TOTTENHAM’s seek for a brand new supervisor is about to finish.
Spurs are set to announce Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou as their new boss as early as subsequent week.
Celtic supervisor Ange Postecoglou is ready to be confirmed as Tottenham bossCredit score: Getty
When he was 5, Postecoglou emigrated to Australia
The Greek-born, Aussie-raised coach, 57, grew up in Melbourne, the place he developed a love of the gorgeous recreation.
It was at South Melbourne Hellas, a membership arrange for Greek immigrants within the Nineteen Fifties, the place he would meet legend Ferenc Puskas, who managed the aspect from 1989-1992.
They might kind an in depth bond, the place Ange would act as interpreter for the Hungarian in return for his fountain of soccer data.
Postecoglou would change into a boss in his personal proper and finally coach the Australian nationwide staff.
Final yr, behind-the-scenes footage emerged of the ex-Socceroos coach shedding his mood together with his gamers, which ought to act as a warning to Harry Kane and Co.
Quantity 24
Raised within the Athens suburbs, Ange’s dad Dimitris misplaced his enterprise following the 1967 Greek navy coup, so the household emigrated to Australia in 1970 by boat.
“I simply can’t consider what my dad and mom went via,” he stated.
“What they’d have gone via to take a younger household midway around the world, on a ship that takes us 30 days, to a rustic the place they don’t communicate the language, they don’t know a soul, they don’t have a home, they don’t have jobs.
“Folks say they go to a different nation for a greater life. My dad and mom didn’t have a greater life, they went to Australia to supply alternatives for me to have a greater life.”
The long run soccer supervisor was simply 5 when he posed for a photograph holding up immigration quantity 24, giving off a steely stare that will later be utilized in full power to get the most effective out of team-mates and groups.
It was his dad who would give Ange his first style of soccer, which was one thing of a launch for the previous man who was out early and residential late due to work commitments.
Sundays have been devoted to church within the mornings, adopted by a South Melbourne Hellas match within the afternoon.
Soccer legend Ferenc Puskas turned Postecoglou’s mentor at South Melbourne Hellas
A tremendous tutor
Ange joined semi-pro Hellas, who are actually referred to as South Melbourne FC, when he was 9.
“As a child, I simply wished to slot in, I didn’t essentially like the very fact I got here from one other nation and had a extremely lengthy surname that no person may get their mouth round. For a younger boy the easiest way to slot in was sport,” Postecoglou stated.
He rose via the youth ranks to play within the 1984 aspect that gained the Nationwide Soccer League. One thing he would obtain once more in 1991, however beneath a extra inspiring and pioneering supervisor.
Between 1989-1992, Ange was coached by soccer’s first worldwide celebrity, Ferenc Puskas. He was skipper and left-back, Puskas his mentor.
Puskas was a pioneer in Australia and confirmed them tips on how to play soccer
Puskas would lead South Melbourne Hellas to Nationwide Soccer League success
The Galloping Main performed an attacking 4-3-3 formation – with the full-backs supporting the wingers. By no means earlier than seen in Australia.
Puskas couldn’t communicate English, however was fluent in Greek following spells at Panathinaikos and AEK Athens.
That allowed Greek-speaking Ange to be the chief communicator on and off the pitch.
They quickly turned agency mates, as Ange would chauffeur Puskas round city and the 2 would focus on soccer for hours.
Ange stated of Puskas: “He was only a gentleman. From the second he wandered via, he was simply humble.
“We have been always pestering him to inform us tales about Actual Madrid, what he did at Hampden, what he did at Wembley.
“He was endlessly downplaying every thing and it simply confirmed you the greatness of the person was his humility in coping with folks.
“I used to be fortunate as a result of when he got here to Australia his English wasn’t nice, however he had coached Panathinaikos to a European Cup ultimate, so his Greek was respectable and I acted nearly as an interpreter.
“I used to select him up from his home and drive him to coaching in my crappy previous automobile, which I used to be embarrassed about.”
Destined for administration
Ange was simply 27 when he needed to retire with a knee damage.
Postecoglou would return to South Melbourne as coach and win two nationwide championshipsCredit score: Getty Pictures – Getty
When Postecoglou was left unemployed he leaned on his spouse Georgia for assist and moved in together with his mother-in-lawCredit score: Getty
Three years later, he would return to South Melbourne as a coach and win two nationwide championships from 1996-2000
However a extra senior position with Australia’s youth sides would practically put a nail within the coffin of his profession.
An on-air bust-up with soccer pundit Craig Foster throughout an interview on Aussie TV left a bitter style within the mouth.
He was sacked from teaching Australia’s U20s in 2007, and compelled to tackle a task at third division Greek membership Panachaiki to proceed his administration journey, solely to return to Australia in 2008.
He had nothing, and needed to transfer in with spouse Georgia and his mother-in-law for eight months to get by.
His subsequent job at Brisbane Roar would outline him.
Happening to success
Many consider that the model of soccer Brisbane performed throughout Ange’s tenure between 2009-2012 was the most effective ever seen by an Australian membership aspect.
Quick, ferocious, possession-based, he was impressed to make use of the identical 4-3-3 formation Puskas had taught him.
After profitable back-to-back league titles in 2011 and 2012, he moved to Melbourne Victory and after a yr was appointed as Socceroos boss.
Postecoglou coached the Socceroos on the 2014 World Cup
Again-to-back league titles in Scotland have cemented Postecoglou’s fameCredit score: Getty
They competed within the 2014 World Cup, gained the 2015 Asian Cup, and certified for an additional World Cup in 2018.
A month after securing qualification, Ange resigned and accepted a job in Japan with Yokohama Marinos.
He would lead the membership to their first J-League title in 15 years in 2019, earlier than Celtic introduced him to Scotland in 2021.
Postecoglou would wrestle the Scottish Premiership again from fierce rivals Rangers in his first season, earlier than profitable it once more this yr – including two League Cups to the Hoops’ trophy room in his two years in Glasgow.
Nevertheless, a fiery mood that would set up concern into his gamers to carry out higher was uncovered final yr.
Stuffed with rage
In a clip from a Paramount Australia documentary about Postecoglou’s time in command of the Socceroos, a extra prickly aspect turned evident.
He was filmed displaying his gamers a tender purpose they conceded from a set-piece on a display throughout a staff assembly.
He begins: “We’ve bought to be higher than this, we have to be higher, that’s simply careless.
“And never solely that, there’s one, two, three… we can not f***ing concede there.
“There’s f***ing bought to be a response there.”
As he vented his fury, he punched the display together with his hand.
Tottenham’s stars ought to know that Postecoglou doesn’t undergo fools gladlyCredit score: Getty
“Somebody!” he continued, “f***’s sake!”
Tottenham’s defenders, you might have been warned.