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‘The reason I’m a manager’ – Tottenham have Liverpool to thank for new boss Ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou will touch down in the Premier League after being appointed as the new Tottenham manager, but the impressive Australian is actually a Liverpool supporter.
Having guided Celtic to successive Scottish Premiership titles – as well as winning the domestic treble this season – Postecoglou succeeds Antonio Conte on a permanent basis. In contrast to their incoming coach, the north London side endured a testing campaign in which they failed to qualify for Europe.
With question marks over England captain Harry Kane and his future – amid interest from Manchester United, Real Madrid and others – it will be a busy summer for Postecoglou, 57, as he strives to replicate his Celtic achievements south of the border in the biggest sporting enterprise on the planet.
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Although new to the Premier League in a managerial sense, Postecoglou is understandably familiar with all the ins and outs of English football having grown up following Liverpool; from his early years in Greece to developing and nurturing his love for the game after moving to Australia, aged five.
Ten years ago, Postecoglou managed a pre-season match between Melbourne Victory against his beloved Reds at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, while he cheekily admitted he would like to ‘knock over’ Everton when going up against them with Celtic during the winter break – at the Sydney Super Cup – last season.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald in 2013 before meeting Liverpool, he said: “Generally, I have never been a fan of end-of-season tours, but this one is different. I have been a Liverpool fan almost my whole life.
”I don’t quite remember the 1971 FA Cup final, which we lost to Arsenal, but I began to support them shortly after. Players like Kevin Keegan and then Kenny Dalglish became my heroes, and I read the stories about Bill Shankly and loved the culture, what they represented and the way they played the game.”
Before the Everton game – which the Blues won on penalties – he told Australian television station Channel 10: “It should be good. When overseas clubs come here it’s always great because people get to see their heroes close up and, as you said, I wouldn’t mind knocking off Everton. That would be nice!”
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As well as citing Keegan and Dalglish’s impact growing up hoping to become a footballer, his coaching mind was, also, shaped by iconic names with Liverpool connections. Returning to that particular pre-match press conference from ten years ago, the Australian continued: “For me it’s going to be a tremendous thrill.
“I grew up supporting Liverpool as well and the reason I’m a manager today is because of the football club. I grew up with those stories of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and the boot room, Ronnie Moran, Joe Fagan, Roy Evans, all those guys. That kind of philosophy has stayed with me.
“They were playing possession-based football before it was trendy in the world. From my perspective, that whole experience will be a thrill, backing up from hopefully knocking off Manchester Utd a few days earlier! It would be a dream week for me.”
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