecoglou. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HAS ANGE FINALLY BUCKED NAGGING TREND, OR DELAYING THE INEVITABLE?
Tottenham’s red-hot start to the season has bucked the trend of Postecoglou’s slow starts.
In his first season at Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, the Aussie won just five of his first 16 games and avoided a relegation playoff only on goal difference.
He also endured a difficult start to life at Celtic as he oversaw three defeats — including a loss in his first Old Firm derby — and a draw in his opening seven games.
The criticism and questioning of his credentials came thick and fast, especially since the spotlight is that much brighter on managers at one of Scotland’s biggest clubs.
Yet Postecoglou soon proved why he was wanted by Celtic, going on to win the Scottish Premiership and League Cup in his first season before completing the domestic treble in his second.
An unbeaten start to the Premier League season is a complete departure from the 57-year-old’s traditional starts which could mean one of two things.
Will the expected slow start simply never arrive?
Or, more worryingly, is it going to arrive but at a later date?
Some may argue Tottenham have been rather fortunate in their fixtures to start the season, but the bigger tests are set to come thick and fast after the international break.
Postecoglou will lead Tottenham into his first North London derby against Arsenal on September 24 before they host Liverpool on October 1.
Postecoglou’s side have already been knocked out of a cup competition. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It is worth pointing out that it has not by any means been a perfect start for Postecoglou.
Tottenham were dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the second round by Fulham, meaning it’s one less opportunity for Postecoglou to bring some long-awaited silverware back to North London.
Given there is no European football being played by Tottenham this season, realistically their only hope for a trophy now solely rests in the FA Cup.
There’s also concerns about the team’s depth, especially at centre back.
Tottenham elected to sell Davinson Sanchez to Galatasaray, leaving a large drop-off from starting duo Van de Ven and Romero to the likes of Eric Dier or Ben Davies.
There’s also the question of who will replace Maddison’s creativity in midfield should he go down with an injury, with Giovani Lo Celso perhaps the only option.
Even then, the Argentinian midfielder doesn’t have the same ability to thread the needle or take players on quite like Maddison does.
Thankfully their summer additions up front, namely Johnson, Manor Solomon and the permanent signing of Dejan Kulusevski means there is plenty of cover in the final third if need be.
Of course, these issues may very well be rectified in the January transfer window, although it is unknown how much Postecoglou will have to spend on new signings.
There’s a lot of football left for Postecoglou and Tottenham this season. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Who knows how good this feel-good factor at Tottenham will last.
The mood could quickly turn sour in just a matter of games if results begin to dip.
But based on Postecoglou’s first month in the Premier League, it’s difficult to see that happening.
He’s brought in a style of play that has fans off their seats and has unburdened Tottenham’s players from the shackles of the Mourinho and Conte eras.
Most importantly, he’s given the Tottenham fans their club back.
That day, Postecoglou tested his tactical wit against the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, who named the likes of Andy Cole, Phil Neville and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his team for the match and even brought on David Beckham off the bench.
United went on to win 2-0 that day via a Quinton Fortune double.
Over two decades later, Postecoglou was on the right side of the same scoreline as his Tottenham Hotspur side beat United in his home debut.
Not only was it Postecoglou’s first win as Tottenham boss, it was the first win by an Australian manager in the Premier League.
A goal from midfielder Pape Matar Sarr and an own-goal from Red Devils defender Lisandro Martinez did the business as the adoring Tottenham faithful sung Postecoglou’s name long into the afternoon and night.
Sarr’s impressive display was emblematic of the freedom Postecoglou has given to his revamped midfield, but most important was how willing the Frenchman was to do the dirty work.
“Preferred to the legs of Oliver Skipp, Sarr offers something slightly different in his bombastic tackling skills,” The Athletic’s Tim Spiers wrote.
Postecoglou enjoyed a win in his home debut. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He’s aggressive, physical and likes to get in the box.”
Spiers added: “The fans were on their feet again when Sarr departed near the end and rightly so – he and the dynamic new-look Spurs midfield look the real deal.”
Alongside Sarr in the midfield was Yves Bissouma, who provided a timely reminder as to why Tottenham moved for him last season.
