Ange Postecoglou hopeful that Australian football can take ‘advantage’ of current boom

Ange Postecoglou says the time has come for football to make an ‘indelible footprint’ in Australia’s sporting landscape.

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou says it’s been a ‘big 12 months’ for Australian football. Picture: TREVOR COLLENS / AFP

Ange Postecoglou is hopeful but cautious about Australian football making the most of renewed interest in the sport.

The former Socceroos coach, who is Perth with his new club Tottenham ahead of Tuesday night’s pre-season friendly against Premier League rivals West Ham at Optus Stadium, is encouraged by the state of football in Australia.

He pointed to the Socceroos’ good showing at last year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the excitement about the Women’s World Cup, which starts on Thursday in Australia and New Zealand.

Postecoglou’s own recent success with Celtic, and his off-season move to take charge of Spurs has also kept the sport in the news in Australia,

However, he warned that it was not the first time Australian football had “made a mark” without kicking on, pointing to the sport’s failure to capitalise on the success of the Socceroos side he coached to Asian Cup glory on home soil in 2015.

Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou (left) and star attacker Son Heung-Min are ready for West Ham’s challenge. Picture: TREVOR COLLENS / AFP

“It’s fair to say that since the appointment (at Spurs) there’s been a fair bit of attention, which is great, not so much for me personally, but for the game in Australia, absolutely,” Postecoglou told reporters in Perth on Monday,

“It’s been a big 12 months for the game itself.

“The Socceroos were brilliant at the World Cup, we’ve got the FIFA Women’s World Cup about to start which is going to be great for the nation, so any focus there is on football is brilliant and if I can add to that a little bit, it’s great and I take great pride in that.

However, Postecoglou said there was still plenty of work to do for the sport to succeed in Australia.

“Where it is right now is where it’s been many times – it’s what happens from now on,” he said.

“Australian football has pretty good always at making a mark. (Winning) the Asian Cup, (but then) barely a ripple.

“Hopefully what it means now is, particularly with the girls, it’s getting great exposure all over the world.

“It’s about the game taking advantage of that and making an indelible footprint in the sporting landscape here, which we know is always challenging. It’s where it’s been a lot of times.

“Hopefully this time it takes advantage of it.”