Ange Postecoglou’s Impact at Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou’s Transformative Impact at Tottenham
Sure, it has been just over a month since the former Celtic leader began his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, but Ange Postecoglou’s impact is undeniable and a constant topic of conversation.
What aspects has he mastered? How else has Ange contributed to maintaining a positive atmosphere within the club? Let’s delve into this.
Addressing the Harry Kane Situation
This was the most prominent issue facing Ange Postecoglou upon his arrival at Tottenham Hotspur: addressing the uncertainty surrounding Harry Kane’s future with the team.Not only did the Aussie handle the situation well, he hit it out of the park. Kane had always been on the verge of leaving for the past 2-3 years but this year it felt the timing was perfect.
Spurs got the price they wanted and Kane got the move he wanted. Ange handled it beautifully. He never went to press to criticize the move or the player, he carried on with what he got. He invested wisely and strengthened the depth.
Strategic Player Acquisitions and Positioning
Ange knew the goals had to come from elsewhere and not just from a single position. He knew as good as Kane was, Spurs were over-reliant on their star striker for goals. Heung-Min Son was the only other outlet.
Ange brought in James Maddison and Brennan Johnson to add more creativity and goal threat from deeper and wider positions. He knew Richarlison was already there so he had good cover and a player to fall back to.
Ange Posctecoglou spread the goals around the team from different positions rather than one single major source.
Getting the Formation and Personnel Right
Ange ditched the 3 at the back or 5 at the back formation used by his predecessors. He went a bit traditional to a more slick 4-2-3-1 formation. Ange went for more flexibility where he could change the formation according to the needs of the game.
In Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma, Ange has found the right personnel to form a base for his midfield. Both are dynamic young players with a lot of potential and he has paired them with James Maddison. Tottenham hasn’t had such a strong midfield for quite some time now.
The creativity and goal-scoring threat of Maddison from midfield has given Spurs an extra dimension. The midfield three are currently one of the best in the league and that’s unquestionable. Ange has got his balance right.
Revamping the Defence and Goalkeeping
Look at the defense as well. Postecoglou is not a guy who will just sit around. The Spurs’ defense already looks unrecognizable from last year. Porro looked poor last year and Romero always looked like a deer in the headlights at Spurs but Ange has got both of them looking confident. Romero looks a lot like his Argentina self this season
The addition of Van de Den has helped a lot too. That boy is rapid and strong. Udogie coming back from a successful loan spell and has just seamlessly taken over that troubled left-back spot.
The main issue was Hugo Lloris, he was already in decline for the last 2 years but Spurs made sure with Ange’s arrival they would get a new promising keeper. In came – Guglielmo Vicario. He has been rock solid for Spurs as well.
On the deadline day, Ange added Brennan Johnson to his squad. The depth was taken care of as well. That is the main thing about Postecoglou, he knows what he wants to do and he has got what he wanted and the Spurs are already bearing the fruit early on.
Infusing Positivity and Calmness
Tottenham Hotspurs were a mess by the end of last season. Their iconic and influential captain was finally on the verge of departing, their star winger was hopelessly out of form, the team was in tatters, and the fans had just given up on everything.
Within a month of the Premier League, Spurs are second in the table and unbeaten. The spirits around the club are as high as they have ever been. Not since the Pochettino’s days have Spurs looked such a threat in the league.
Ange Postecoglou has a calm aura about him that resonates with the whole club right now. The moment he walked into the club and sat in his first press conference you knew he was a calm figure. He didn’t have an arrogant vibe or an over-the-top personality.
Postecoglou credits his calm demeanor to his upbringing in the 70s and 80s. He is a self-professed Liverpool fan and growing up watching the legendary Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley has had a huge impact on him.
Building a Strong Connection with Fans
Ange Postecoglou has walked into the club and concentrated on solely making the club better like his idols. No idle talks or exuberant statements. He has let his work do his talking and his press conferences are fun to watch. Again, that has resonated with the fanbase who have taken him in straight away as their own.
Just look at the 2-1 win over Sheffield United last weekend. There was a belief in the stadium until the last kick of the game. Spurs scored two goals in the dying embers of the game to win it late. It was electric and the team is always the reflection of their manager on the pitch.
We have not seen such positive vibes around Tottenham Hotspurs since the heydays of Mauricio Pochettino. Ange Postecoglou has already won the Premier League Manager of the Month in his first month in charge and if the start is anything to go by then maybe just maybe Postecogou might be the guy to break the major trophy duck for Spurs.
