As he predicted, Ange Postecoglou became the first Australian manager to win a major European trophy, ending Tottenham Hotspur’s 17-year wait for silverware with a 1-0 Europa League final win over Manchester United.
“It’s the greatest achievement by an Australia coach of all time, by far,” said former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich on Stan Sport.
It is a valuable one too, with the win sending Tottenham into the Champions League and an estimated windfall of $A200 million next season and Postecoglou said he wanted to stay next season despite his future being uncertain.
He also name checked former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating in his victory press conference declaring, “this is one for the true believers.”
“A wonderful congratulations to him, to all his staff, to all those players, to all their fans around the world and to the people that are behind him. Congratulations to them because it really has been a dark season.
“To go over there, as an Australian, in football, you always are a little bit looked upon that you’ve got to prove yourself, which is understandable. We’re not a first-world footballing country yet.”
Eight months ago Postecoglou ruffled the feathers of the English football establishment by boldly stating he always wins trophies in his second season at new clubs.
“I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing’s changed,” said Ange in September.
“I’ve said it now. I don’t say things unless I believe them.”
The former Socceroos boss was constantly reminded of his claim as Spurs went into a Premier League freefall that may well have ended any hopes of him being at the club next season.
In his pre-match press conference, Postecoglou blew up at a reporter after a headline describing him as a clown. While Spurs season has been somewhat of a circus, the Aussie ringmaster was reveling in his triumph.
“I’m still taking it all in. I know what it means for this football club. The longer it goes, the harder it is to break that cycle,” a euphoric Postecoglou said after the win.
“I could sense the nerves in everyone at the club and until you take that monkey off your back you never understand what it feels like. We have a young group and I hope by tasting this, the players feel different about themselves and what it means to them is unbelievable.”
As for his statement from September, Postecoglou said: “People misinterpreted me. It was not me boasting, just me making a declaration and I believed it. I had this thing inside me more than anything else.
“I know our league form has been unacceptable, but coming third was not going to change this football club, winning a trophy would, that was my ambition and I was prepared to wear it if it did not happen. People kept reminding me of it because we were getting closer but I’m happy with that.”
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If he does leave he will take with him the memory of a major triumph with the north London club, adding to the Asian Cup, and title wins in Australia, Japan and Scotland. Regardless, Tottenham will play in the Champions League next season thanks to this win.
Since winning the 2008 League Cup, Spurs have lost three finals in that competition, one Champions League final, and finished runners up in the Premier League on one occasion.
“Amazing for the club. It has been a long time coming. Delighted for the club and all the fans,” said former Spurs star Gareth Bale.
“Now Ange goes down as a legendary manager to win a European cup.”
It was a scrappy, ugly game – a world away from Postecoglou’s often beautiful attacking football – and Brennan Johnson’s 42nd-minute goal summed it up, going in off an unlucky Luke Shaw.
Spurs spent most of the second half camped deep, eschewing the coach’s attacking ‘Ange Ball’ philosophy, and United had several clear-cut chances, including a shot cleared off the line by Micky Van de Ven and a brilliant save with 30 seconds on the clock by Guglielmo Vicario to deny Luke Shaw’s header. With seven minutes of added time elapsed, United midfielder Casemiro shot an overhead kick into the side netting.
It was always going to be an all or nothing match between two fallen giants placed 16th and 17th on the table.
United ended with the nothing – no trophies this season and no European football next season.
For Tottenham it means the world, and it was achieved in contrast to the attacking free-flowing style that marked Postecoglou’s thrilling early run with the club last season.
“He has done his job. He said he wins in the second year and he has, if there’s ever a time for a mic drop, it’s now,” said goalscorer Johnson.
Ange Postecoglou with the UEFA Europa League trophy. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
“I can’t thank the manager enough for how much trust he has in us and he has a really good way of getting us up for it.”
Postecoglou’s decision to embrace pragmatism in the latter stages of the tournament was noted by former Socceroo Craig Foster on Stan Sport.
“It was a masterpiece, but it was a masterpiece in a very different way. And that’s what’s beautiful about it,” said Foster.
“The thing about Ange, he didn’t have to prove anymore that he can produce wonderful attacking football In fact, he almost had to prove the opposite.
“And what he has tried to do with Spurs is to give them a winning mentality, which he has proven that he has.
“… In the last few months, rather than just continuing to build a team, it’s clear that he worked out what it meant for this club and the fans, just to win in any way possible.
“[They were] conceding a lot of goals, falling down the league, huge questions asked. But in this competition, he changed and he said, ‘this club needs to learn how to win again. And any way we can get across the line, we have to do so.’
“Now he can say, ‘look, I produced this marvellous football with Spurs, I’ve demonstrated to you this is the football that the club should play, which we all agree with, but we also now know how to win.’ And so this was a masterpiece.”
Former Spurs and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said Spurs “spoiled the game” to get their result.
“It will be Ange Postecoglou that will be having the last laugh tonight,” he said on BBC.
“It was a poor watch, it really was, an awful game, but Tottenham ruined it. They spoiled the game. That was the game plan.
“When he brought on Danso and went to three centre halves five at the back. Even with a back four they couldn’t get away from their own goal line.
“The save from Vicario and the clearance from Van de Ven is all Tottenham offered in the second half. They got into United’s half once or twice at a push.
“It was not what we are used to seeing from Ange Postecoglou. It was a gritty, horrible, defensive, determined, rugged performance.”
