Is Ange now Australia’s greatest sporting coach? How Postecoglou stacks up against rivals

Australia has had some magnificent sports coaches but there’s one thing that makes Ange Postecoglou different from the rest. Where does he rank among the greatest across all sports? Vote inside.

Only Ange Postecoglou could feature in a sentence in which we ask “is he the greatest?’’ and “will he be sacked?’’

It’s been that sort of ride.

Postecoglou’s achievement to become the only coach from outside Europe and South America to win the Europa League when Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United this week is one of the most impressive achievements ever by an Australian coach.

It means no list of great Australian sporting coaches, including the likes of Harry Hopman and Darren Cahill (tennis), Wayne Bennett, Jack Gibson, Ivan Cleary and Craig Bellamy (rugby league), Ric Charlesworth (hockey), Bob Simpson and John Buchanan (cricket), Norm Smith, Kevin Sheedy and Leigh Matthews (AFL) and Percy Cerutty (athletics) can be complete without him.

Tottenham rode Ange Postecoglou all the way to European glory. Picture: Getty

Is he the greatest?

Whether you make him gold, silver or bronze, for my money he has to be on the podium somewhere simply because the mountain he climbed – the degree of difficulty – was more challenging than any other Australian coach has scaled.

He’s not just another rugby league or AFL coach who grew up in his home system and did it all by sleeping most nights in his home bed.

Trailblazers who conquer distant frontiers get extra marks. Why? Because lone wolves in foreign lands often get eaten alive, devoured by systems in which they have limited contacts and no one covering their backs. It’s just tougher.

Postecoglou won trophies in Japan and Scotland on the way to England where he is still in danger of being sacked because of Tottenham’s poor English Premier League season.

The case against Postecoglou being Australia’s best coach is that the Europa League, while big, is not as big as the EPL title nor the Champions League which Tottenham now enters. And, of course, it’s a club, not a national job.

The case for him is that no Australian sporting coaching job – from the Olympics to the football codes – has the crazy stress levels of English football, particularly if you are an Australian breaking new ground.

“The bottom line is if you are an Australian going to England you have got to be better than not just the locals but the rest of the world or they will go ‘hang on a minute…’’ Stan Sport’s former Australian goal-keeper Mark Bosnich told this masthead.

Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed success all across the globe – including Japan. Picture: Getty

“They (the English Premier League) look up upon Australian football – not all – but in general, a little bit like a second-rate nation. You have to be a bit better than what is there. Especially in a position of influence and power like manager.

“It would be like a Papua New Guinea coach coming down into the NRL. If he went brilliantly that would be fine, but if he didn’t you guys would tear him to shreds.’’

So where does it rate?

“It’s not the Champions League and it’s not one of the big four league titles, but in Australian soccer history it is the biggest (coaching) achievement … by far.’’

Some coaches shine for their longevity such as rugby league’s Bennett, AFL’s Sheedy and Hopman who won an astonishing 16 Davis Cup tennis titles but that was in an era when Australia was a tennis superpower and the game was not as global as today.

Tennis champion and coach Harry Hopman

Legendary AFL figure Norm Smith

Others, like cricket’s Simpson and Buchanan and hockey’s Charlesworth, were legends for being ahead of the game with drills and planning.

The sneaky superstar is underrated tennis mentor Cahill.

He shines not so much for a one achievement as his incredible body of work – guiding Lleyton Hewitt to be the second youngest ever world No.1, Andre Agassi to be the oldest world No.1 and helping Simona Halep to that mantle before taking over another star, Jannik Sinner.

Charlesworth says Postecoglou’s coaching philosophy is as impressive as the silverware he has picked up along the way.

“I have a bit of a cringe that we are surprised what Ange did could happen,’’ Charlesworth said.

Ric Charlesworth (R) dominated the world stage with both the men’s and women’s hockey teams.

“Why wouldn’t we have a coach in Australia who can coach in the Premier League? What I like about it is he is uncompromisingly assertive and aggressive the way the team plays. That is really hard to do and it proves you cannot win major things unless you hurt your opposition.

“The big thing about him for me is that he has lasted. He worked at club level. He worked in Japan and in Scotland and now this. And I don’t think he is finished either.

“In his time Harry Hopman did a special thing but the field was pretty narrow. You have to measure people in their time. It is a club competition. It is not international. But it is a big arena.’’

Legendary swim coach Laurie Lawrence adds: “The thing about Ange is that wherever he goes players have bought in to his methods. And he has been everywhere. That’s great coaching. He’s a legend.’’

Originally published as Is Ange now Australia’s greatest sporting coach? How Postecoglou stacks up against rivals