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Ange Postecoglou left Celtic for the wrong club.

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Ange Postecoglou left Celtic for the wrong club. Let’s not sugar-coat it; most of us knew this when he went. It was clearly a good opportunity for him, one that was likely too tempting to pass up given his age, experience, and the allure of the Premier League.

But we all said it: Spurs are a basket case, and it’s a no-win job.

This past weekend, he faced heavy criticism from Spurs fans after a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. It has to be said, though, that Arsenal are arguably at their strongest in decades, having pushed Manchester City in the last two title races. They look the best team in England aside from City, so expectations from Spurs fans need to be grounded in reality.

Yes, this was a heated North London derby, but it’s hard to fathom what Tottenham fans want from Postecoglou.

A fifth-place finish last year exceeded most expert predictions – almost all of them took them to finish eighth as they had the season before – and whilst the current criticism of his start to the season hasn’t been OTT that some are reaching back to last season and the start to this one to make a case that he’s out of his depth … that’s harder to defend.

We all understood why Ange took the job.

The chance to manage in England at his age? How could he turn that down? However, we warned him about the club.

Spurs is not the kind of environment that allows a manager to properly implement their ideas—especially a manager like Ange, whose philosophy needs time and patience to flourish. Tottenham’s fans have shown little tolerance for that, nor has their board. The media in England has already judged him as out of his depth simply because his most notable previous role was at Celtic, in a league they routinely dismiss as insignificant.

The other day, Postecoglou, frustrated by the constant questioning, corrected a journalist’s remark about how he usually wins something in his second season; “always” Ange told the guy. The English press acted as if he’d said something outrageous.

The sheer arrogance and Anglocentric attitude is irritating, considering managers who’ve won even big titles elsewhere – including the Champions League – have had to prove themselves in England before being taken seriously. José Mourinho experienced the same treatment after winning the Champions League with Porto, only to face scepticism at Chelsea.

Postecoglou’s achievements across three continents – with titles won in Australia, Japan, and Scotland, not to mention managing a national team – seem to carry no weight with many in the English media. We all saw this coming.

Most of all, we warned him about Spurs.

This is a club with fans who seem to believe they’re far bigger than they are and that they deserve much more than they get. They’re led by a chairman who’s been through more managers than anyone can count over the last decade.

The club doesn’t have the patience for a long-term project. The transfer policy isn’t even in the manager’s hands, and we don’t know if Ange sanctioned the signing of Dominic Solanke, but he certainly wasn’t worth the absurd fee they paid for him.

It’s not just the signings that are under the microscope, though. Spurs have been vulnerable at set pieces, a problem we can relate to from Ange’s time at Celtic. He’s previously downplayed their importance, but it’s come back to bite him now, especially after conceding from one at the weekend.

The storm clouds are gathering. On Monday, Jonathan Wilson published an article titled “North London Derby Defeat Raises Further Doubts About Ange Postecoglou.” In it, he highlights the fact that Ange has won just 44 points in his last 32 games. Postecoglou’s insistence that he always wins something in his second season might have raised expectations, but the reality is that fans and the media don’t share that optimism.

No club easily tolerates one point from 12 in the opening fixtures, and at Spurs it is never long before someone is made to pay the price. Although reports suggest the Spurs board is content for now, their history tells us that Ange is already walking a tightrope.

I’m usually not sentimental when someone leaves Celtic.

I don’t care much what happens once they’ve left Parkhead, especially if they leave in a way that makes me want to wash them off. Ange, to his credit, gave us two full seasons and didn’t leave until the job was done, but it still left a bitter taste.

Despite that, I wanted him to succeed because it reflects well on us if our people go on to do well elsewhere. But I never believed it would work out at Spurs—not because Ange isn’t a top-level manager, because I think he is—but because the club is steeped in mediocrity and many good managers have tried and failed there, not because they weren’t good enough, but because Spurs aren’t as big a club as they think they are.

They aren’t elite like Liverpool, Arsenal, or Manchester City. Even Manchester United and Chelsea, despite their current struggles, have won things in recent years. Spurs, on the other hand, haven’t lifted a significant trophy since 2008.

So where does this belief come from that they should be doing better?

Better than Liverpool, recent Champions League winners? Better than Manchester United, with their history? Better than Arsenal, who have rediscovered their identity and are surging forward? It’s hard to see where this inflated self-image comes from.

Ange is a good guy, but he’s in the wrong movie.

Had he been patient, other opportunities would have come along—at clubs where his work would have been valued more highly than it is right now.

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  • Bob (original) says:

    Ange did the right thing at the time..

    He is an EPL manager, and when he gets punted from Spurs, he could

    be on that ‘merry-go-round’ of managers down south.

    Maybe gaining promotion with an ambitious Championship club would be a better

    way to develop his ideas?

    But, he must have learned so much in the last year – and made so many more contacts.

    It’s all good for Ange.