“Bissouma struggled in his first season at Spurs following a move from Brighton but here was the game’s outstanding performer, helping Pape Matar Sarr outflank United completely in midfield, where Casemiro looked like a player with many miles on the clock and Mason Mount was, to put it kindly, anonymous,” BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty said.
For all of Tottenham’s attacking verve under Postecoglou in their home opener, they are still raw when it comes to carrying out the Aussie boss’ tactics.
“Several times, they either overplayed or ran into trouble during a first half United dominated,” Spiers said.
“It was high risk but with little reward other than a couple of opportunities on the counter and Porro hitting the post.
Mac Allister shown RED on Anfield debut | 00:37
“And with United plugging the midfield gap they had left exposed against Wolverhampton Wanderers, it was an opening 45 minutes that showed this team will be a work in progress for some time yet.”
But even if Tottenham are a more vulnerable team at the back as a result of Postecoglou’s gung-ho style, it is a welcome change for the fans from the dark days of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho’s brand of football.
The raucous atmosphere, even in the wake of Harry Kane’s departure, was evidence the fans are backing Postecoglou all the way as he sets about his Tottenham revolution.
“Under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Spurs had shrivelled into a ball of pragmatism in the futile search for silverware,” Rudd said.
“Under Ange Postecoglou they are expressive, bold, fun and carefree. Erik ten Hag simply ran out of ways to handle it, the way a kindergarten teacher might despair of a class having a water fight.
“Tottenham may need to issue health warnings if this marks just the beginning of what the Australian has planned for the Premier League.”
In Ange Postecoglou’s first pre-season as a Premier League manager, he’s already faced several challenges he could have done without.
The chief headache; the seemingly-imminent loss of his best player. The London club accepted a bid of $AUD168 million from Bayern Munich for superstar striker Harry Kane on Thursday (AEST) with the striker’s switch on the verge of being made official.
There have been many other, more minor, setbacks. Wet weather forced Tottenham’s friendly against Leicester City in Thailand to be called off while Roma also pulled out of a pre-season clash, robbing Postecoglou of vital game time to drill his methods into his players.
Off the field, Tottenham owner Joe Lewis was charged with insider trading in the United States, adding yet another unneeded distraction for Postecoglou in what is his most important pre-season to date.
As the Daily Mail’s Matt Barlow pointed out, Lewis’ charges were the latest instalment in what many would describe as a very ‘Spurs-y’ welcome for Postecoglou.
“So here was one more cloud of uncertainty drifting across Postecoglou’s horizon since his arrival,” Barlow wrote.
“One he had no right to have expected. One more lesson in what has become a crash course in the perils of managing Tottenham.
“Things rarely go smoothly.”
Despite the uphill battles Postecoglou has already faced, there are early signs of promise his tenure at Tottenham could blossom into something brilliant.
He has seen an improvement from several players who struggled under his predecessors and a scintillating passage of play in a friendly shows the team have bought into his methods.
A lot has to go right for Postecoglou to succeed at a club where even some of modern football’s greatest managers have failed.
Yet the 57-year-old has proved all throughout his career that this is the environment in which he thrives.
THE UNWANTED SIDESHOW THAT COULD DERAIL SEASON BEFORE IT HAS BEGUN
It’s startling to think how low Spurs could have finished last season if it wasn’t for Kane.
The England captain contributed 30 league goals, the equal-most he has scored in a single Premier League season and 42.9 per cent of Tottenham’s total goals scored.
He also eclipsed Jimmy Greaves’ club record for most goals scored by a Tottenham player.
Safe to say, Kane has done it all for Tottenham except for one glaring, shiny, glorious exception: win a trophy.
Kane has been on the losing side of a final with Tottenham on three occasions: the Carabao Cup in 2014/15 and 2020/21 as well as the Champions League in 2018/19.
It is evident Kane desperately wants to win silverware with Tottenham but with one year remaining on his deal, he has arrived at a critical juncture in his career.
As it stands, Kane is leaning towards an exit after Tottenham accepted Bayern Munich’s bid.
Initial reports claimed the talisman was hesitant about leaving but the lure of silverware and guaranteed Champions League football may have proved too strong to turn down.
