Tottenham fans may not realise it now, but they will. Everyone does eventually. In Ange Postecoglou they have someone truly special.
The 2019 Uefa Champions League finalists confirmed Tuesday one of the worst kept secrets in football when they appointed the 57-year-old Australian as their new manager on a four-year deal.
The length of the deal is telling too; they are investing in him as much as he is investing in them.
While many Spurs fans may be taking to Google – and learning how to spell, or even pronounce, Postecoglou – fans around the world in Glasgow, Yokohama, Brisbane and Melbourne already know how this story plays out.
When you appoint Ange Postecoglou, you get all of him. You get his heart and soul, and far aside from the football – which is always exhilarating – it's that heart and soul which sets Postecoglou apart.
His experience in Glasgow is perhaps the most like-for-like comparison with what we will witness in North London.
When news broke of his likely appointment as Celtic manager, after the Hoops failed to seal the deal with their preferred candidate, Eddie Howe, he was widely mocked by the fans and the unforgiving Scottish media who seemingly looked no further than his passport before declaring the serial winner was not good enough for the rough and tumble of the Scottish Premiership.
In a clip that has since gone viral, former Scotland international Alan Brazil declared on TalkSport that his appointment “must be a wind up”, before condescendingly adding: “Where do they come up with these guys?”
Two years later he leaves Parkhead as one of Celtic’s most revered managers, with the bond between coach and fan as strong as you will see anywhere in world football. Celtic fans today will be feeling something akin to the end of a marriage. The heartbreak will be real.
That visceral connection is the same he’s had everywhere he has gone, because deep down Postecoglou is just as much a football fan as those paying to watch his teams play.
Those who know him say he has an obsession with football far beyond that of most football managers, one that he has had since an early age.
Born in Greece, his family emigrated to Australia when Postecoglou was just a child. As they adjusted to life in suburban Melbourne, there was one place his football-obsessed father felt at home – South Melbourne Football Club.
Founded by Greek migrants, it was more than just a football club, it was a social club; a safe haven for so many in the Greek community that were trying to find their way in Australia. It’s where, Postecoglou says, his father was happiest and where he developed his lifelong obsession with the game.
“There is only one reason why I love this game and I’m passionate about it from day one, and that was because it brought me closer to my father,” he said in a past interview.
“He really encouraged me to play the game and that is where the seed and the passion for football grew in me. They are still the best memories I have growing up; going to training with dad and going to games with my dad. That’s what gave me a glimpse into my father and gave me that bond.”
That deep spiritual connection with the game is as strong 50 years on, and it shines through whenever Postecoglou talks about football and his connection with it. It’s why he gets supporters and why supporters get him - he is one of them.
But it’s not just fans that are devoted to Postecoglou.
Those who play under him speak of a man that can be both fatherly and fearful. He is demanding of himself as much as his players, and doesn’t give an inch, but if you buy into his vision he will make you better.
While his tactical mind is as sharp as any, it’s his way with words that is arguably his greatest strength. A natural orator, his speeches are the stuff of legend and some of his best from his time with the Australian national team are circulating again on social media this week, giving a glimpse into the man and manager that is Ange Postecoglou.
Whether he can bring success and silverware to success-starved Tottenham remains to be seen; it’ll be arguably his toughest challenge yet.
But if, as the saying goes, it’s about the journey as much as the destination then Spurs fans are in for the ride of their lives.
