Postecoglou reminiscent of Pochettino, says former Tottenham defender Dawson
Ange Postecoglou is a coach in the same style as Mauricio Pochettino so says Michael Dawson, who is excited by the Australian's appointment at Tottenham.
Tottenham's long search for a new coach took them to Celtic's door, and Postecoglou this week signed a four-year contract.
That came on the back of the former Australia coach leading the Hoops to the treble in Scotland in 2022-23.
And former Spurs defender Dawson thinks Postecoglou will end up being an ideal fit.
Speaking to Stats Perform at an exclusive launch event for Club and Nike Members held at Alexandra Palace, Dawson said: "I think it's a really positive appointment with Ange Postecoglou.
"What he did at Celtic, but not just there. I think what he did in Australia and then Japan, people were wondering, how would he actually settle in [at Celtic], how would his style of playing get implemented.
"He's certainly done that Celtic. So now he has to come to our club and do the same. I do believe it's a lot harder because the Premier League, in my opinion, is the best league in the world.
"But he's done in Scotland and now he'll want to come and come to England and do it again at a massive football club. I'm sure he's delighted to get the opportunity to work in the Premier League, and at Spurs and work with a group of young players that are in the building and try and improve them like he certainly did at Celtic."
Indeed, Dawson believes the 57-year-old's approach will be similar to that of Pochettino, who led Spurs to multiple top four finishes and a Champions League final during his stint in charge.
"Daniel [Levy's] gone out and made the manager clear that he wanted to play an attacking style of football," said Dawson.
"I looked at 2014, when I was at the club when Pochettino came through the door. You try and implement your style of what you want with a group of players then try and get the best out of that players and the right personnel to play in the right formation.
"[Postecoglou] plays with a 4-3-3 and with his fullbacks inverted, and they overload the midfield. Players will be on holiday and go away on international duty, but certainly when the first day of pre-season comes he'll be trying to get the message across."
Spurs finished eighth and failed to qualify for a European competition, and Dawson knows they must be targeting much better.
"I look at the Spurs team and the players that we've got at the top of the field with Harry Kane, one of the best strikers in the world," he added.
"He's done it for many years and he will keep doing it. He's an absolute genius, world-class, Spurs' all-time goalscorer, England's all-time goalscorer and he will keep doing that because he's relentless.
"Son [Heung-min], [Dejan] Kulusevski, Richarlison; it's now about getting the best out of these players to try and get us back to where I believe we should be and that's in the Champions League.
"There's no there's no hiding, it was a disappointing season. We looked at 12 months ago when we ended the last two games by beating Arsenal and finishing in the Champions League, it was great. This year we've come up short. The players know that and now you always get another chance."
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet for the first time at a grand slam in Paris on Friday but the Serbian expects a familiar feeling.
Alcaraz was still a baby the last time the French Open was played without his compatriot Rafael Nadal in the draw.
Now Spain has a new hero to cheer and Djokovic a new rival to spar with at the top of the game.
“He carries himself very well,” said the 36-year-old. “No doubt very nice guy on and off the court. Brings a lot of intensity on the court. Reminds me of someone from his country that plays with a left hand.”
Djokovic and Alcaraz met for the first – and only – time in Madrid last year, when the young Spaniard served notice that he was the present as well as the future of tennis by beating Nadal and Djokovic back to back.
Since then they have frustratingly missed each other, with Djokovic unable to play in the US Open, where Alcaraz won his first grand slam title, because of his vaccination status, while the 20-year-old was kept out of the Australian Open by injury.
Djokovic claimed his 22nd slam title in Melbourne and can set a new all-time men’s record by lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a third time.
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“He deserves his success, no doubt,” said Djokovic of Alcaraz. “He’s working hard and he’s a very complete player already and only 20.
“So we played only once in Madrid last year, 7-6 in the third for him. Most of the tournaments this year we were not in the same draw but here we are.
“That’s the match that a lot of people want to see. It’s definitely the biggest challenge for me so far in the tournament. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. He’s definitely a guy to beat here. I’m looking forward to that.”
They both reached the semi-finals dropping only one set but, Alcaraz has been the more impressive, spending three-and-a-half hours less on court than Djokovic in his five matches so far.
