What Can Ange Postecoglou Achieve at Tottenham?

Tottenham Hotspur’s 2022/23 campaign started brightly but soon became chaotic as they dismissed manager Antonio Conte and retained his assistant Christian Stellini before firing him.

Spurs hired former midfielder Ryan Mason to stabilise the ship, while director of football Fabio Paratici received an 18-month ban for his part in Juventus’ transfer tax scandal.

Tottenham failed to clinch European football, leaving fans angry at the club’s hierarchy. However, their mood has improved over the past few months.

The club made the most important decision for their future by hiring Ange Postecoglou during the summer. He had impressed with Scottish Premiership giants Celtic and his appointment has been a turning point for Spurs.

The Australian manager arrived at Parkhead instead of Eddie Howe in 2021 and restored order as Celtic reclaimed the league crown from Rangers.

Postecoglou also won the Scottish League Cup in his first season, claiming a domestic double. He added a Scottish Cup to make it a treble the following season.

He landed at Tottenham with a reputation as an ultra-attacking manager and wasted no time implementing his style. Spurs led the way in the Premier League after 10 games, with Postecoglou receiving plaudits for his work.

Tottenham’s high-line approach garnered critics and praise as the manager copped three consecutive Manager of the Month awards.

Injuries have since doused optimism at Spurs. They dropped off the top of the standings, but there are still plenty of positives to take from the early months of Postecoglou’s tenure.

However, the question remains – can Postecoglou lead Tottenham to a first trophy since 2008? We take a closer look.

Premier League

Postecoglou had Tottenham fans hoping they could mount a proper Premier League title challenge when they sat at the summit after ten games, but a plethora of injuries to key men has impacted their hopes.

Tottenham lost their first league game of the season against Chelsea on Matchday 11, and it was a disaster on all sides.

Cristian Romero received a straight card for a ludicrous challenge on countryman Enzo Fernandez before Destiny Udogie received a red after a second bookable offence.

To compound their woes, summer signings James Maddison and Micky van de Ven which will keep them on the sidelines for around three months.

Both men had impressed in the early weeks of the new signing and looked like terrific signings before their respective injuries.

Spurs experienced a slump that saw them lose to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and West Ham United. Having been popular with sports bettors, the wheels were suddenly falling off for Spurs.

It was a harsh reality check that even free betting apps couldn’t have predicted, yet they quickly steadied the ship to deliver more winning returns to punters.

Tottenham bounced back with victories over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United, to keep themselves on the heels of the leading teams in the Premier league.

Despite this, while Spurs can realistically aim for a top four finish, they do not have enough in their arsenal to go all the way this season.

They are priced at 33/1 to win the title, which perfectly encapsulates how difficult it will be for them to upset the odds in the face of some stiff competition.

Arsenal are stronger, while Liverpool have overcome their slump from last season to challenge again. Manchester City remain a threat, especially in the second half of the season.

With more brilliant reinforcement from sporting director Johan Lange and his team, Tottenham may well be able to challenge for the title next season.

FA Cup

Spurs begin January with a visit from Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup, and they will be eyeing this competition as an opportunity to lift a trophy.

Tottenham have not won the FA Cup since 1991. They can potentially get their hands on the trophy this season, quelling the fans’ thirst for silverware that has left them parched.

A potential final victory would silence critics and signal the dawn of a new era even though they are not the favourites, with bookies handing them odds of 10/1 to win the prestigious cup.

Spurs will be disappointed at how they crashed out of the League Cup in the second round after losing on penalties to Fulham and will be desperate to make amends for such a poor result.

Even if they cannot clinch a trophy this season, next season will present another chance for Postecoglou and his charges to grab their first silverware in over a decade.

Postecoglou failed to win the Scottish Cup in his first season at Celtic but got the job done in his second year.

The Australian has won cup titles everywhere he has managed. It will be a tall order for Postecoglou at Spurs, considering that previous managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte tried and failed.

Nevertheless, Spurs have a manager who can steadily improve their fortunes and lead them to something worthwhile. His arrival has injected much-needed stability and hope into Tottenham.

His progressive tactics and commitment to building a long-term project offer a stark contrast to the chaos of the past season. Although challenges remain, Spurs fans can finally look forward to a brighter future under their new manager.