Postecoglou hoping to rock Europe amid troubled tenure
Ange Postecoglou has cited the 'Stonecutter's Credo' as he still harbours hope that Tottenham can rock Europe even though some of his tenure has gone "disastrously wrong".
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Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The ghost of Holger Osieck is the only thing that can stop the Socceroos
The last time the Socceroos lost a match by five goals, it launched the careers of both Ange Postecoglou and Maty Ryan. It was 2013, and Australia had just sealed a spot at the World Cup in Brazil. Josh Kennedy was the saviour, thanks to his iconic late header against Iraq in front of 80,000 people in Sydney. But there was no saving the unpopular Holger Osieck, who was sacked three months later, despite delivering Australia's third successive qualification. The Socceroos were a bit on the nose with the public. Osieck had allowed the ageing 'Golden Generation' to hang on for too long, and his style of football was hardly inspiring. Later that year, in their wisdom, Football Federation Australia scheduled back-to-back friendlies, both away, against Brazil and France. Rare chances for them to measure up against true global yardsticks. 6-0, 6-0. Critics accused the Socceroos of making the Australian game look like a 'joke' on the world stage with their 'spineless' performances, and several players of outstaying their welcome in the team. As soon as he returned to the team hotel after game two in Paris, Osieck was dismissed, and moves were immediately afoot to get the federation's No.1 coaching target, Ange Postecoglou, out of his contract at Melbourne Victory, thus setting in train a series of events that would soon lead to Postecoglou taking over and regenerating the squad, Mark Schwarzer's retirement, and the handing over of the gloves to Ryan, who will win his 100th cap on Wednesday morning (AEST) by hopefully contributing to what would be one of the best moments of his career. For that not to happen, the Socceroos would need to turn in a stinker the likes of which they have not had in 12 years. Not since that day in Paris. Or that other day in Brasília. That is how bad they would have to be to miss out on the 2026 World Cup from here. That is how long ago they last lost by five goals or more. That is the sort of heist Saudi Arabia has to pull off in Jeddah. It is an unfathomable thought on multiple levels. So far in this qualifying phase, the Saudis have scored only six goals in nine games – so to do it, they'd essentially need to reproduce that whole output in one match. Only twice before have the Socceroos ever lost a competitive match (not friendlies) by 5-0 or worse, and not since 1997.
The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
The ghost of Holger Osieck is the only thing that can stop the Socceroos
The last time the Socceroos lost a match by five goals, it launched the careers of both Ange Postecoglou and Maty Ryan. It was 2013, and Australia had just sealed a spot at the World Cup in Brazil. Josh Kennedy was the saviour, thanks to his iconic late header against Iraq in front of 80,000 people in Sydney. But there was no saving the unpopular Holger Osieck, who was sacked three months later, despite delivering Australia's third successive qualification. The Socceroos were a bit on the nose with the public. Osieck had allowed the ageing 'Golden Generation' to hang on for too long, and his style of football was hardly inspiring. Later that year, in their wisdom, Football Federation Australia scheduled back-to-back friendlies, both away, against Brazil and France. Rare chances for them to measure up against true global yardsticks. 6-0, 6-0. Critics accused the Socceroos of making the Australian game look like a 'joke' on the world stage with their 'spineless' performances, and several players of outstaying their welcome in the team. As soon as he returned to the team hotel after game two in Paris, Osieck was dismissed, and moves were immediately afoot to get the federation's No.1 coaching target, Ange Postecoglou, out of his contract at Melbourne Victory, thus setting in train a series of events that would soon lead to Postecoglou taking over and regenerating the squad, Mark Schwarzer's retirement, and the handing over of the gloves to Ryan, who will win his 100th cap on Wednesday morning (AEST) by hopefully contributing to what would be one of the best moments of his career. For that not to happen, the Socceroos would need to turn in a stinker the likes of which they have not had in 12 years. Not since that day in Paris. Or that other day in Brasília. That is how bad they would have to be to miss out on the 2026 World Cup from here. That is how long ago they last lost by five goals or more. That is the sort of heist Saudi Arabia has to pull off in Jeddah. It is an unfathomable thought on multiple levels. So far in this qualifying phase, the Saudis have scored only six goals in nine games – so to do it, they'd essentially need to reproduce that whole output in one match. Only twice before have the Socceroos ever lost a competitive match (not friendlies) by 5-0 or worse, and not since 1997.
