Ange Postecoglou will become the first Australian coach to manage in the Premier League after confirming a move to Tottenham Hotspur on a four-year deal.
Postecoglou will begin official duties on July 1 and his first game in charge will come close to home less than two weeks later, a friendly at Perth’s Optus Stadium against West Ham United on July 18.
The 57-year-old’s departure from Celtic after a trophy-laden stint in Glasgow was confirmed on Tuesday, with club bosses hailing his work to revitalise the Scottish powerhouse.
Former Socceroos boss Postecoglou won five of a possible six domestic trophies during his two-year spell with Celtic and confirmed he had been offered an extension, which he knocked back for his shot at the Premier League.
“They wanted me to extend my time at Celtic and while I am so respectful and understanding of their position, a new opportunity has been presented to me and it is one which I wanted to explore,” Postecoglou said in a Celtic statement.
“My ambition was always to give our fans a team they could be proud of, a team people talked about and I think we have achieved that.”
Success-starved Spurs fans will be hoping Postecoglou can adapt to English football as well as he did in Scotland as they seek to overcome the slump which has hampered the club since Mauricio Pochettino’s exit in 2019.
Spurs have churned through Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte since in a bid to end the club’s trophy drought.
Tottenham’s last major silverware was the 2008 English League Cup and they haven’t won the English title since 1961.
Postecoglou will hope to change that and revitalise Spurs’ style of play.
The club has been criticised for resorting to unattractive football under Conte and Mourinho, but Postecoglou is a devotee to high-tempo, expansive football.
“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play,” said Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
“He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our club.
“We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead.”
Postecoglou’s tenures can come with teething issues as he beds down his fiercely attacking style and identifies the players capable of buying in.
How much patience and budget the notoriously fickle Levy will afford the Melburnian is yet to be seen, though incoming chief football officer and former Melbourne City chief executive Scott Munn shapes as an ally.
A squad clear-out is expected while star striker Harry Kane has been heavily linked to Real Madrid.
Postecoglou started his coaching career when he led South Melbourne to two National Soccer League championships in his early 30s and then spent seven years leading Australia’s national youth teams.
After a stint in the football wilderness, Postecoglou took the helm at Brisbane Roar in 2010 and turned a battling club into the ‘Roarcelona’ team that revolutionised Australian club football.
That included back-to-back grand final victories in 2011 and 2012 and a record 36-game unbeaten run, before he joined Melbourne Victory in April 2012.
Postecoglou left Victory to lead the Socceroos at the 2014 World Cup and while he didn’t win a group game, his attacking style proved captivating.
He claimed the Socceroos’ first Asian Cup title on home soil the following January.
In 2017, Postecoglou secured qualification for the 2018 World Cup but quit abruptly and didn’t lead the Socceroos in Russia.
He instead took charge of Yokohama F. Marinos, guiding them to their first J1 League title in 15 years in 2019 before moving to Celtic in 2021.
“This new chapter at Spurs for Ange is a testament to his enduring determination, skill, and vision as a leader,” Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said.
“It is also a moment of great pride for Australian football and highlights this current golden age as we see more of our coaches making an impact on football around the globe and a steady presence of players across European leagues, particularly in Great Britain.”
