Illustration: David Lyttleton
Had Ange Postecoglou not been hired by Celtic, a wider audience might never have witnessed his epic 2006 feud with Craig Foster. Postecoglou, then national youth coach with Australia, took serious exception to Foster's questioning during a live television debate. "I'm not in greenhouses, buddy," was one of his statements. Postecoglou begged the former Australian midfielder to come and watch a training session. "I don't care what you think of me personally," he insisted.
It's YouTube gold, Ali versus Frazier in verbal terms. It was also manna from heaven for Celtic supporters. Here was a previously unknown manager who, clearly, would not take any nonsense upon his arrival from Yokohama Marinos in 2021. Fans insisted that the supposedly hostile Scottish media would be reduced to giddy wrecks by Postecoglou. That's where the British version of the Cult of Ange began, which continues apace in North London. It really is a phenomenon.
We can debate whether managers can learn from his approach to attacking, defending or transferring cases; What is undeniable is that few in modern football have cultivated a brand quite like the man currently in charge of Tottenham Hotspur. Cosensus is not just that Spurs have a manager capable of doing the improbable by raising standards in the post-Harry Kane era, but that he is the candid, authentic antithesis of everything that is terrible about the modern game . Bouncing praise follows every public utterance. Postecoglou seemingly idolized Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa in his youth. In Glasgow he referred to the late Tommy Burns during an on-field performance with a microphone in hand. Not a single opportunity is consciously missed.
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Spurs fans love him because - so far at least - he is a marked improvement on Antonio Conte, Nuno Espírito Santo and José Mourinho. A Carabao Cup defeat to Fulham and the ridiculous defensive display against Chelsea are put aside as Spurs are fun again. Celtic's followers have completely forgotten about the flight to the Premier League and a dismal European record. Postecoglou's success in England could boost their own club's self-esteem for people elsewhere. Australia is proud that progress can be made in the world's biggest competition by a man whose playing career was largely spent in South Melbourne. Criticize Postecoglou even mildly and a barrage of lingual grenades will fly from Sydney, Springburn and Seven Sisters. Believe me.
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The 58-year-old is an excellent football coach. His modern adaptation of 2-3-5, complete with overloading and marauding defenders, is something people pay to watch. The problem is that placing illustrious football figures on pedestals often leads to disappointment. Postecoglou's recurring sources of irritation give reason to scratch beneath the surface. We have reason to think about what he might look like if things deteriorate in a reasonable period of time. We don't even have to go back to the Foster episode for a snapshot of alter-Ange.
While in Scotland he mocked the advent of VAR as if it was completely irrelevant to him. He quickly railed against its introduction, labeling it "a bit of a mess" and criticizing "no consistency" in the "remarkable" decision-making. "I guarantee you if that game ended 2-2 and it was Rangers who were denied that decision, the conversation would be about how that was a title-defining decision," he said of not awarding a penalty in an Old Firm . game. Not that people in Postecoglou's company should refer to the "Old Firm"; he objected to Celtic and Rangers being brought into discussion.
For Celtic managers, this sort of thing works. The galleries are taking over. Postecoglou won (domestically) while making public swipes, so had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Yet this doesn't really make him the different character that many want to portray him as. He was unlikely to reject Spurs' advances, but the refusal to adequately address this lingering situation in the run-up to his departure patronized the fanbase that revered him. Yes, Ange was good for Celtic, but Celtic was also exceptionally good for Ange.
More recently, he was snarky at a journalist who dared to ask if he dared to imagine himself winning trophies. "I have real photos," Postecoglou said. "Quite a few." Indeed he has, from work completed long before Celtic. However, this was something strange to be annoyed about. He was further irritated by the questioner who suggested he was "lucky enough to be able to do that". Do not use the "L word" in reference to Postecoglou. Michael Beale, the then Rangers manager, did this and never heard the end of it.
Postecoglou wants it to be known that he has fought for and destroyed everything in his football life. The reality is that fortune has touched him. Celtic pursued Eddie Howe for months with the aim of making him their manager. Inheriting a Spurs team that had finished eighth in the Premier League and lacked the rigmarole of European football was also a gift. The only way was up.
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"Don't doubt my integrity," said Postecoglou, who took offense again when a reporter tried to link Eric Dier's absence with an impending move to Bayern Munich. The line of questions was completely standard. He had stated that Oliver Skipp would provide "probably the only fresh legs" for a match with Bournemouth, where Rodrigo Bentancur resurfaced after a month out injured.
Perhaps Bentancur's situation escaped Postecoglou. Perhaps the Uruguayan made an unforeseen recovery. Or perhaps Postecoglou is following the same path as countless other managers over the years by being deliberately opaque about his selection issues. That would be absolutely fine. It simply goes against the widely held belief that Postecoglou operates according to loftier standards.