Ange Postecoglou will relish the chance to prove people wrong at Tottenham after claiming he has needed to be “faultless” to reach this stage of his managerial career.
A coaching journey spanning nearly three decades has taken the Australian from Melbourne to London via spells in Yokohama and Glasgow.
Success has followed the 57-year-old, but he is now tasked with a sizeable rebuilding job at Spurs, who have not won a trophy since 2008 and finished eighth in the Premier League last season.
“All I know is I love winning,” Postecoglou said during his first press conference in his new role. “I don’t do any job unless I think I can win. That’s going to be my intent.
“I’ve been fortunate in the past because I’ve had success but whenever I reflect on any job I’ve had, it’s not the success that I look back on, it’s the build that I look back on because I know it’s not always going to be smooth.
“There’s going to be plenty of doubters, which is when your belief and resolve gets doubted. Not just for me personally, but the whole club, the whole group and I love working through that, getting out the other side.
“That’s the biggest attraction for me in this position. Aside from being in a massive football club and the premier competition in the world… the opportunity to do something that people will see in many respects as insurmountable. I love that.”
Postecoglou struck all the right notes a month on from his June 6 appointment, having guided Celtic to five trophies in his two seasons in Scotland despite a rocky start to life in Glasgow.
He is now in charge of a club in desperate need of direction and a cultural reset after the spells of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte saw Tottenham move away from the attractive, attacking football often associated throughout their history.
Postecoglou recalled memories of watching Ricky Villa’s 1981 FA Cup winner and admitted the challenge of trying to bring back the glory days to Spurs was too great to turn down.
He added: “My wife knows better than anyone, I can’t resist a challenge.
“I’ve always gone with my gut on these things. I know when I’m at my best and I’m at my best when the challenge is the biggest. I thought this was a challenge that would fit all the things I’m looking to achieve.
“For me to come from where I’ve come from and be sitting here, I needed to have that instinct inside me to know when to move on because I’ve had to be faultless in my career to get to this point.
“That’s because no-one’s going to rate an Australian manager, are they? So, if I had any significant failures along the way, I was never going to get here. Part of that process is knowing that I need to keep moving to be at my best.
“Even if I’d stayed at a club for five years, I’d never be satisfied with where we’re at. I’d be looking to improve all the time.
“The key factor was there was an opportunity here to again make an impact at a football club, which I’ve tried to do at every club I’ve been at.”
Asked to recall his memories of Spurs teams, Postecoglou said: “I remember Ricky Villa and Ossie Ardiles, absolutely. I remember that FA Cup final.
“They were my best childhood memories, I’ve said it before, because it was me and my dad, 2am. That’s me as a young boy, sitting on a couch watching a game of football.
“Glenn Hoddle, an absolute master and those kind of players resonate around the world.
“There are plenty of teams and Tottenham players through that era that I have strong memories of in my childhood.
“I’ve had a lot of success in my career but it’s also been done on the back of playing a certain way.
“I dare say that was probably part of one of the biggest factors in the club appointing me, was that they saw that. That’s what I’m going to try and deliver.
“That seems to be the right fit for this club in terms of the fans’ expectations. We call it entertainment but also win games of football, score goals, be exciting. They don’t want to see their team sit back.
“There are different ways of winning but the intent for us will be to try and make sure this football club’s a compelling watch for everybody.”
Inzaghi gets 'all answers needed' after Inter humiliate Frosinone
Clinical Inter returned to winning ways with a 5-0 thrashing of relegation-threatened Frosinone on Friday, and coach Simone Inzaghi admitted he had no questions left following his side's stellar performance.
Champions Inter stumbled to a 1-0 loss at relegation-battling Sassuolo last weekend but bounced back at Frosinone when five different players were on target to further hamper Frosinone's hopes of steering away from the relegation zone.
"I got the answers I wanted even though there was no need [for them]," Inzaghi told a press conference.
"A lot of guys who have played less answered and even contributed with a goal, I'm thinking about [Tajon] Buchanan and [Marko] Arnautovic.
"Important answers also came from [Kristjan] Asllani, who has grown a lot and has also played parts in important games."