For Postecoglou, the fact this saga has dragged on until the eve of the season must have made it a frustrating sideshow.
Harry Kane is on the verge of a move to Bayern Munich. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But if Kane leaves, could it mean the expectations are slightly lowered and Postecoglou earns himself a little more time in one of the most cutthroat leagues in the world?
According to The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare, it might add on a few more weeks to the Aussie’s grace period.
“I can definitely see for Postecoglou there is a sense that he could start the rebuild and there might be a bit more patience,” Eccleshare told the Fox Football Podcast.
“I think the problem with the whole Kane situation is that if he does stay, which is obviously good, but then it’s going to be a bit of a cloud next season.
“So in some ways, it might be better for the sake of the rebuild to do it and then Postecoglou has a bit more time.
“I think there would be more of an acceptance that things would take a little while if you just sold the best player.”
There will be plenty of intrigue as to how Tottenham and Postecoglou navigate a world post-Kane.
Do they spend the money across the team or invest heavily in a single replacement, even if they could be forced to significantly overpay given teams know they have cash to burn?
Regardless, the pending loss of Kane already puts Postecoglou at a serious disadvantage, even if it might extend his grace period.
Will expectations change if Tottenham lose their talisman? (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
19 CHARGES OF INSIDER TRADING LATER …
Just when Postecoglou thought he didn’t have enough off-field distractions in pre-season, Tottenham owner Joe Lewis had to throw himself into the mix.
The 86-year-old was charged with insider training in late July, although he denied the 19 counts in a Manhattan federal court and has been released on bail.
Lewis was accused of gifting his employees and love interests with inside details on deals from 2013 to 2021, with the scheme reportedly securing millions for those involved.
If found guilty, Lewis could face several years in prison given the most serious of his securities fraud and conspiracy charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 and five years in prison respectively.
Despite the justifiable concerns surrounding the club’s owner, Postecoglou unsurprisingly played a straight bat when quizzed if it would alter his pre-season plans.
“Why wouldn’t they be?” Postecoglou said.
“The club’s already said it’s not a club matter. We’re not putting out a statement that’s not true so if it’s not a club matter it doesn’t affect me in terms of what I’m trying to do, so no-one’s said anything like that to me.
“If you think that’s what I’m involved in you don’t know what my role is here.”
As Postecoglou was at pains to point out, Lewis’ charges are not a club matter.
But it created an unnecessary side plot in a pre-season which the Tottenham manager could most certainly have done without.
Tottenham owner Joe Lewis was slapped with 19 charges of insider trading. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE LIVES UP TO CHAIRMAN’S WISH, BUT WILL DEJA VU STRIKE?
For several years, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has stated his desire to see attractive football grace the turf at the club’s state-of-the-art venue.
But the appointments of Nuno Espirito Santo, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte in recent years did not match up with that sentiment.
Yet in the club’s statement announcing Postecoglou’s appointment, Levy made a comment that sums up the Aussie perfectly and might actually reflect his wish.
“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play,” Levy said.
“He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club.”
That “fast, attacking style of play”, also described as ‘Angeball’, has been on display during Tottenham’s pre-season.
One example was in their friendly against Barcelona, where a clip of the team — largely made up of second-stringers — building out from the back early in the second half did the rounds on social media.
The Guardian’s Max Rushton wrote “Spurs just played more football in 30 seconds than in the previous 3 years,” while Football.London’s Alasdair Gold claimed Tottenham “suddenly seemed able to pass the ball around with a verve and confidence that the Barca fans were expecting from their own side.”
Spurs embrace SPICY chaos of ‘Angeball’ | 00:34
Even the Spanish media raved about Postecoglou’s side, with Mundo Deportivo journalist Joan Poqui claiming the London club “dominated the game” in an “excellent” and “aggressive” display.
Yet it is important to remember all of this has happened in pre-season where a win helps breed confidence, but is not the be-all end-all.
Once the Premier League gets underway, there are no bonus points for playing entertaining football.
There’s also the history of Postecoglou’s team suffering slow starts at the beginning of his reign.
At Celtic, the Aussie was already under pressure at the start of the 2021/22 Scottish Premiership season as the Hoops lost three and drew one of their opening seven games, including a defeat to bitter rivals Rangers.
