By Vince Rugari
Ange Postecoglou has been officially confirmed as Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager, becoming the first Australian to land a head coaching job in the English Premier League.
And his first match in charge of the club will bring him back to Australia, with Spurs to play a pre-season friendly against London rivals West Ham United at Perth’s Optus Stadium on July 18.
Ange Postecoglou celebrates Celtic’s Scottish Cup final win at the weekend.Credit: Getty
He has signed a four-year deal which begins on July 1, the club said in a statement on Tuesday evening (AEST), after being granted a release from Scottish club Celtic.
“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play,” chairman Daniel 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.
“We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead.”
In a statement released by Celtic, Postecoglou said: “[The board] wanted me to extend my time at Celtic and while I am so respectful and understanding of their position, a new opportunity has been presented to me and it is one which I wanted to explore.
“Celtic is a phenomenal football club, and so much more – and I will forever be a supporter of this great institution. I wish everyone connected with Celtic nothing but continued success.”
The move is a landmark moment for Australian football and heralds by far the biggest challenge of the 57-year-old’s career. But it is an opportunity he has earned, and one he is ready for.
Postecoglou has won an array of trophies and accolades during his 26 years as a coach, including five of the six domestic competitions available to him in Scotland with Celtic, where he has coached for the last two seasons.
Pep Guardiola showered Ange Postecoglou in praise when Manchester City faced Yokohama F. Marinos in an off-season friendly in 2019. Now they’ll be rivals in the Premier League.Credit: Getty
Prior to that, he made his name in Australia, winning the old National Soccer League with his boyhood club South Melbourne and the A-League twice with Brisbane Roar, where he set an Australian record with a 36-match unbeaten streak.
He also won the 2015 AFC Asian Cup with the Socceroos, secured the team’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup, and then returned to club football with Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos, with whom he won the 2019 J.League title.
Daniel Levy has endured a controversial two-decade reign as Spurs chairman.Credit: Getty
He has compiled, arguably, the greatest CV of any Australian coach in any sport and has, over time, become a figurehead for the game here, a mentor to aspiring coaches, and a strong believer in the ability for Aussies to compete on the global stage.
Now a new frontier beckons.
The Premier League has long been regarded as one of Europe’s top competitions but in recent years, as broadcast revenue has skyrocketed worldwide, it has led to an even greater concentration within it of the best players and coaches in the game.
Postecoglou has a massive task ahead in not just testing his wits against the likes of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp on a weekly basis, but by nursing a broken club back to full health.
Regarded as one of the Premier League’s “big six” clubs, Spurs have been on a downward spiral since losing the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, finishing eighth this season after the sacking of famed Italian manager Antonio Conte in March.
Levy, who is wildly unpopular with Tottenham fans, has appointed 11 different permanent managers during his time in charge – including Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino and Andre Villas-Boas – and has fired every one of them.
The hope, from an Aussie perspective, is that Postecoglou will buck this tempestuous trend and bring stability back to north London – although, like with most of his previous coaching gigs, there will be a difficult period of adjustment in the initial weeks or months as players come to terms with his demanding methods, which Spurs supporters and Levy alike will need to ride out.
The fact he has penned a four-year contract suggests all parties are aware of this.
Postecoglou will at least have a familiar face to lean on at the club, with Australian administrator Scott Munn, who previously held roles in the AFL, NRL and in the A-League with the City Football Group, set to begin work as Tottenham’s chief football officer on July 1. Postecoglou is also reportedly interested in bringing one of his assistants from Celtic, John Kennedy, with him to London.
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