7NEWS
5 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Private message uncovers Ange Postecoglou's touching words to Tottenham star Yves Bissouma
Tottenham star Yves Bissouma has shared a touching message exchange with Ange Postecoglou after the manager's shock axing as Spurs boss. The Aussie manager was sacked last Friday, sparking outrage as the soccer world digested the news that a man who had ended his club's long search for silverware had been shown the door a fortnight later. A host of Spurs players paid tribute to their manager with social media posts, but Bissouma went a step further in revealing the messages. The exchange showed just how close Postecoglou was with his players and the impact he had on them. 'Hi Biss. Sorry I missed your call,' Postecoglou's message began. 'I am very proud of you. It was an honour to share a dressing room with you and appreciate how much you believed in what we were trying to achieve. 'I wish you only the best for the future. I will always be following. Much love from my family to yours.' Bissouma, who appeared to have Postecoglou saved in his phone as 'Big Ange', shared his reply. 'Thank you gaffer and thank you really much for everything you did for me on and off the pitch, I'll always be grateful,' he wrote. 'The way you believed me and trusted me was incredible, I gonna miss you but it's football life. I think you know what I'm thinking about you already so I just wishing you all the best for the future and may God protect you and you gamily. Big Boss love.' It was the latest in a string of tributes to the much-loved manager. 'believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did,' wrote captain Son Heung-min on Instagram. 'You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it's had in decades. We will have those memories for life. 'It's been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you. 'Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate.' Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, Postecoglou's first signing, said: 'You are not only a top manager, you are an incredible person to work for, a real leader, a mentor, and someone I'll always look up to. 'What we achieved together will stay in the history books. Wishing you nothing but success as I know you will go on to achieve more and more. Thank you, Boss.' Signed last summer, striker Dominic Solanke said: 'Thank you for bringing me to this wonderful club, thank you for bringing us a wonderful trophy. '(I) won't ever forget the convo we had before I signed and we achieved a dream!' Right-back Pedro Porro wrote: 'I'll always be grateful for the way you led us, defended us, and kept us going through all the highs and lows. Above everything, you gave us one of the greatest moments in the club's history and for that, you'll always be celebrated.' The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust thanked Postecoglou for an 'amazing night' in Bilbao but acknowledged league results were a 'long way short' of expectation. 'Our concern now is that it appears we will have yet another change of direction and that this is something that is becoming a habit since we said goodbye to Mauricio Pochettino in 2019,' a THST statement read. 'We can only hope that the right decision has been made and that the new manager is fully supported by the board and everyone at the club to build on the cup success that Ange has lain.' England manager Thomas Tuchel, himself sacked by Chelsea a year after winning the Champions League in 2021, said: 'It just shows you that it is not only about titles, you can survive seasons without titles if your connection, the support and the belief and the trust between the coach and the club is strong then you can overcome seasons without titles. 'If there is slight disbelief, if there are concerns, if the trust is not there anymore, obviously then it is sometimes not even enough to win a trophy after so many years.' Tuchel also paid tribute to Postecoglou: 'I have biggest respect for him. He's a huge character, he brought a trophy, he said he will deliver in the second year and he did,' he said. 'But this is part of the job, we are responsible for the results and we are responsible for the development of the team so, whether we like it or not, sometimes it is us who has to take the full responsibility.' Soccer pundits came out backing the Australian coach, and laying into Tottenham's decision. Alan Shearer, the former England and Newcastle striker, posted on X: 'What a stupid game football is!!!!' Another former England forward, Chris Sutton, said: 'To get someone in who wins them silverware, then straightaway get rid of him, that sums up modern football, doesn't it? It's absolute bonkers.' Tottenham supporters went online in their droves, mainly to vent their fury at the club' decision. One posted to Sky Sports: 'That night in Bilbao earned Ange the right to continue it next season. Gutted.' Tottenham fan Alfie Watts, who won BBC's Race Across the World in 2024, said: 'I'm fuming. I can't really get my head around it. I think it's a baffling decision.'
