Ange Postecoglou to Tottenham: Celtic coach becomes first Australian manager in the Premier League

Tottenham's search for a new manager has reached its conclusion, with Ange Postecoglou officially announced as the North London club's head coach.  

Speculation of the Australian joining the club had gathered pace in the last week, with The Athletic's David Ornstein and notable football transfer guru Fabrizio Romano both reporting that Postecoglou was close to becoming the first-ever Australian to manage a Premier League side.

SEE ANGE IN ACTION: Tottenham and West Ham pre-season tour of Perth, Australia

Ange Postecoglou named new Tottenham Hotspur manager

"We are delighted to announce the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as our new first team head coach," the club announced on Tuesday. 

MORE: Harry Kane transfer news: Man United and Real Madrid target England captain

The Australian will leave his post at Celtic and join Spurs on 1st July, having signed a four-year contract.

"Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play," Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, said in a press release. 

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy - everything that is important to our club.

"We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as our new Head Coach on a four-year contract 🤍

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 6, 2023

Earlier on Tuesday (AEST), Romano tweeted his famous 'here we go' catchphrase, speculating that a two-year deal had been reached. 

🚨 Ange Postecoglou will become new Tottenham head coach, here we go! The agreement on two year deal plus option for further season has been reached as revealed in the morning. #THFC

Green light on final clauses, time to seal compensation documents with Celtic — then, official. pic.twitter.com/FMENF41uC3

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 5, 2023

🚨 Tottenham now close to appointing Ange Postecoglou as new boss. Deal for Celtic manager to make #THFC switch is expected to be finalised in coming days. 57yo Australian has emerged as stand-out candidate from recruitment process @TheAthleticFC #CelticFC https://t.co/99DozvSbt2

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 4, 2023

It is a landmark moment for both Postecoglou and Australian football, with no Australian manager previously managing such a well-known club — Tottenham are considered part of the Premier League 'big six' and are one of the richest clubs in the world.

It also signals another chapter in a storied and remarkable career for Postecoglou, who has risen from Australian club football and achieved great things everywhere he has gone.

Ange Postecoglou early coaching career

SEE ANGE IN ACTION: Tottenham and West Ham pre-season tour of Perth, Australia

Postecoglou's first coaching role was at the same club he had an esteemed playing career with, South Melbourne FC in the old National Soccer League (NSL).

He led South Melbourne to two consecutive championships between 1997-1999, and also won the 1999 Oceania Club Championship that allowed the club to compete at the 2000 FIFA Club World Cup.

He then went on to coach at youth level for Australia between 2000-2007, firstly with the U17s side then the U20s team.

During this time he was involved in a notable on-air argument with pundit Craig Foster, with Postecoglou claiming he was left 'unemployable' in its aftermath.

The pair have since made amends, with Postecoglou praising the work Foster has done in his advocacy for the rights of refugees and securing the release of Hakeem al-Arabi in 2019 from custody.

Social justice. Ange Postecoglou 🤝 @Craig_Foster #StanSportAU pic.twitter.com/d3gLQZDYqs

— Stan Sport Football (@StanSportFC) February 14, 2022

Ange Postecoglou A-League success

Postecoglou returned to professional management in 2009 when he took over A-League club Brisbane Roar, and he had a transformative impact on the club.

The club won both minor premiership and the Grand Final two years in a row, and also embarked on a 36-game unbeaten run - still an Australian record - and did it playing some of the best free-flowing attacking football the league had seen.

The side was nicknamed 'Roarcelona' during this time, with fans and pundits comparing the football they played to the Barcelona side managed by Pep Guardiola, and there was little doubt that Postecoglou's reputation had recovered since the infamous interview.

He left the Roar in 2012 to join the Melbourne Victory, where he reached the preliminary final in his only full season. 

Ange Postecoglou at the Socceroos

SEE ANGE IN ACTION: Tottenham and West Ham pre-season tour of Perth, Australia

In October 2013 Postecoglou was announced as the new coach of the Socceroos, who despite qualifying for next year's World Cup had suffered back-to-back 6-0 defeats and were criticised for a stale and stagnant style of football.

He led the side at the World Cup with less than a year to prepare, placed in a 'group of death' containing the previous edition's finalists Spain and Netherlands, as well as Chile. Whilst they came close to defeating the Netherlands, they ultimately lost all three group games, though the signs of renewal were showing.

Just seven months later the Socceroos would be lifting silverware as they won the 2015 AFC Asian Cup on home soil, defeating South Korea 2-1 in the final after extra time, leading fans and pundits to believe another Golden Generation was on the way.

However, the side struggled in qualification for the 2018 World Cup, being forced to navigate an intercontinental playoff against Honduras to qualify.

Despite succeeding, Postecoglou came under immense pressure from some quarters of the media and he resigned just two weeks after the playoff victory, citing the toll the job had taken on him.

Success in Japan and Scotland

Postecoglou then moved abroad to Japan at the end of 2017 to takeover J-League club Yokohama F. Marinos, where he reached the Emperors Cup Final in the first season, and then confounded expectations to win the J-League in 2019, becoming the first Australian to win a league title in Japan.

His success in Asia saw him noticed by clubs in Europe, and in 2021 Scottish powerhouse Celtic appointed him as manager.

Despite his appointment being met with derision by pundits and Celtic fans who had seen their club lose the league title to bitter rivals Rangers, he quickly won them over with his attacking style of football and with his ability to turn around a side previously in turmoil.

He won the Scottish League Cup and later the league title that season, being the first Australian to win a European league title, and he also won PFA Scotland manager of the year and SFWA manager of the year.

He repeated the trick next season, winning the league once again in dominant fashion and also both cup competitions to complete a treble.

He has become hugely popular with Celtic fans, who have lauded the way he turned around the club, as well as the connection he has built with the fans, club and community.

Tottenham 2022-23 season

SEE ANGE IN ACTION: Tottenham and West Ham pre-season tour of Perth, Australia

Postecoglou will have a similar rebuilding job on his hands as he did at Celtic, when he takes the reins at Tottenham in July. 

Spurs finished in 8th on the table this season, outside the European places, and suffered humiliating defeats such as a 6-1 loss to Newcastle where they conceded five goals in the opening 20 minutes.

There are strong rumours that star striker Harry Kane will leave the club, and the team as a whole is in need of an overhaul after churning through four managers in two years.

But Postecoglou has built his career on coming into clubs at a low ebb and being able to revolutionise their fortunes on the pitch and doing so in a manner that excites the fans and puts fear into the opposition.

If he is given time at Spurs, he could become one of their great managers.

Premier League 2023/24 TV channels, live streams

MORE: Watch every one of Tottenham's Premier League matches in Canada on Fubo

UK: Matches are carried across Sky Sports and BT Sport streaming and TV platforms, with select matches on Amazon Prime.

USA: Select matches are televised on USA Network (English) and Telemundo or Universo (Spanish), and all three channels can be streamed on Fubo. The rest of the matches are streamed on NBC platform Peacock for subscribers.

Canada: Every Premier League game this season is live streaming exclusively via Fubo in Canada.

Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on demand on Optus Sport.

India: Star Sports network has the rights to show Premier League matches in India. As well as an English broadcast on Star Sports Select, select matches will be available via regional feeds on Star Sports 3 (in Bengali, English, Kannada, Malayalam), Star Sports 1 (Bangla) and Star Sports 1 (Tamil).