I assume you're taking the piss but I'd be well up for that if Ange goes to you. Lovely strip, not Chelsea and more importantly 3 of my 5 UK colleagues are Woolwich fans or Woolwich fans is it I should call them from looking here?I've always tried to find the positives in life and although I find this appointment as inspiring as mud, it does appear the Celtic fans rate the guy and hod him with great affection.
So it would be lovely if many of them kind of adopt us as their 'English Club' and grow our fanbase North of the border and across the Irish Sea
Hopefully some of them will join our community here.and help enrich the place with their thoughts and their opinion
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Management Ange Postecoglou
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I suspect you'd find a different view on a Dortmund forum right now, but they deserve the stick after their choke job last week.
Anyway, whether it's being a conveyor belt for elite teenagers, or something more like what Liverpool are doing binning off core pieces of their great team of five years ago to make room for the carefully (and expensively) selected new blood, for a club to compete they need an intelligent strategic relationship between their resources, methods, and the squad.
That's just antithetical to the way Levy looks at the world. Every moment is an individualized vacuum of a decision in which he wins or he loses and he attacks wins and delays losses.
It added up to enough to give us a chance once. Hasn't in years, less and less so, and cannot and will not ever again under any circumstances whatsoever. It is OVER.
That would be the perfect scenario. A team that can keep the ball and go get it back when they don’t
Not without the ball he won’t be.
Of course that what is described here is exactly what poch or JN would bring but we in out infanut wisdom decided they weren’t good enough! I mean who better to bring back the poch ethos and football than the man himself!Ange Postecoglou is in pole position for the Spurs job, and it shouldn’t be a surprise
By Jack Pitt-Brooke
8m ago
1
It only takes a brief look at Tottenham’s recent managerial appointments to get a sense of what an abrupt change of policy it would be if they complete the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach next week.
Tottenham’s last permanent managerial hire was Antonio Conte in November 2021. He arrived with an almost perfect CV: five league titles across three different clubs, each time inheriting a team who had lost their way and turning them into an unstoppable winning machine. He made his name in Serie A but had also triumphed in England. He was the last manager not called Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp to win the Premier League (doing so with Chelsea in 2016-17), something he was not shy about telling the world.
Rewind back another two years and Tottenham appointed Jose Mourinho in November 2019. He too arrived with an almost perfect CV: eight league titles across four different clubs, to say nothing of one UEFA Cup, one Europa League, a stack of domestic cups and, best of all, two Champions Leagues, won with Porto and Inter, neither of them fancied at the start of the season. He had won the domestic title in four different countries but nowhere more than in England, where his three titles with Chelsea across two different spells made him their most successful manager, something he was not shy about telling the world.
(Yes, in between Mourinho and Conte Tottenham did also hire Nuno Espirito Santo, in June 2021, but only after trying and failing to appoint a long list of other more successful candidates, including Conte himself. Nuno lasted 10 league games in charge.)
But the pattern was clear. Tottenham have been shopping at the very top of the market for the most decorated, famous and best-paid managers out there. And it has been a huge waste of time, money and energy.
If Tottenham appoint Postecoglou next week — he is currently in pole position for the job — it would mark a notable change in direction. Postecoglou has a very good CV. He has won the Australian title with two different clubs, the J-League and two Scottish Premierships with Celtic. He could hardly have achieved more with the clubs who have employed him. But he has never worked in England, or in any of the ‘top five’ leagues of Europe. Mourinho and Conte each arrived at Tottenham after more than a decade at the top of the European game. Postecoglou, at the age of 57, is still working his way up.
But then Tottenham changing direction like this is precisely what the fans have been calling out for. The experience of employing big-name managers has not been a happy one. Both Mourinho and Conte gave the impression that they were taking a step down to manage Spurs, and that lowly Tottenham Hotspur should be grateful to be graced by their presence. It has led to tensions with club staff, players and fans. We can say now with certainty that it is not a recipe for a harmonious football club. No one wants a repeat of the last four years.
GO DEEPER
Four years on from their Champions League final, what do Tottenham have to show for it?
That is why Tottenham have been clear in their desire to go in a different direction this summer. The buzzwords have been ‘culture’ and ‘ethos’. There is a feeling at the club — perhaps overdue — that they had something special back in the Mauricio Pochettino days, when everyone pulled in the same direction, towards the same shared goals. That is what they want to get back to, a sense of ‘alignment’ throughout the football club. And they know that this has to flow from the manager himself. He has to be someone who can command buy-in from the players and, crucially, from the fans too. He has to be able to be the articulate, authoritative, persuasive voice of the whole institution.
And on this point, Postecoglou stands out as the best of all of the candidates by far. His Celtic team have played fantastic football, not just winning but winning with a sense of style and adventure. But what sets him apart — even more than that — is the way that he has taken on the role as the public face of the club. Celtic is a very high-pressure job, with a huge fanbase, and demands that can not be met by winning alone. When he took over in 2021 there were questions from fans whether he was a big enough figure to take on the job. But no one would say that now.
