His coaching career is one of the most inspiring examples of success through resilience. He’s been the first of many significant milestones in multiple football leagues. It was a difficult start for Postecoglou with Yokohama F. Marinos, losing out on the Japanese Cup final in his first year. Almost immediately, he showed his skill at turning defeats into wins. In just his second season in charge, he took the club to a top-flight league championship. They secured the win by six points, a testament to his strategic brilliance and fierce leadership skills.
Postecoglou’s remarkable odyssey went on when he became the manager of Celtic, Scotland’s biggest football club. Under his stewardship, Celtic reclaimed the Scottish Premiership title, doing so in his first season by a razor-thin four-point margin. Building on this success, he then boldly and confidently took the club forward to win it again in his second season. As it stands, they only lost to their rivals by seven points. His tenure at Celtic further established his credentials as a manager who can grind out results at the top, elite level.
It was a truly historic achievement in Postecoglou’s career. Appropriately, he completed a giant step to the English Premier League in accepting the helm of the Tottenham Hotspur. He not only faced the challenge of managing one of the league’s most storied clubs but aimed to restore its competitive edge on the European stage. Under his stewardship, Spurs completed one of the most remarkable underdog stories by winning the Europa League, beating Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao. This victory established him as the first Australian manager to win a trophy in a major European club competition.
Looking back on the path his career took, Postecoglou mused on his conviction that success would come in his second year. He stated, “I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed.” Fortunately for this brand of confidence, that has held up during the Swan’s time on the other benches in Australia and overseas.
Prior to his time in North London, Postecoglou had managed every level of success from Australia’s national team to a modest club in Japan. His time at Panachaiki was uneventful, lasting less than a year. In 2009, his stint with Whittlesea Zebras was even shorter – just three months. Success came swiftly and significantly at Melbourne Victory over an extraordinary 18-month stretch. Then, he took the leap to coach the Socceroos. His coaching resume proudly lists two National Soccer League titles in South Melbourne. He did all of this amazing stuff in just his second and third seasons.
Realism has always been the basis of Postecoglou’s managerial philosophy. He acknowledged the challenges of managing a club like Tottenham, stating, “This football club has had world-class managers, a lot better-credentialed than I am, and haven’t been able to get there, so I knew I had a massive challenge in front of me.” His frankness on the challenges of succeeding at the upper echelons of management demonstrates the seriousness he brings to this position.
