Ange Postecoglou has been recognised with the highest honour, for his outstanding contribution to Australian football as one of six inductees into Football Australia’s Hall of Fame.
The Greek Australian Celtic coach, who is back in Australia after a 3-year break for the inaugural Sydney Super Cup bringing Europe’s best football teams to New South Wales, will be inducted at the Matildas’ game against Sweden at AAMI Park on Saturday, alongside former Matildas Moya Dodd and Collette Gardiner (nee McCallum), Brendan Schwab, former Socceroo Ted Smith and media personality Walter Pless.
“The Football Australia Hall of Fame is the highest honour bestowed upon players and participants who have served the game – either on or off the field – with distinction, with no better demonstration of this than our class of 2022,” Football Australia chairman Chris Nikou said in a statement.
The six were nominated through a public process, with the nominees then considered by a panel of Australian football historians.
Postecoglou, a former Socceroo, led South Melbourne to championships first as a captain and then a coach. With Brisbane Roar he masterminded the team’s attacking style. He also led the Socceroos at the 2014 World Cup and claimed Australia’s first men’s Asian Cup in 2015.
In 2019 Postecoglou won the J1 League title with Yokohama F. Marinos and claimed the 2021-22 Scottish premiership with Celtic.
Sydney FC stuns Postecoglou’s Celtic with 2-1 victory
Postecoglou’s homecoming party however was crashed, on Thursday, with Sydney FC defeating the Scottish powerhouse Celtic 2-1 who were expected to cruise through to victory, in the opening match of the Sydney Super Cup.
Celtic who sits on top of the Scottish Premiership standings under Postecoglou’s coaching, with only four players missing for the World Club, was stunned by the Sky Blues who gave a tenacious performance, at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Frustrated in defeat, Postecoglou refused to blame the long flight over for his team’s loss.
“We set expectations and levels, and if we fall below that then it’s disappointing, irrespective of the circumstances or what the environment or the competition is,” Postecoglou said.
For their second and final game of the Sydney Super Cup, Celtic will face English Premier League side Everton at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