Tottenham 2022/23 season ratings
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TOTTENHAM SEASON RATINGS: Antonio Conte - 5. His 16 months in charge ended in the usual acrimony that is now standard for the abrasive Italian. Blamed the board and the players for below-par performances and results but never himself. Spurs were fourth when he left in March and finished eighth, but even that feels a false position. AFP -
Cristian Stellini 2 - Asked to step into the breach when Conte was sacked, fellow Italian Stellini largely used the same personnel and implemented the same tactics that doomed Conte. The nadir was the 6-1 loss to Newcastle, in which Spurs trailed 5-0 at half time. A disastrous four games in charge. AFP -
Ryan Mason 4 - Says he wants the manager's job full-time but has shown few signs he is capable of making Spurs top-four challengers again. Would be better served cutting his teeth in the lower leagues for now. PA -
Hugo Lloris 2 - A catalogue of errors had many questioning the Frenchman's place in the team even before the horror show against Newcastle. Was replaced at half-time in that match and looks likely to have played his last game for the club. PA -
Fraser Forster 5 - Ended the season as first choice due to Lloris' awful form. Is not the long-term solution to Spurs' goalkeeper problems. Getty -
Cristian Romero 4 - A raging bull before the World Cup and a headless chicken after it. Clearly an excellent defender but needs to cut out dallying on the ball and wild challenges. EPA -
Eric Dier 5 - Like Romero, his form pre-World Cup was excellent and forced him back into England's squad. After that Dier reverted to the inconsistent form that has largely blighted his Tottenham career. EPA -
Davinson Sanchez 4 - Evidence of the disconnect between the team and fans was on full display in the defeat against Bournemouth when the Colombian was booed when coming on as a sub and again when he was replaced later in the match. Getty Images -
Clement Lenglet 3 - The Frenchman seems to lack positional awareness and is too often reactive instead of proactive. Would be a shock if Spurs tried to make his loan deal from Barcelona permanent. Getty -
Ben Davies 6 - Probably Spurs' most dependable performer in a season when the defence proved too brittle. PA -
Japhet Tanganga 2 - Made only four Premier League appearances despite Spurs having one of the worst defensive records in the top half of the Premier League. Hard to see a future for him at the club. PA -
Emerson Royal 6 - An underwhelming start to the campaign showed encouraging signs as the season progressed. Needs better end product but has the capacity to improve. AFP -
Pedro Porro 6 - Fine performances against Spurs in the Champions League prompted the North London club to sign the Spanish right-back in January. Scored a stunner in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United. EPA -
Ryan Sessegnon 5 - Looks a fine player until he's asked to do something with the ball. At 23 still has plenty of time to improve and if he can work on supplying more quality into the box can be a real asset. EPA -
Ivan Perisic 6 - The veteran Croatian has the quality on the ball Sessegnon lacks. One of Spurs' better performers but at 34 hardly one for the future. PA -
Oliver Skipp 5 - An injury-plagued campaign for the young midfielder. Offers bite and tenacity. Getty Images -
Yves Bissouma 4 - Another who had a season disrupted by injury but never replicated the form he showed at Brighton in the games he did manage. Spurs fans keen to see the Malian marauder in full flow next term. PA -
Rodrigo Bentancur 5 - Spurs missed the Uruguayan's drive and quality after he was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury in February. PA -
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 7 - The Dane added goals and assists to his game and is a rare heartbeat in a team that flatlined too often. PA -
Pape Sarr 4 - The Senegalese's shortcomings were exposed against Arsenal and even more ruthlessly against Newcastle - which both ended in drubbings for Spurs. Getty Images -
Lucas Moura 3 - The hero of Amsterdam endured a disappointing final season in North London. Sent off against Everton minutes after coming on as a sub and a poor touch that led to Liverpool snatching a dramatic late win were the lowlights. Both results cost Spurs dear in their push for a European spot, though he did leave fans with one more memory with a solo goal in the 4-1 win against Leeds on the final day. PA -
Dejan Kulusevski 6 - A fit and firing Kulusevski gets the team up the pitch and causes problems for opposition defenders. Spurs didn't seen enough of either from the Swede this season. Getty -
Arnaut Danjuma 4 - The Dutch winger was afforded few opportunities to showcase his talents following a January loan from Villarreal. PA -
Son Heung-min 5 - Much was expected from the South Korean this term after finishing joint-top Premier League scorer the previous campaign. His highlight was a 13-minute hat-trick against Leicester after coming on as a sub. PA -
Richarlison 4 - Spurs fans questioned whether the £50 million plus to acquire the Brazilian from Everton could have been better spent. On the evidence of his first season in North London, the answer is a resounding 'yes'. Getty -
Harry Kane 9 - On a personal level, Kane enjoyed a great season. The England striker broke Jimmy Greaves' long-standing goals record for the club and Kane's 30 Premier League goals came against 25 teams - a record for a 38-game season. Seems unthinkable he will sign a new contract at Spurs and the club must decide whether to cash in on their prized asset this summer or risk losing him for nothing next. PA
