Updated
Ange Postecoglou will become the first Australian coach to manage in the Premier League after confirming a move to Tottenham Hotspur on a four-year deal.
The 57-year-old’s departure from Scottish champions Celtic after a trophy-laden stint in Glasgow was confirmed on Tuesday.
The former Socceroos boss won five of a possible six domestic trophies during his two-year spell with Celtic.
Success-starved Spurs fans will be hoping Postecoglou can adapt to English football as well as he did in Scotland as they seek to overcome the slump which has hampered the club since Mauricio Pochettino’s exit in 2019.
Spurs have churned through Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte in the time since in a bid to end the club’s trophy drought.
Tottenham’s last major silverware was the 2008 English League Cup and they haven’t won the English title since 1961.
Postecoglou will hope to change that and revitalise Spurs’ style of play.
The club has been criticised for resorting to unattractive football under Conte and Mourinho, but Postecoglou is a devotee to high-tempo, expansive football.
“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play,” said Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
“He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our club.
“We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead.”
Postecoglou’s tenures can come with teething issues as he beds down his fiercely aggressive and attacking style and identifies the players capable of buying in.
How much patience and budget the notoriously fickle Levy will afford the Melburnian is yet to be seen, though incoming chief football officer and former Melbourne City chief executive Scott Munn shapes as an ally.
A squad clear-out is expected while star striker Harry Kane has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Postecoglou will begin official duties on July 1 and in a twist the Australian’s first game in charge will be a friendly at Perth’s Optus Stadium against West Ham United on July 18.
He started his coaching career when he led South Melbourne to two National Soccer League championships as manager in his early 30s and then spent seven years leading Australia’s national youth teams.
After a stint in the football wilderness, Postecoglou took the helm at Brisbane Roar and turned a battling club into the ‘Roarcelona’ team that revolutionised Australian club football.
That included back-to-back grand final victories in 2011 and 2012 and a record 36-game unbeaten run, before agreeing to join Melbourne Victory in April 2012.
He left Victory to lead the Socceroos at the 2014 World Cup before claiming the Asian Cup on home soil the following January.
Postecoglou steered Australia to 2018 World Cup qualification before dramatically quitting before the tournament.
He then took charge of Yokohama F. Marinos, guiding them to their first J1 League title in 15 years in 2019 before moving to Celtic in 2021.
Source: AAP