Tottenham Hotspur appear to finally be closing in on their new permanent head coach, more than two months after Antonio Conte was given his North London marching orders.
The Lilywhites have lacked a clear direction since Mauricio Pochettino‘s time in charge – an era which was defined by the close bond that ran through Tottenham, all the way from the hierarchy to the fans.
Fast forward four years and the supporters have arguably never felt further from the club, with Daniel Levy having to answer some incredibly pressing questions this summer.
The Jose Mourinho experiment failed in embarrassing fashion, sacking the Special One six days before a final. Nuno Espirito Santo barely had time to unpack his suitcase. And Conte was forced to leave after an explosive interview about the state of the club.
Up step, Ange Postecoglou.
(Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
But what can Tottenham fans expect from the Australian if he does land the N17 job? A manager whose past experience stems from his home country, Japan, and Scotland, with no jobs in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
Can he really take Spurs to the next level and get the supporters back on side?
Who better to ask than the Celtic faithful, many of whom had their own doubts about Postecoglou being handed the keys to the kingdom from Japanese club, Yokohama F. Marinos.
“Of course. There were huge doubts when he arrived. As there are amongst Tottenham fans right now. He won’t be walking into an unknown situation. Postecoglou is used to proving people wrong,” The Celtic Bhoys told The Spurs Web in an exclusive interview.
“He is certainly someone who can be the face of the club, even if Harry Kane leaves. He is a big personality with the ability to get the fans on his side and clearly has a great passion for the game, even though he might not be jumping up and down on the touchline for 90 mins.”
After chopping and changing between a back three and a back five, many Spurs fans will be wondering what kind of system Postecoglou may operate in North London.
The Celtic Bhoys explained the system he set up in Scotland as a “4-3-3 with no defensive midfielder and with inverted full-backs.
“He does tend to play a fast-paced, possession-based, high-intensity style of football. Thus, fitness and athleticism will be a big factor. Hardworking players with quality in the final third should thrive in his system.”
While Premier League fans may scoff at a manager who has not held a job at a European top-five league club, Postecoglou’s rise to prominence must be respected. The journey from Australia to Britain via Japan is a rare one, to say the least.
When asked how the Australian rates among Celtic managers of the past 10-20 years, The Celtic Bhoys responded: “Pretty much near the top. I’d put him on a similar level to Brendan Rodgers. 5 out of 6 trophies when he inherited a trophyless team that finished 25 points behind the Rangers is no joke.
“He has won everywhere he has been. But you could have said the same thing about Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
“If he gets the proper backing and is able to perform at the Premier League level, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t win something.”
It remains to be seen whether the unlikely Postecoglou could indeed be the man to finally end Spurs’ 15 years of suffering. Celtic’s loss could very much be Tottenham’s gain…
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