The Serbian, who can reclaim the world number one ranking by winning the title, looked in trouble for a while against Karen Khachanov before playing a flawless second-set tie-break.
Djokovic’s ability to lock in at the most important moments is one of his greatest strengths and the Serbian’s extraordinary precision in the placement of his shots is unmatched.
If Djokovic is the old master, Alcaraz is the young impressionist, using the clay canvas to show off his talent and exuberance.
John McEnroe declared Alcaraz the most complete 20-year-old he has ever seen earlier in the tournament, and the audacity of his shots demonstrates the supreme confidence he has in his game.
He spoke of his excitement at playing Djokovic, saying: “Since the draw came out, everyone was expecting that match, the semi-final against Novak. Myself as well. I really want to play that match.
“Since last year I really wanted to play again against Novak. We both are playing a great level. I’m going to enjoy it.
“Of course, for me, it’s amazing to make history, playing a semi-final with such a legend like Novak. So it’s going to be a great match for me.
“I would say the match we played last year doesn’t affect too much this one. We both learned a lot from that match, so it’s going to be totally different, and let’s see what happens on Friday.”
The other semi-final pits fourth seed Casper Ruud against Alexander Zverev, who has found form again on the Paris clay 12 months after seriously injuring his ankle in a last-four clash with Nadal.
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The German did not play another match until the beginning of this season but insisted there is no mental scar tissue as he looks to reach a second grand slam final.
“I think I’m at a stage now where I’m not thinking about the injury so much anymore,” he said. “I’m not thinking about what happened. I’m just happy to be back where I was last year, and I have another chance. Hopefully I can take it.”
Ruud made his first slam final here last year before losing heavily to Nadal and has shrugged off his own difficult start to the season.
McIlroy 'wasted a lot of energy' backing PGA Tour in LIV row
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston feels Rory McIlroy "wasted a lot of energy" in his staunch support of the PGA Tour.
McIlroy was one of the biggest opponents of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, which lured huge names from the PGA Tour, including Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau.
Yet in a shocking turn of events this week, it was announced that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) had merged with LIV Tour's backers – Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
That has left McIlroy, who said he still "hates LIV" in an awkward position, and Johnston feels the world number three has expended unnecessary energy defending the PGA Tour.
"Potentially, I think in some respect it could help him because I think he's just going to turn around and say, 'Alright, I'm going to concentrate and I'm going to do me'," said Johnston in an interview with Stats Perform.
"And that's what he should [do]. I've kind of been hoping Rory would do that. He shouldn't have to get involved and back the PGA Tour as hard as he has.
"I think he's wasted a lot of energy on that and I'd love to just see him focus on golf and pick up more titles and more majors because he's one of the best golfers we've seen.
"I just want to see him concentrate on his golf. So hopefully he gets through this meeting and he just goes, 'Do you know what I'm looking forward, just let it be.' And he can crack on. I'd like to see him do that, to be honest."
Reflecting on the news, Johnston said: "It's just insane. It's nuts. For what, two years, it's been so far away from that, so far away from doing that.
"I think I was talking about it a week ago or so. I said 'There's never ever going to be a deal because there's lawsuits going on and everything's kicking off, and no one will budge at all'. And all of a sudden, bang! That news comes out of the blue. And when I mean out of the blue, I don't think anyone knew.
"I don't even think Tiger [Woods] or Rory knew. I mean if they don't know that none of us are going to know."
Asked if it was a positive step for the sport, Johnston said: "It depends how they format it.
"If they format it where a player can tee up on any of the three tours knowing that if I have a good couple of seasons I can get into the Ryder Cup, I could get into LIV or however they're going to format the tournaments, and there's a way that you could be rewarded for playing good golf and getting into these high money bonus events, which I'm sure is going to happen, then great.
"There's going to be a lot of unhappy people and a lot of unhappy players right now. My first thoughts are people who have backed the tour, like Rory and Jon Rahm, people like that, and they've turned down a hell of a lot of money.
"They really propped the Tour and backed the Tour only to be sort of stabbed in the back. Absolutely blindsided by this. I can't imagine how they're feeling, they've got to be absolutely fuming about it."
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