Ex-Celtic coach Harry Kewell has shared his experience of working with Ange Postecoglou, revealing his admiration for the training methods of the current Tottenham boss…
Between 2022 and 2023, the former winger, who played for Leeds United, Liverpool, and Galatasaray teamed up with his compatriot as Celtic dominated Scottish football, claiming a clean sweep of domestic silverware before Ange Postecoglou departed for Tottenham.
“He allows you to go and express yourself”
In an interview with Sky Sports, Kewell offered insights into what it’s like to work alongside the under-pressure Spurs boss: He said: “He is different, but the fact is that he allows you to go and express yourself.
“There would be times when you would be in training, and you would want to stop it. But he would be like ‘no, let them figure it out, because that’s what players do’. I loved the way that he coached.
“I would have loved to have played for him if I was 23”
“I watch him now at Spurs and I just think ‘the way that he plays the game, I loved’. Just full-out attack. I would have loved to have played for him if I was 23. I would have signed up straight away knowing that all I can do is attack.”
Harry Kewell added: “The way that I saw him work, up in Scotland, I just thought ‘that is something I can learn throughout my coaching career, to be able to manipulate certain things and work in that way’.
“He gives you the freedom. But that comes with a consequence”
“I think he gives you the freedom. But that comes with a consequence because he wants that high press. The high energy. The high work rate. Again, that’s the exciting thing.”
In 2023, Kewell took over as manager of Yokohama F. Marinos, succeeding Kevin Muscat at the helm of the same club Postecoglou had led from 2018 to 2021 prior to his move to Celtic.
The 59 year-old steered Yokohama to a J1 League title, but Kewell’s stint with the Japanese club lasted under seven months before he was sacked.
Conor Spence
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