Ex-Celtic boss renews rivalry with old adversaries
It may say more about them than him, but Ange Postecoglou has been told many times by chirpy English pundits that he’s not in Scotland anymore. Well, now he is, although it can’t be bringing him much comfort.
The 59-year-old is back and fighting for his managerial life at Tottenham Hotspur. Ironically, he might be considering ditching those perceived naive tactics he is accused of bringing with him from Celtic. “This isn’t Kilmarnock or St Mirren!” bleated former Arsenal star Paul Merson after Spurs’ threw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 at home to Chelsea on Sunday. Next it’s Rangers at Ibrox. Failure is not to be borne.
Postecoglou’s fraying ties to the manager’s position contrasts with Spurs' strong Scottish links. Almost 60 years to the day since they secured something of great worth from Scotland, the London club aim to mount another productive raid. Postecoglou’s position might depend on a successful outcome.
Ange Postecoglou during a Tottenham training session at Ibrox ahead of facing Rangers in the Europa League. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Ange Postecoglou during a Tottenham training session at Ibrox ahead of facing Rangers in the Europa League. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Ange Postecoglou during a Tottenham training session at Ibrox ahead of facing Rangers in the Europa League. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group
His chances of success might be somewhat greater were he able to call on the services of Alan Gilzean, whose signature was finally captured following months of speculation on 16 December 1964 for a Scottish record fee. Gillie went on strike from Dundee as he tried to force through a move elsewhere.
Postecoglou may well be invited to stay away from work should he come to grief in a stadium where he knows he can expect little sympathy. Nevertheless, a trip into a lion’s den with all the attendant strands of intrigue could be just what he needs to reignite his tenure in north London.
While many teams are currently rubbing their hands at the thought of meeting flaky Spurs, the Australian knows there is one team in British football over which he holds a psychological edge: Rangers. They were sick of the sight of him by the time his two-year sojourn in Scotland came to an end, having collected five of six domestic trophies on offer. He has, though, won just once at Ibrox in four attempts, something mentioned more than once as Scottish and English journalists mingled before Wednesday night’s pre-match press conference. Postecoglou arrived at just after 5.45pm. Welcome back Ange. “Cheers mate,” was the inevitable reply.
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou during his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Rangers in the Europa League. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou during his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Rangers in the Europa League. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou during his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Rangers in the Europa League. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group
While Glasgow Rangers versus Tottenham Hotspur might be a classical sounding fixture, it is not a common one. The teams have met just twice before competitively – the last time 62 years ago on Wednesday, when a Jimmy Greaves-inspired Spurs won 3-2 in front of 80,000 fans at Ibrox in the Cup-Winners’ Cup to complete an 8-4 aggregate victory. There have been friendlies, including one to open the Broomloan Stand in 1980 in the days of Steve Archibald, Ricardo Villa and Ossie Ardiles.
Some contend that a rematch has still come around too quickly from Postecoglou’s point of view. Already besieged and under the cosh, and reeling from what he agreed was the worst injury crisis he has ever known, he might prefer his team were scheduled to play almost anywhere else. As he has inferred before, he's big and ugly enough to look after himself. But he’s not completely void of feelings. “I'm like anyone else,” he said on Wednesday night. “I like a bit of love every now and then.”
Then again, he was relishing the thought of stepping out into the cauldron. Echoing the words of Jock Stein, one of his Celtic predecessors, he stressed that football without fans is nothing. “Once you experience football in empty stadiums, you realise how meaningless it is,” he said, with reference to the Covid era, which was still ongoing when he was appointed Celtic manager.
“As much as you go ‘it could be hostile tomorrow’ that's what we love about the game," he continued. "That's what brings it to life. Ultimately, it's a game that evokes passions and emotions. Sometimes that's not always positive. Like every human being, you'd love it to be positive, but it's not going to happen.”
Nevertheless, he must sense there's a fragility about his team that risks being exposed by Rangers in a hostile setting. Brilliant one minute, brittle the next, Spurs are living up to their attractive but flawed reputation and then some. It's why this Battle of Britain installment can’t necessarily be treated as such a foregone conclusion as recent editions. The last time this banner was attached to a game at Ibrox it finished Rangers 1 Liverpool 7.
Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou returns to Ibrox as Rangers host Tottenham in the Europa League. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou returns to Ibrox as Rangers host Tottenham in the Europa League. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou returns to Ibrox as Rangers host Tottenham in the Europa League. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group
Spurs do, of course, have the capacity to score almost at will but they are also proving vulnerable defensively, particularly when it comes to self-inflicted errors. Another intriguing aspect is the likelihood that Archie Gray will line up out of position in the centre of defence for Spurs at the age of just 18. Although both his grandfather and father, Frank and Andy, are former Scotland internationals, he has elected to play for England. “I think Archie is probably the one for us at the moment that we need to try and get to fill in there,” said Postecoglou.
No wonder the Spurs fans are edgy. No wonder Postecoglou is feeling conflicted about this return to a city where he could do little wrong in two years. Gifts he brought with him in the form of Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda still remain, much to the consternation of Rangers. Whatever happens at Ibrox, Postecoglou can still have a say in things at Hampden on Sunday, when the Ibrox side face Celtic in the League Cup final.
The Australian might be able to watch on TV; he’ll be in Southampton, preparing for Spurs’ evening game at the St Mary’s stadium. Or at least he hopes to be.
Spurs fans are already restless. If it starts going wrong against Rangers, Postecoglou will feel very lonely in a venue where he’ll barely have a friend in sight - and that could include the away end.
It still might represent a more straightforward assignment than if his return to Scotland involved a match against Celtic at Celtic Park, with the mix of emotions that would inevitably trigger. At least he knows where he stands at Ibrox.