GO DEEPER
Celtic's evolution analysed: More control, more attacks from wide areas and goals from all over the pitch
Postecoglou won back-to-back titles in his first two seasons at Celtic (Photo: Getty Images)
At Celtic, Postecoglou has shown a remarkable way with words. Everyone remembers his famous line in February 2022 after Celtic had beaten Rangers 3-0. “I said to the players that we had 60,000 in tonight and I’m sure a lot of them walked in with some problems in their life. For this 95 minutes we made them forget that and feel good and that’s something special.”
A few days later, Postecoglou was asked to expand on his words in his next pre-match press conference at Lennoxtown. “’I’m not just manager of a football club,” he explained. “I’m manager of everything that the football club embodies. It was important for me that the people who are truly invested in this club, and that’s the supporters, believed in me as a person more than anything else. When people believe in you as a person, you’re more likely to get an understanding of what you’re trying to achieve.”
That answer sums up so much of Postecoglou’s appeal. The point is not just that he is good with words, articulate and clever, which in part is why he has impressed so much in interviews. It is that he understands the political power of words. He knows that no manager will get anywhere without buy-in from the players and the fans. And he knows that to get that you have to convince them that you are on their side and want to take the team in the right direction.
Tottenham have not had a manager with any interest in this side of the job since Pochettino. None out of Mourinho, Conte or Nuno made much of an effort to engage with the fans or to speak their language. If Postecoglou arrives at Spurs and hits the same notes as he did in his first season at Celtic, that precious sense of alignment could start to creep back.
None of this would work if the football does not click, but Postecoglou’s record on that front stands up too. He has won everywhere he has been, and his Celtic side are one game away from winning the Scottish domestic treble this season. They have done so playing an entertaining 4-3-3 system, always focused on expansive, attacking football, dominating the opposition and creating chances. (The fact that Brighton were interested in Postecoglou in September, when they were looking for a replacement for Graham Potter, points to how highly his own brand of possession football is rated inside the game.)
It is two years now since Daniel Levy promised that the next Tottenham head coach (after the sacking of Mourinho) would be in line with the club’s ‘DNA’. He talked about “free-flowing, attacking and entertaining” football, as well as promoting young players. Obviously that promise was not followed through at the time, as Spurs appointed Nuno and then Conte five months later. But if Postecoglou gets the job next week then Spurs will finally have a manager who is at least committed to playing the game in the way that the fans want to see. After almost four years of negative football since Spurs opened their new stadium, it could prove to be a breath of fresh air.
Of course, there is no guarantee at this point that Postecoglou will get the job, or even that he will succeed if he does. We all know what a hard job Tottenham is right now, with the new manager having to lift the confidence of the players, re-energise the fans, transition away from the old generation while bringing youngsters through, and trying to get Spurs back into Europe. Given the state Tottenham find themselves in right now, any appointment would be a risk — and we know from the examples of Mourinho and Conte that even serial winners are no guarantee of anything.
But if we look back at Tottenham during Levy’s tenure, we can see that sometimes the unlikeliest managers are the most successful. The managers who arrived with the highest profile, and who Levy pursued for the most time, have often been failures. Not just Mourinho and Conte but Juande Ramos, Andre Villas-Boas, arguably even Jacques Santini. None of them lived up to their big reputations at Spurs.
Far more successful were Martin Jol, promoted from being Sanitini’s assistant. Harry Redknapp, recruited in a panic after Ramos’ disastrous start to the 2008-09 season. And even Pochettino, the greatest manager of the Levy era, appointed in 2014 after Louis van Gaal went to Manchester United instead. Those three each appeared to understand Tottenham Hotspur, the fans and the dynamics, better than their more-heralded predecessors. Optimistic Spurs fans will wonder whether Postecoglou, if he gets the job next week, might try to follow in their footsteps.
(Photo: Alvaro Medranda/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Dies Ange work with a sport director or whatever it’s called today? Title seems to change with the wind.
Milton Keynes under 16?
I thought he develops youngsters? If he doesn’t then his does he tick all the boxes?
Thing is with Celtic he can afford to do that as 9 out of 10 they would win the game anyway. It’s not like his taking a big risk by being more attacking. They are allowed to do it any way bcos the oppo sit back, try defend and are crap!
Come on he had enough appearances to show something! He showed nothing that would equate to being a £60M player. In fact some on here say he runs around a bit. Ffs least expect a footballer is to run around a bit. How about controlling the ball running with it without falling over looking for free kicks. Also how about using what’s between your eyes and use your eyes to check where the last defender is and not be 10 yards in front of him when balls are played forward. Absolute dog shite player never should have got him and has no proven goal s doing record.
