Ange Postecoglou has to prove he is worthy of the Tottenham job because his appointment has left some of the club’s fans frustrated, according to Louis Saha.
Postecoglou was announced as Spurs’ new manager on June 6, with the Australian leaving Celtic to take up the role this summer. The 57-year-old arrives in north London after two years in Scotland, which concluded with a Treble this season.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy considered former boss Mauricio Pochettino, ex-Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann, ex-Spain coach Luis Enrique and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot before landing on Postecoglou.
The nature of the appointment, coming after a disastrous season which saw Spurs finish eighth after both Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini were sacked and Ryan Mason stepped in, has not given former Tottenham striker Saha much faith.
He told Betway: "It's a hard time for Tottenham fans to accept any decision from the club because they are frustrated and have just watched a horrible season, an almost disrespectful season for them with some of the poor results they had.
“They will comment and criticise Postecoglou's appointment, that's normal, but he does deserve a chance first. Postecoglou will have to prove that he is worthy of being a Premier League and Tottenham's manager.
“Yes, he's done well with Celtic, but I'm not familiar with him so I'm not surprised some fans are frustrated. Any manager who comes into this role at Tottenham will always be criticised because it's a hard job.”
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Levy is sure that Postecoglou is the right man for the job. “Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play,” he said.
“He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."
Although he has been successful at Celtic, Postecoglou has never managed in a top-five European league. He coached Brisbane Roar, Australia and the Yokohama F. Marinos before taking the Celtic job in 2021.
The Australian has won 73 per cent of his matches with Celtic, claiming back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles and Scottish League Cups. He has promised to play an attacking brand of football – something that got lost under Conte.
"To play football and create an environment that embodies the values and traditions of this fantastic football club,” he said. “Hopefully a team that you can all be proud of and more importantly, get excited by.
"I can assure you that right through pre-season we won't leave any stone unturned, myself, the staff and the players to make sure that when the league comes around, that you'll all be as excited as I am about the season ahead.”