Inter, who remained on track to beat the club record of 97 points set in the 2006-07 season, have also equalled the 15 away wins recorded in that season and maintained their 10th clean sheet, previously seen in 2007-08.
"I have a club that has been working for some time to ensure that the team improves because we always have to grow," Inzaghi said when asked if the team would be able to keep up the pace next season.
"Now we have two matches in which we will do our best, and then we will think about next season.
"The celebration? What our fans did to us will always remain within each of us. It's the shield of joy. I will always thank the fans."
Inzaghi is set to remain at Inter, with Italian media reporting he has already agreed to a new deal which puts him at the helm of the club beyond 2025.
He added: "You know what relationship I have with the club. We will all sit down and talk, but we are already in contact every day."
Al-Ittihad 0-5 Al-Ettifaq: Ekambi scores hat-trick in five-star display
Karl Toko Ekambi netted a hat-trick as Al-Ettifaq got back to winning ways in style with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
He scored twice in four minutes at the end of the first half to send the visitors into the break 4-0 up before getting his third just 10 minutes after the break.
Seko Fofana had already given Steven Gerrard’s side the lead five minutes into the contest, while Moussa Dembele doubled their advantage from the penalty spot.
Al-Ittihad had the chances, but they could not find the back of the net, as they stayed fifth, but are now just six points above Al-Ettifaq.
Data Debrief: Clinical finishers
Al-Ettifaq had five shots on target against Al-Ittihad, scoring with all of them while creating an xG of 3.62.
With his hat-trick against Al-Ittihad, Ekambi has now scored 11 goals for the season, netting more than once for the first time since joining the club.
Home advantage big help for Newcastle - Howe
Eddie Howe has highlighted Newcastle’s home form as a high point this season as they prepare to welcome Brighton to St James’ Park.
The Magpies moved to sixth in the table after a thumping 4-1 win over Burnley last weekend and have now lost just one of their last seven matches.
At home, Newcastle are unbeaten in their last seven outings, scoring four or more goals in four of those matches.
Asked how he was feeling ahead of their final home match of the season, Howe was full of praise for his team.
He said: "We have loved playing at home this season. I have been really pleased with how we have performed at home.
"We have a good feel, a good energy, and we've been very aggressive in our play. We are thankful for the support we have received from the fans - the crowd have embraced our style. It's been a good partnership between the crowd and the players."
Brighton ended a run of six without a win with their 1-0 win over Aston Villa last Sunday, though that dip in form cost them a place in Europe next season.
While disappointed by that outcome, Roberto De Zerbi wants to use that as motivation for his team to finish the season strongly.
"I think we have to be happy or sad depending on the attitude we showed. I think we have worked well, and we give our best, and then we have to accept the result," De Zerbi said.
"When the new season starts you might have new and different players. You close the last season and start another season. For sure, we start the motivation [now]."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Newcastle United – Anthony Gordon
Gordon has been involved in more home goals than any other Newcastle player in the Premier League this season (16 – nine goals, seven assists). It’s the most by a player at St James’ Park in a single top-flight campaign since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 (18 – 15 goals, three assists).
Brighton – Simon Adingra
With top-scorer Joao Pedro out through injury, Brighton will be looking to Adingra to make something happen. Despite not getting on the scoresheet against Aston Villa last time out, the winger had the joint-most shots (four, all on target), while having the most touches in the opposition box.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE UNITED WIN
Having failed to either win or score in their first four Premier League home games against Brighton (D2 L2), Newcastle have won 2-1 and 4-1 respectively in their last two against the Seagulls at St James’ Park.
Newcastle have scored in all 18 of their Premier League home games so far this season. They last scored in 100 per cent of their home league games in a single campaign in 1982-83, while they last did so in the top-flight in 1958-59.
However, Brighton are looking to complete the league double over Newcastle for the third time, previously doing so in 2020-21 (Premier League) and 1978-79 (second tier).
The Seagulls won 1-0 against Aston Villa last time out, ending a six-game winless run in the Premier League. However, they’ve not won back-to-back league games since a run of three in September.
Newcastle have scored at least four goals in nine different Premier League games this season – only in 1895-96 in the second tier (10) have they done so in more league games in a single campaign.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Newcastle United – 45.1%
Draw – 27.6%
Brighton – 27.3%
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