There’s something different about this Tottenham team. Pondering back to the teams under Pochettino, Mourinho and Conte, Tottenham seemed to have an identity crisis and you never really knew to expect from them. You would often watch those Spurs teams of the past and never have much admiration for them. They weren’t a team that would make you sit up and get excited about their style of play and had players that seemed to have so much potential but never reached it.
Ange Postecoglou arrived in the summer and has immediately put his stamp on the club. It seems to be an entirely different team and club under the Aussie coach and there seems to be a buzz about them. From the team’s performances to the way the club has used its PR strategies, Tottenham have been reborn and it’s a renaissance for a club who lost their most talented player to ever wear the shirt. So what is it that’s different about this team?
Ange Postecoglou
Arriving from Celtic last summer, Ange could not have predicted how impactful he has become in such a short space of time. The Australian previously managed Scottish giants, Celtic, with whom he had two successful seasons with. He won five major trophies with Celtic including back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles and League Cups. Ange has previously managed Japanese team Yokohama F Marinos, where he won a league title. He took charge of the Australian national side where he qualified for the 2014 World Cup and led them to winning the Asia Cup in 2015. In 2011, Postecoglou was head coach of Australian side Brisbane Roar and made Australian sporting history, becoming the first team to go 36 consecutive A-League matches unbeaten. It’s quite evident that Ange has had an impact wherever he has coached and it’s no surprise that it has happened again at Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou was born in Athens,Greece, on August 27, 1965. Postecoglou moved to Australia at the age of five and his love for football began. At aged nine, he joined local side, South Melbourne where he remained, from 1978 to 1993, making 194 appearances and captaining the side.
His managerial career began in 1996 when he took over at South Melbourne in 1996 and he won two league titles. Shortly after this, he became manager with the Australian youth set-up but it came to an abrupt end after seven years.
Ange has a big admiration for Liverpool legend, Kenny Dalglish, whom he grew up watching and “worshipped” everything the Scotsman did. However, it was the former Hungarian striker, Ferenc Puskas, who Ange has credited with his biggest inspiration as a football coach. They worked closely together at South Melbourne and he has described this time as “invaluable”.
“He taught me as much about being a person as a coach or managing. He was one of the world’s greatest footballers but he was the most humble person.
“When you see that in someone who has achieved so much, there’s a great lesson there because we all wanted to play for him because of the kind of person he was, more than the manager he was.”
At Celtic, the supporters were indebted to his time there and he gained the utmost respect for his qualities that he showed on and off the pitch. The Premier League came calling and for the 58 year old, this was his time to try his luck at the peak of world football. Tottenham Hotspur was the next port of call and this was an interesting choice made by the Spurs board. After losing their ultimate talisman, Harry Kane, to Bayern Munich, there was the feeling that Tottenham could struggle early with a new head coach and the loss of their star man.
These feelings never crossed the Aussies mind and from his press conferences, he instilled positivity and collectiveness amongst the club and supporters. This was a new direction for Spurs. Not once did he make an excuse or complain about the loss of Kane or how the team would deal without the club’s record scorer. Instead, he put his focus on the training ground and his team hit the ground running. Unbeaten in their first eleven league games and soaring at the top of the table.It was a dream for the Tottenham supporters and the post match ‘Angels’ by Robbie Williams became a viral sensation, with the fans changing the lyrics in support of their new coach.
Injuries have impacted their current form massively and the nightmare loss against Chelsea which saw Spurs lose players through injury and pick up two red cards, stunted their progressive opening to the season. Despite the 4-1 loss, Spurs fought with 9 men and almost got something from the game. The passion and desire to fight for the team was evident and applauded by the fans at full time. No boos, no blame, just cheering and singing. It was this moment that I sensed a shift in the club and their image.
Captain Sonny
When Harry Kane left in August, there was a fear that Spurs would not be able to compete amongst the league’s elite. The English striker is the clubs record scorer and was eyeing up Alan Shearer’s goal scoring record in the Premier League. Bayern Munich’s offer was too good to turn down and he chose to join the German giants in a bid to win some much needed silverware. This left Tottenham in a tricky situation as the season had already just begun and the club were without their star man.
With Hugo Lloris also leaving the club during the summer, the captaincy duties were handed to Son Heung-min and he has thrived in this role. With 12 goals so far this season, Son has stepped up in Kane’s absence and has become the face of this football club. He is one of those extremely likeable characters and he has carried the weight of the club on his shoulders since the departure of Kane.
Ange has nothing but praise for the South-Korean attacker and has stated that he will go down as a Spurs great.
“Sonny is elite in every sort of aspect,
I’d be very surprised if by the time he’s finished – which is well down the track – he’s not up there as one of the outstanding strikers”.
“He’s been outstanding. Working with him every day … the example he sets as a person as much as a footballer. It’s inspiring for me when you see a person who has climbed a mountain many times in terms of his own football pedigree, but every day he loves what he does.”
Ange Postecoglou
Son is the epitome of this new Spurs side and his presence is essential to their future success. Although he has been at the club since 2015, this version of Sonny is like a new signing.
The Players
Additions to the squad were important and the club excellently recruited during the summer. The signings of James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Brennan Johnson, Micky Van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario have been vital to the Spurs resurgence this season. James Maddison, who is a fan favourite and incredibly humble individual, was in excellent form until his injury set him back for a period before Christmas. The English playmaker has settled in this team seamlessly and his performances have been applauded by fans acorss the league.
Vicario has been, arguably, the best Goalkeeper this season and featured in Jamie Carragher’s Monday Night Football team of the season at the halfway point. Also featuring on those teams are Son and Destiny Udogie. The 21 year old Italian defender has been flying under Ange and received plaudits from pundits watching him this season. His hard working nature is what has impressed the boss and has gained instant respect from supporters.
Timo Werner, who struggled at Chelsea, has come in for a half season loan and immediately understood the task at Tottenham. An assist in his first Spurs start will boost his confidence and under Ange we could see a more free Werner that was lost at Chelsea. Werner is another player who fans can’t dislike and it’s starting to become a theme amongst Tottenham players at present. These players have slotted straight into the team and have gained instant admiration from the Spurs faithful.
This new-look Spurs team has found their feet immediately and watching this team is a breath of fresh air. Their desire and work rate is second to none and their ability to break teams down and find areas to exploit is exceptional. This team no longer looks flaky and are producing the result against the top teams. It’s a different Tottenham to what we have seen in recent times and it could lead to something special for this club.