In his first season at Yokohama, Postecoglou won five of his opening 16 J1 League games and would end the campaign safe from a relegation playoff only on goal difference.
Granted, there were mitigating circumstances at both clubs.
He had overseen a significant player overhaul at Celtic as he moulded the squad to his liking while there was the obvious language barrier in Japan.
But, as history would prove, Postecoglou went on to enjoy tremendous success at both destinations.
The 57-year-old won the Scottish Premiership and League Cup in his first season at the helm before completing the domestic treble in his second year.
At Yokohama, Postecoglou ended the club’s 15-year drought for a J1 League title by finishing top of the pile in 2019, all while setting Japan alight with his eye-catching brand of football.
Eccleshare points out that based on Postecoglou’s past, it seems likely he won’t get off to a flying start in London.
But as his time in Glasgow and Yokohama proved, some patience is required.
The big question is: will he get it in a league notorious for lacking it?
“That to me is the crux of it,” Eccleshare said.
Postecoglou knows he must hit the ground running. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He probably will results-wise make a slow start. It’s a lot to try and implement in a short space of time.
“He has tended to have slow results early on at his other clubs. I just hope he is given time and patience by the fans, by the media, by the club in general.”
Even if Postecoglou doesn’t get the results he is after in his early days at the club, Eccleshare pointed to a clear example that highlights why it might not be as big a deal as it could be.
“One thing I would say is fans can generally tell if there’s at least a plan and the team is moving in the right direction,” Eccleshare said.
“Pochettino and Nuno’s first 10 games, the results were pretty similar points-wise.
“Nuno got the sack obviously and it was untenable because the football was dreadful and it was clear there wasn’t really a plan or they were moving in the right direction whereas with Pochettino, there was a lot more good will.
“I would hope that as long as it feels the team are moving in the right direction, the fans are a bit more supportive.
“I just hope there is a bit of a grace period where people accept it is going to take a bit of time for his methods to really bed in.”
Postecoglou has a mixed start to the season with an opening game at Brentford before they host Manchester United.
An easier run of Bournemouth (away), Burnley (away) and Sheffield United (home) awaits, but the Aussie will face tougher tests in the following two games.
Postecoglou’s first taste of the fiery North London derby against Arsenal (away) takes place on September 24 followed by a home fixture against Liverpool.
If the Aussie picks up a win against either of those two clubs or indeed both, it will buy him the most valuable commodity in the Premier League: time.
Even if he doesn’t, history has shown that when clubs back Postecoglou, he returns the favour in silverware, something Tottenham so desperately crave.
Is Postecoglou the man to end Tottenham’s wait for a trophy? (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)Source: AFP
WHY ANGE MUST DEFY SERIAL WINNER’S EXTRAORDINARY RANT
In the wake of Tottenham’s 3-3 draw against Southampton in March in which they tossed away a 3-1 lead, former boss Antonio Conte launched into an extraordinary tirade in his post-match press conference.
Conte claimed he saw “11 players that play for themselves” and a group who “don’t want to play under pressure” and “don’t want to play under stress.”
Whatever Conte thought of his former players, they are now under the tutelage of Postecoglou and he will have formed his own take.
In terms of departures, Harry Winks (permanent move to Leicester) and Joe Rodon (loan to Leeds) are the only official ones, although Kane’s move to Bayern is all but confirmed.
Tottenham also turned a pair of loan signings permanent in Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro, although the latter was an obligation
But Postecoglou also made a number of additions to his team that show he’s committed to changing the way Tottenham have played.
He’s brought in a new goalkeeper in Guglielmo Vicario, a relatively unknown quantity between the sticks but adept at having the ball at his feet, something Hugo Lloris struggled with.
There’s also the £40m addition of James Maddison who adds much-needed creativity into the midfield, while tricky winger Manor Solomon joined on a free and provides solid depth up front.
James Maddison is Tottenham’s marquee signing of the summer. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)Source: AFP
One area in need of desperate improvement is at the heart of defence and Postecoglou has moved to address that, signing Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg.
Postecoglou admitted he would like another centre-back through the door, stating “the potential is there” to do so, per Football.London.
