Where are the lemons, the talk of quasi-spiritual forces? How about the holding of hands in the dressing room, a little visualisation? Or the booming out of You’ll Never Walk Alone in training before a trip to Liverpool?
The urge is irresistible, when picking over the early months of Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham tenure, to look for the big secret and the more off-the-wall the better. Something like how one of his Spurs predecessors, Mauricio Pochettino, saw things in citrus fruit and universal energy. Or Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and some of his more unusual motivational moves. Because what has happened at Spurs since Postecoglou’s appointment in June is faintly ridiculous.
The club that limped home in eighth place last season, missing out on Europe for the first time since 2008-09, the fires of discontent blazing everywhere, go to Crystal Palace on Friday night seeking to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League. Spurs have made their best start to a campaign since 1960-61, when they did the Double – seven wins and two draws from nine matches – and they have even been mentioned as possible title contenders.
Nobody really believes that. Not yet anyway. But given that many supporters simply wanted to enjoy going to the game again, to see their team play on the front foot and with a bit of personality, the overachievement so far has put them in dreamland.
The reality of the Big Ange revolution is that it is free of tall tales. Like the man himself, it is rooted in normality and authenticity, common sense; just saying and doing logical stuff. There are people at the club waiting for the catch because they cannot believe there is a manager who is actually not bonkers.
This is surely Postecoglou’s USP. When you behave like a rational human being, when you have a life and a perspective outside of football, when you are wise, measured and take responsibility, it is no great stretch to see how those around you might come to feel calm and empowered.
Postecoglou has been pitch perfect since his arrival on a range of issues: the life after Harry Kane question, Richarlison’s psychological struggles, the impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Manor Solomon, to name but a few. He has been transparent and consistent, sometimes injecting a lightness of tone that is endearing and of a piece with his Everyman appeal, giving players and fans something to get behind.
Postecoglou is not one for small talk around the training ground. “Morning mate, how you doing,” is about the limit of many of his interactions, even if the warmth is there. He likes to keep a distance, especially with the players. But it is hard not to feel the culture he is creating, which is marked by inclusion and the absence of fear.
There was the recent team photograph that the club released, which not only featured the players and coaches but all members of staff at the training ground – from comms people to chefs. Postecoglou wanted it. Just as he wants to know everybody’s names; he has an excellent memory for that. The inclusion extends to out-of-favour players. Under Postecoglou, there is no bomb squad. Hugo Lloris (remember him?) continues to work with the first team while others on the fringes speak warmly of Postecoglou and his methods.
There is little doubt that Postecoglou’s vision of the game is aligned to the club’s principles, what supporters want to see – boldness, attacking thrills – and his training is fast, fresh and intense. He works off multiple spaces, each drill ready to go, and moves from one to the next with no pauses, sometimes leading the sessions, other times handing them to his assistants.
With Spurs, it is usually possible to see a managerial hire as a reaction to the previous one; the contrast between Antonio Conte, who departed in March, and Postecoglou is particularly vivid. Conte did not want to be there, in part because of his personal situation – he was shaken by three bereavements, was very ill himself at one point and missed his family back in Italy. His bad moods made the players and staff miserable and he alienated people by how he worked.
Conte rarely offered any notice of schedules, often waiting until the morning itself which, for example, could sap at the morale of the grounds team, who might have prepared a pitch only to find it would not be needed. As for the players, they lived in fear of the eruptions if they made a mistake.
Postecoglou is more structured and collaborative, and he has given everyone the freedom to make errors. What happens if the team concede after trying and failing to play out from the back? It is not on the player who gives away possession, rather those who have not provided him with the right options. Ultimately, though, it is on Postecoglou. He has made that clear and it is liberating.
To Postecoglou, bravery is about showing for the ball and, even more so, showing again after a mistake. It could also be seen in his decision to take none of his own coaches to Spurs. He does not talk it up that way but it says plenty about his self-belief.
Postecoglou very much wants to be at Spurs; the 57-year-old has wanted to be in English football since he was a Liverpool-obsessed kid in Australia. And the players who joined over the summer very much wanted to come. It may seem like a basic requirement but the club have signed players in the recent past who were not too fussed and have not worked out.
The Guardian understands that Spurs passed on a player in a specific position this summer after getting the impression he was more driven by getting away from his old club. They signed someone else who Postecoglou could tell was desperate to join. He spoke to all of the new boys, approving the deals only when he got that feeling.
The summer arrivals have excelled, especially Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison; each a neat fit for Postecoglou’s style. Count Destiny Udogie, too, because he is a new face. The manager has revitalised existing players such as Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr.
Postecoglou’s biggest decision has been to overhaul the squad’s leadership group. Out went Kane, Lloris, Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg; in came Son Heung-min as captain, Maddison and Romero as vice-captains. Each of the trio has responded, especially Son, who has fitted seamlessly into a new No 9 role.
Son was not shy to rollick Richarlison during Monday’s win over Fulham for an overly elaborate trick and there have been the small things on top of his brilliant form, such as his move to hold the pre-match huddle in away games directly in front of the travelling enclosure so that the team and fans might connect. It is amazing what can happen when the right people are put in the right places.
