How they mocked him, coming down to the richest league in the world from the farmers league up in Scotland. He’d be out if his depth. He was the bookies favourite to be the first Premier League manager to get sacked and even the Tottenham fans were sharing ‘No to Postecoglou’ graphics on social media as a protest to the lack of ambition that was being shown by their club in looking to appoint a manager from Celtic who had ‘only’ worked in the J-league in Japan, A-League in Australia and of course the Mikey Mouse Scottish Premiership.
His treble at Celtic last season was dismissed, as was his complete rebuild of the Celtic squad while winning five from six trophies. He walked into the shambles that was Tottenham with the very same set of principles – he only knows one way to manage and for his teams to play. It’s never about the result it’s always about the performance and his team – regardless if it’s playing in Australia, Japan, Scotland or indeed England – will never stop.
Celtic v Aberdeen – Ange Postecoglou celebrates with the league trophy after the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Saturday May 27, 2023. Photo Andrew Milligan
The players will respect him, they will probably fear him, they’ll never be that close to him. He’ll only play them if they have merited it on the training field ahead of the next game. That’s where the intensity comes from. If there’s any dip in application from a player, he’s out of the team. It is as simple as that.
No squad in the Premier League will train as hard at Tottenham will and judging from watching every game under Ange at Celtic, it’s round about mid-October in the first year when his team jumps up a gear but that’s not as good as it’s going to get. Come the period after the winter break his side will be in full flow and his plan as he said many times up North is to be at their very best as the season reaches its business end.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou lifts the Viaplay Cup with teammates trophy following victory in the Viaplay Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park on February 26, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
So if you don’t support top of the table Tottenham you should be more than a little bit concerned that Ange Postcoglou has been named as the Premier League’s Manager of the month for September, giving him his second consecutive accolade.
It’s ominous so it is…because Big Ange will never stop!
Celtic v Aberdeen – Ange Postecoglou celebrates with the league trophy after the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Saturday May 27, 2023. Photo Andrew Milligan
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