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After a stunning start to his time as a Premier League manager in England, Ange Postecoglou was named manager of the month after his first ever four weeks in the job.
I think we have finally got to the point where anyone on the planet still to be convinced of his man management and tactical ability, to get a football team playing more positively and aggressively within weeks of his message being delivered to players, might well have crawled embarrassingly under the rock from which they came.
In short, Postecoglou continues to prove that he is one of the finest managers in the world, despite the Eurosnob narrative that pops up at press conferences and in much of the copy written about him abroad.
In the most simple of terms, it appears that there is still a quirky curiosity about the Australian; how dare he be so good coming from a footballing backwater.
Ange Postecoglou. (Photo by Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images)
The questions he is asked remain a little cringey, somewhat narrow minded actually and the English press’ intent to keep the 58-year-old trapped in a dialogue that presents him as something out of step in terms of the natural progression to a gig as a Premier League manager is beginning to wear a little thin, especially as his Spurs team excels.
Sheffield United presented as a tricky opponent over the weekend and in spite of a shock second half goal to the visitors in the 73rd minute, after utter dominance from the men in white Postecoglou’s squad found the goals they needed late and secured the three points that kept them hot on the heels of the champions-in-waiting Manchester City.
For the manager of the month it was his fourth win in five matches, and the team remains unbeaten in season 2023/24, despite the loss of former captain Harry Kane and the doom some predicted.
Postecoglou is becoming something of an enigma; proving himself time and time again no matter where he goes and asking serious questions of the people who failed to believe in his talent and support his vision in Australia during his time as national coach.
The entire situation would be brilliant as a Netflix special, with Australia, Japan, Scotland and now England completely transfixed by Postecoglou’s ability to conquer the landscape no matter the frontier and prove that his football nous is at a level possessed by very few.
Throw in the ability to speak so fluently, peacefully and insightfully when engaged in discussions with journalists and the image of something of a footballing Yoda emerges.
The wisdom Postecoglou displays through his responses and the classy light-heartedness he uses to deflect nonsensical rubbish sent his way during media commitments, reflect a man totally at peace with himself and inherently confident in his abilities as a manager.
Seeing Celtic, Tottenham and Yokohama F. Marinos fans embrace the Australian has created a clear pattern of attachment that says a lot about the character of the man and even more about the skills he has developed in management over the decades spent in the cut and thrust of professional football.
Ange Postecoglou lifts the 2019 J-League J1 Trophy with his Yokohama F.Marinos team. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Spurs fans are insanely enraptured, singing rather hilarious songs that regale the achievements of a man who literally just landed on their doorstep.
But they can see the positivity, the will to play aggressively, to possess, to compete and the desire to take a belief into football matches that was so critical during the period he spent in charge of the Socceroos.
Those of us who have always believed in ‘Big Ange’ have smiles from ear to ear and the global football community is clearly taking notice.
There is no guarantee of success for Spurs in 2023/24, nor a spot in the Champion’s League, yet things look pretty good right now. Who knows how long Postecoglou will be in London and exactly what he will achieve up against some of the best teams in the world?
An international appointment leading into the next World Cup will have already been discussed at board meetings of national federations looking for the coach capable of improving them on the biggest stage.
Quite simply, the footballing world is Ange Postecoglou’s oyster right now, and if the mobile cameras of the Netflix empire are not recording everything happening to show the world the uniqueness of his journey and story, they will have well and truly missed the mark.
I can’t wait for a documentary on Ange. It might annoy the doubters who never believed in him, but it will put a big smile on the faces of the people who did.