Tottenham Hotspur names Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach: An overview of the manager’s philosophy and strategies
The 57-year-old manager rose through the ranks of Australian club soccer, winning every competition he faced.
Tottenham has finally named Ange Postecoglou as its next manager, ending their protracted hunt for a new manager. The Australian manager recently guided Celtic to a domestic triple crown, and his no-nonsense approach has been a huge hit in the Scottish Premier League. But can Postecoglou offer stability to a squad in dire need of it as Spurs attempt to recapture the magic that hasn’t been seen since the team parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino, three and a half seasons and five managers ago?
Since Tottenham won’t be playing in Europe next season, it will be an opportunity for the team to make a difficult but necessary adjustment. Harry Kane could need to be benched; he might be sold for a good price to a team like Real Madrid or Manchester United, but it would also free up money for whomever the manager is to accomplish their objectives. The problem is that Tottenham has had five different managers in the last four years since firing Pochettino, with former player Ryan Mason leading the team twice. It’s evident that the team lacks cohesion due to coaches that impose divergent ideologies, which is why Daniel Levy needs to make the proper choice in this job.
The 57-year-old has experienced unusual adventures wherever he has gone since hanging up his cleats, but everywhere he has gone, he has won. Before leading the Australian National team, the manager rose through the levels of AFC teams, most notably managing Melbourne FC and Brisbane Roar in the A-League. Before receiving the chance at Celtic, where he has gone outside the box to establish himself as a dominant force in Scotland, he headed to the J-League to transform Yokohama F. Marinos into an absolute unit and lead them to their first title in fifteen years.
Given Postecoglou’s history, it starts to make sense why some of his earliest moves at Celtic were signing Japanese teams’ Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, and Reo Hatate. Together, the three players scored 41 goals and provided 15 assists. Postecoglou hasn’t coached any of these players previously, so it appears that his hiring decisions are more about his extensive knowledge of Asian soccer—which makes sense considering his background—than just taking “his guys” with him wherever he goes.