But there is only so much Postecoglou can improve via the transfer window.
Much like Eddie Howe did to the likes of Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Fabian Schar at Newcastle, Postecoglou must find a way to unlock new levels in the players he already has at his disposal.
Tottenham is not a bad team by any stretch and their fourth-place finish in the 2021/22 season proves that, yet there is certainly some truth behind Conte’s absurd rant.
But under Postecoglou, unheralded players could have their moment to shine.
Take Oliver Skipp, for example.
The England under-21 star never quite looked at home in a 2-man defensive midfield pairing under Conte but has appeared strong in Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 formation and scored twice against Barcelona.
“He has been outstanding,” Postecoglou said of Skipp after the friendly.
“Obviously he didn’t have much of a break but since he’s been in he’s got bags of energy and he uses that really well. He maintains an intensity with and without the ball that makes him hard to contend with.”
Another is Giovani Lo Celso, who spent the last 18 months out on loan at Villarreal.
But Eccleshare tipped a £25m signing from last year to flourish in Postecoglou’s set-up.
Oliver Skipp could be one player who enjoys a new lease of life under Postecoglou . (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“A really important position for Ange would be that deep-lying No. 6 who can spray passes, kind of like Callum McGregor did [at Celtic],” Eccleshare said.
“I think (Yves) Bissouma could be really good for that. He did that a bit for Brighton.”
The 26-year-old’s passing numbers last season prove why he could be the metronome the Postecoglou system requires.
Per OptaAnalyst, Bissouma had the fifth-best passing rate of all Premier League players who logged at least 1,000 minutes.
Bissouma had a passing accuracy of 91.3 per cent, the best figure from a midfielder in the top flight.
The only players ahead of him were four centre-backs, three of which play for Manchester City who are known for passing teams to death: Manuel Akanji (93.3 per cent), John Stones (93.3 per cent), Victor Lindelof (93. per cent) and Ruben Dias (92.7 per cent).
Although Postecoglou could revolutionise Tottenham’s midfield, it is the defence which might give him more grey hairs.
Tottenham conceded 63 goals last season, their second-most in the Premier League era.
Signing Van de Ven won’t alleviate their defensive woes overnight and as is often the case under Postecoglou, his style can result in a worrying number of goals conceded.
Bissouma looms as a key player for Postecoglou in his preferred three-man midfield. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
In his first season at Yokohama, Postecoglou’s side shipped 56 goals, the third-highest figure in the J1 League.
Part of the alarming figure of goals conceded is likely because Postecoglou employs a high defensive line and for some defenders, it can severely expose them.
Against Barcelona, Gold noted club stalwart Eric Dier “still does not look entirely comfortable with that high line.”
Gold also added “the fullbacks struggled with Barcelona’s balls over them and down the flanks” and singled out left back Sergio Reguilon as one who really battled.
Reguilon will likely be in direct competition for the starting left back role with 20-year-old Destiny Udogie, who spent last season on loan at Serie A club Udinese.
On the right side, Postecoglou has Emerson Royal who adopts a more defensive approach to playing and the attack-minded Pedro Porro.
The defenders on both flanks have had their chances to prove to Postecoglou why they deserve a starting berth, but from pre-season reports, none have quite done enough to nail down a spot.
If Postecoglou can tighten up Tottenham at the back, the rest will almost certainly take care of itself.
Postecoglou must fix Tottenham’s defence if he is to succeed this season. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP)Source: AFP
With just days until Tottenham’s Premier League opener, Postecoglou will no doubt be itching to just get on the touchline and get the season underway.
The moment he takes his spot in the dugout is one that has been decades in the making from the day he began at South Melbourne way back in 1996.
Even if several factors have gone against him in his first pre-season at Tottenham, nothing can take away from the fact Postecoglou can say he is a Premier League manager.
Granted, he has arrived at a club in dire need of a major refresh and he could lose his best player early into the season, things you would most certainly not want for your first shot at the big time.
Yet all throughout Postecoglou’s career that has taken him from suburban grounds in Australia to the World Cup, he’s often been the underdog.
It’s just the way he likes it and why this pre-season has set the perfect stage for him to shine.