  • Shoobs says:

    Is there maybe also a case of “Big Time Charlies” and English premiership egos in the dressing room? And they think they’re too good to be coached by a guy with Anges background? Madison being a case in point, didn’t set the heather on fire with Aberdeen and yet he’s treated by some of the English media like a superstar.

  • Captain Swing says:

    The answer is in the massive over-representation of Tottenham fans in Fleet Street. They have won three trophies in 40 years, yet their mediocre players are always over represented in England squads due to the Fleet Street influence. The club has been mismanaged from the top down since the days of Alan Sugar and the late Terry Venables, and there is no sign of that changing any time soon. When Ange gets the chop – and he will, that is completely certain, it is a managerial graveyard, they even sacked Mourinho making it the only club where he has won nothing – other job opportunities in England will become available where he will be better appreciated and he can leave them to chase their next exotic foreign managerial flop. Can’t see Dyche lasting much longer at Everton and that would be a better fit for him – even if he was a Liverpool fan growing up!

  • Davd Frame says:

    As you pointed out he took the wrong job..was he pushed or was it his choice..?

  • Mr Magoo says:

    Acchhht never mind , he’ll get sacked just as Brendan’s 3 years are up, would celtic have ange back . ????

  • Redmond says:

    I don’t wish Ange ill at all, he done a great job when we really needed someone to come in and steady a leaky ship, but the reality is that he got rid of players at Celtic for lacking commitment to the club, yet then went and talked up players for Spurs whilst we still had trophies to win. Maybe a good guy but came with a large slice of hypocrisy.

  • Michael McCartney says:

    Spurs have won one League Cup this Century, the arrogance and expectations of some of these Spurs fans and many other fans of English football are laughable. Spurs should probably finish somewhere between 4th and 8th in the Premier League,this is a team that hasn’t won the 1st division or Premier League title since 1960/61. We’re talking 63 years here. If they don’t give Ange the full season then they’ll prove once again what an unrealistic club they are.

  • Charlie Green says:

    If “Angeball” didn’t work in Europe for Celtic it wasn’t going to work in the EPL. Simply pap the ball into the space left by the backs or would-be midfielders and let your wingers do the rest.

  • Norman says:

    Agree totally with that. Great what he achieved at celtic, but what a challenge he took on at spurs. Hope he wins some cup this season, to keep his second season history intact.

  • Joe McQuaid says:

    He won big for us in Scotland but he never had a plan B. Also liable to be played the old dope on a rope trick and that has played out in the EPL as the analysts at each club have studied his tactics.
    And for this reason he won’t go higher in the EPL. When he leaves Spurs I would be surprised if he stays managing in England.

  • Clachnacuddin and the Hoops says:

    Spurs n’ Sevco then – Thinking they’re far bigger than they actually are…

    But Spurs have a long history and have won a bit of silverware although mostly in the cups…

    Spurs will shite all over Sevco in their Europa League coming together for sure !

  • Jim Duffy says:

    Who cares ,he jumped ship the first chance he got ,he made his choice now he can live by it ,not missed at all now, when Rodgers left it was because of the boards penny pinching, Ange left even when he was backed by the board,he used Celtic as a stepping stone and it’s backfired tough.

  • Chris Bryson says:

    Ange is a top level manager? So how come in his late 50s celtic were his 2nd managerial job in europe? The other being a greek 3rd division team. Postecoglu is not a manger.
    He is a coach who asks good players to play good attacking football when that doesnt work hes stuck, he has no plan B he cant see a game out when you are ahead i.e. leverkusen away betis away.
    But all of a sudden he is basically guaranteeing spurs fans a trophy after 20 years without 1. Nonsense better managers than him couldnt, conte, mourinho.
    The reason ange got the job is because they were selling there best player and no other decent manager would have touched that job remember he got the celtic job as 2nd or 3rd choice and as for he done all he could with us he won 5 trophys out of 6 against a bang average rangers side so thats what his remit was.
    He also left celtic with numerous dross players who he signed mainly james mcarthy 20-25k a week for 3 years kobeyashi, yang, kwon, bernabei, haksabanovic, the list goes on and he did not giveany young player a chance at celtic not one.
    He will be out of a job by january definetly and couldnt lace one of brendan rodgers boots

  • Brattbakk says:

    Spurs are ready to be a big club with that stadium and the money they have but the signings haven’t been good enough. Werner, Johnson and Solanke are not going to win them trophies. It’s too late now (thankfully) but if he’d come back for Maeda, Kyogo and Hatate then Spurs would definitely be better off.

  • Iljas Baker says:

    Big stadium, plenty of money, based in London. Their fans certainly expect something and why not? I still like to see what Ange’s up to and what I see is he’s still as stubborn as ever and it will be his failing. It was his failing for Celtic in Europe – dreadful and it will be his failing in EPL.

  • DannyGal says:

    I did actually think Spurs was the ideal job for Ange, and vice versa, a couple of months before it when I backed it at 25-1. Just before Ange was announced he had become the bookie’s favourite. As the second favourite was Brendan then I feel it was the right job for Ange and for Celtic.

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