- Ange Postecoglou’s management resume speaks for itself
- After continued success, he silenced his opponents in football
- Feels like he was ‘unappreciated’ when he lived in Australia
As the first Australian to coach a Premier League club, Ange Postecoglou has undoubtedly silenced the critics, but the Tottenham manager continues to question why he is not liked in his own country.
The 58-year-old Postecoglou boasts a management resume that many can only dream of, not to mention the trophies he has won in Australia, Japan and Scotland.
‘Big Ange’ was born in Greece, but moved to Melbourne with his family in 1970 as a young boy.
He represented South Melbourne in the now defunct National Soccer League (NSL). At the age of 27, he turned to coaching due to a knee injury that forced him to retire from football.
Two more titles soon followed and Postecoglou was on his way – or so he thought.
A now infamous interview with Craig Foster on SBS’ The World Game After Australia failed to qualify for the 2007 Under-20 World Cup, Postecoglou was labelled a football leper.
He went on to coach at Greek Third Division and Melbourne State League club Whittlesea Zebras, before joining A-League club Brisbane Roar in 2009.
Two and a half years later, Postecoglou left the Roar, a period which saw him lead the club to two consecutive A-League championships, a league campaign, an impressive 36-game unbeaten run and two Asian Champions League qualifications.
As the first Australian to coach a Premier League club, Ange Postecoglou has silenced his critics – but the Tottenham manager continues to question why he is not a respected figure on home soil
Ange Postecoglou also coached Australia at the 2014 World Cup and led the Socceroos to qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia (pictured with Tim Cahill)
He then moved to Melbourne Victory, where he took over as manager of the Socceroos ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Postecoglou went on to win the Asian Cup in 2015 and hoped the code would make greater strides locally than it ultimately did.
After qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, Postecoglou retired and focused on management at club level.
His reasoning had nothing to do with ego: Postecoglou genuinely felt he was wasting his time.
“I didn’t get any respect in my own country for what I was trying to do… I felt like I hadn’t made any impact, that I had failed,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald when asked why he was running away from the World Cup in Russia.
This came amid constant criticism of Postecoglou’s attacking football, which has ironically made him a global star in recent years as he refuses to change his bold coaching philosophy.
A few days before Christmas in 2017, Postecoglou took over the helm at Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan.
Some Australian football fans thought Postecoglou would fade into obscurity, but two years later he won the J-League title, ensuring a move to Scottish giants Celtic in June 2021.
‘Aussie Ange’ became a popular figure with Celtic fans after winning the title in his first season in Scotland
Once again the opposition stood on the sidelines, but they were forced to eat their words as Postecoglou won the Scottish League Cup and the league title in his first season at the helm.
When he left for Tottenham Hotspur in June 2023, Postecoglou was once again ridiculed.
He was expected to struggle and possibly be sacked within months after losing striker Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, but he finished fifth, much to the delight of eagerly awaited Tottenham supporters.
Having signed a four-year contract, Postecoglou has no plans to leave London any time soon. After strengthening his squad in the off-season, he is confident of finishing in the top four in May, which would mean automatic qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
We can also assume that Postecoglou will not return to the A-League for the time being. And why would he, given that the competition is in serious trouble?
“I have a strange relationship with Australia in terms of football because on many levels I hated what it was doing to me and I wanted to get away,” he said.
‘But at the same time, without this support I wouldn’t have gotten where I am today.
‘If people come to Tottenham games because of me, that’s great…I love that aspect of it.’ But part of me just says, when I was there, I didn’t feel valued.’