Australian Ange Postecoglou Hired as Tottenham Manager to Turn Club Fortunes Around
Introduction
Tottenham Hotspur has hired Ange Postecoglou as its new manager, making him the first Australian to manage a team in the English Premier League. Postecoglou comes to the club with a good track record, having won a trophy treble with Celtic in Scotland. Tottenham’s chairman, Daniel Levy, said that he was excited to have Postecoglou join the club at a time when the team is looking to turn its fortunes around. The club has gone through four permanent managers since the departure of Mauricio Pochettino in 2019, and none have been able to bring them a trophy so far.
Rebuilding Challenge for Postecoglou
Postecoglou is joining Tottenham at a time when they have failed to qualify for Europe for the first time since 2009. Additionally, there have been a series of issues such as Conte’s departure in March and the team’s poor performance under Cristian Stellini’s brief reign. These circumstances have led to growing unrest among supporters. However, Postecoglou’s fast, attacking style of play and a strong track record of developing players have given Tottenham’s fans hope.
Postecoglou’s Proven Record
Postecoglou has an impressive reputation for winning and developing young players. He is a blunt speaker, with clarity in his vision of soccer, and has successfully implemented his ideas at previous clubs, including Australia and Japanese club, Yokohama F. Marinos. He previously showed great success at Celtic, where he won five trophies, including two league titles, the Scottish Cup, and two League Cups. Celtic’s chief executive, Michael Nicholson, expressed disappointment at losing Postecoglou as Tottenham’s new manager. However, he respected Postecoglou’s decision to look for a new challenge.
Levy Under Increasing Pressure to Find a Winning Formula
Tottenham’s chairman, Daniel Levy, has been under pressure from supporters to find a winning formula for the team. He tried bringing in proven trophy winners who played pragmatic, defensive-first soccer such as José Mourinho and Antonio Conte. However, these tactics failed, and the club has now returned to its former approach of hiring a manager who plays more expansive soccer and promotes younger players. Postecoglou’s appointment could signal this change in strategy.
Future Plans
Postecoglou’s initial challenge will be to convince Harry Kane, the team’s star player, to stay with the club. Kane has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Real Madrid this summer, and his departure could earn Tottenham as much as $124-million to reinvest in the team. However, it would leave a significant hole for Postecoglou to try to fill.
Conclusion
Tottenham’s supporters look forward to seeing Postecoglou turn the team’s fortunes around after 15 years without a trophy. Postecoglou’s impressive record, tenacity, and youth philosophy could make him the right choice for Tottenham. He has stated his passion for giving fans a team they can be proud of, and the Tottenham faithful will hope that his vision for expansive, attacking soccer leads to success on the pitch.
<< photo by Dan Parker >>