EXCLUSIVE: Ange Postecoglou claims he’s been ‘frustrated’ with being dismissed for his Australian background – as he reflects on the ‘burden’ of potential failure shutting the door on coaches from the region

• 58-year-old sat down exclusively with IAKO’s Ian Ladyman and Chris Sutton 
• PLUS: Head coach ‘wishes his late father could have seen his Spurs success’
• Inside Ange’s Spurs: Listen to It’s All Kicking Off on how he transformed the club 

Ange Postecoglou has shared his frustration with being dismissed for his Australian background, and claimed that if he had struggled at Celtic, it might have ‘shut the door’ for Australian coaches in the future in his big interview with Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton and Ian Ladyman. 

The Antipodean coach has won three consecutive Premier League Manager of the Month awards following his move to Tottenham this summer, and has overseen the club’s fast start to sit fourth in the table ahead of the international break. 

But despite his success thus far in England – and his dominance with Celtic in Scotland – Postecoglou believes his career was previously underrated due to his background.  

‘I never used it as a drive to prove people wrong,’ Postecoglou said of his nationality. ‘But I did get frustrated. 

‘Because I knew with the all the work I had done and the experience I had, I thought I deserved an opportunity and really the one reason I wasn’t getting one was because I was Australian. 

Ange Postecoglou sat down with Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton (pictured) and Ian Ladyman to discuss his spellbinding start at Tottenham

The ex-Celtic coach has won three Premier League Manager of the Month awards on the trot

But Postecoglou stressed his frustration at being pigeonholed in the past for his Aussie heritage (pictured as head coach of Melbourne Victory in 2013)

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‘And all the success I’d had, people were very dismissive about it. I didn’t think it was fair because whatever competition you win, it’s still a competition right? You still gotta be the first team. 

‘Even Celtic gets dismissed a bit. “Oh it’s Celtic…you are to supposed to win every year…” 

‘So I haven’t used it to prove people wrong but I enjoy the fact I am here, because hopefully it breaks some stereotypes and let’s people open their minds to the fact I am here for no other reason than my work. 

‘I am not here because of my playing career, my profile or my connections. I am here because of my work, Postecoglou added. ‘There are a lot more people like me who you could maybe look at or look beyond the normal sort of avenues you go down to find coaches and managers.’

After his playing career was prematurely ended by a knee injury, the 58-year-old plied his trade as a manager in his homeland before eventually coaching the Socceroos. 

His transition into club football came with a move to Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos in 2018, where he guided the side to their first J-League title in 15 years. 

At Celtic, Postecoglou saw in a prodigious period of success during which the Glasgow side won two Scottish Premierships, two league cups, and the Scottish Cup in just two season. 

But Postecoglou is adamant that rather than being an outlier, his passion for the game is inline with a national obsession with the game.  

After rising through the ranks in Australia, Postecoglou was named Socceroos head coach

A transition into club coaching saw him transform the fortunes of Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos

Postecoglou enjoyed two superlative seasons at Celtic that saw them almost entirely dominant

The 58-year-old wants to be seen on equal footing with his peers despite his background

As such, he recognises the ‘burden’ of being identified as an ‘Australian coach’ and the potential for his career – and potential failures – to provide a blueprint for others.  

‘(My success) is something for the whole of Asia, not just Australia. The whole region is passionate about football,’ Postecoglou added. ‘If (Tottenham) was a disaster or Celtic hadn’t worked out, to open the door for another Australian would have been very, very difficult. 

‘All the frustrations I have felt I would have effectively passed on to another three generations. So there is a burden there, you know, but you are hoping now that people will look at things differently and part of me also wanted to shed that tag that I am Australian coach. 

‘I am just a manager who has worked his way up to be here like any other. When they remove that Australian tag and just want to talk about me as a manager that’s when I think people will be seeing me on an equal footing to everyone else.’ 

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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