The bald cunt (at least the one you’re thinking of) doesn’t pick the team. Whether it was rust or otherwise, Sarr was the worst of a terrible midfield vs Newcastle and deserved to be subbed off. He seemed to have had no idea where he was supposed to be or what he was supposed to be doing. Says a lot to either the awful coaching or his ability to be coached — hopefully the former. We make allowances for his youth and wiry frame but none of his performances have exactly screamed ‘Rooney’.
What is? The season? Thank God.
Now I have to get through months of this hyperbole before we start over.
Edited to add: The other clear difference between us and Dortmund is that they are a selling club. Players are signed to showcase and sold on.
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No, it's not. As good a manager as JN is he does not have the personality to unite a fanbase and Poch would be playing a fucking diamond.
Always have that element of the unknown up your sleeve, that way it keeps our opponents guessing.
This guy is his own man, that much I do know. And he told Football Australia to stick it and left when he wanted to!
Would not take much stock with this guy, always has been about himself and nothing else!
Postecoglou's system works for Celtic as they play teams who put ten men in defence and allow them possession, practically every game. This means their forward players can attack at will, which he has trained them to do well and this will get goals. Teams though that on the occasion do attack them, have exploited the inverted full backs Ange plays. He's relied on Vickers immensely and when he hasn't played, they've been vulnerable to attacks and since he's been injured they've been very poor at the back, as was evident in the last old firm.
Only Rangers have given them a game and they're in a bad place and due a rebuild and have been badly managed in regards to recruitment (something Ange has got right and it's made a big difference). Celtic have clearly got the better of Rangers since Beale came in at Xmas with results, but in reality, Rangers have done well to exploit Ange's system quite well, they've just lacked the players to maximise possession, having only one recognised forward in Morelos, who has been poor and had his eyes on the exit door being now out of contract.
In Europe, Celtic haven't the resources to truly compete with the bigger teams, which is no fault of theirs given the finances and the fact their regular Scottish fodder standard of opposition is so poor, it's hardly practice for Champions League level teams. But still, Ange has stubbornly stuck to the same formation... Attack and keep running, still playing inverted fullbacks, even when teams have easily worked out all they have to do is exploit the wings when the full backs are out of position and they're short at the back. Good teams just let Celtic tire themselves out, then hit fast on the break. Even Scottish teams started to catch on.
Perhaps with better resources and players, Ange could make the system work in the SPL. He's charasmatic and seems to create a good environment for players. It will take time though to implement his system, in Scotland when he took over, Celtic were still a strong team, even though Rangers had just won the league the season before, the players he had were always going to be enough to beat SPL teams. I think having to face MUCH better teams in the EPL will be a step beyond his current abilities, especially as he sticks so strictly to the one formation/tactics and teams will take advantage of that and punish his naivety and inexperience.
On recruitment he's done well bringing players from Japan. Three players in particular made a huge difference. Kyogo, Hatate and Maeda. When Kyogo or/and Hatate haven't played - especially if Vickers is also out - the fringe players struggle to replace them and make an impact and Celtic can be very sluggish. This could be down to the fast system he plays, needing players to be playing regularly to hold it together. Ange isn't big on rotation.
Only Rangers have given them a game and they're in a bad place and due a rebuild and have been badly managed in regards to recruitment (something Ange has got right and it's made a big difference). Celtic have clearly got the better of Rangers since Beale came in at Xmas with results, but in reality, Rangers have done well to exploit Ange's system quite well, they've just lacked the players to maximise possession, having only one recognised forward in Morelos, who has been poor and had his eyes on the exit door being now out of contract.
In Europe, Celtic haven't the resources to truly compete with the bigger teams, which is no fault of theirs given the finances and the fact their regular Scottish fodder standard of opposition is so poor, it's hardly practice for Champions League level teams. But still, Ange has stubbornly stuck to the same formation... Attack and keep running, still playing inverted fullbacks, even when teams have easily worked out all they have to do is exploit the wings when the full backs are out of position and they're short at the back. Good teams just let Celtic tire themselves out, then hit fast on the break. Even Scottish teams started to catch on.
Perhaps with better resources and players, Ange could make the system work in the SPL. He's charasmatic and seems to create a good environment for players. It will take time though to implement his system, in Scotland when he took over, Celtic were still a strong team, even though Rangers had just won the league the season before, the players he had were always going to be enough to beat SPL teams. I think having to face MUCH better teams in the EPL will be a step beyond his current abilities, especially as he sticks so strictly to the one formation/tactics and teams will take advantage of that and punish his naivety and inexperience.
On recruitment he's done well bringing players from Japan. Three players in particular made a huge difference. Kyogo, Hatate and Maeda. When Kyogo or/and Hatate haven't played - especially if Vickers is also out - the fringe players struggle to replace them and make an impact and Celtic can be very sluggish. This could be down to the fast system he plays, needing players to be playing regularly to hold it together. Ange isn't big on rotation.
I suspect that who levy would love us to be like.
Emma Hayes ?