Why Ange Postecoglou matters?

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Tottenham lost on Boxing Day 1-0 against Nottingham Forest, which was their fourth loss in five matches.

That’s not an ideal score, but even with that bad run, the importance of Ange Postecoglou often gets overlooked.

He might not be the best manager statistically, but he’s single-handedly pushing a philosophy which is somewhat ancient in modern football.

Postecolou’s team had 70% possession against Nottingham and entered the Nottingham box 30 times, but couldn't score and lost 1-0. So what’s so special about Postecoglou?

After all, this is the lowest amount of points Tottenham have had since 2008, sitting at only number 11 on the table.

That’s pretty poor by all markers, and it’s true; however, the squad has principles which utterly reflect how Postecoglou sees football.

In this analytics era of the sport, he simply wants to play attacking and beautiful football.

“When my team plays football, I analyse the team so that I imagine my father on the stands and I wonder whether he’d enjoy watching this football,” Postecoglou famously said.

If that’s the question, then his team is hitting the jackpot. No team is more exciting to watch than Tottenham this year. It’s fact, and if you disagree then you don’t know football.

The affinity for this type of football comes from Postecoglou’s path. He started his coaching career in Melbourne, in a team that was coached for three years by the legendary Ferenc Puskas.

Puskas notoriously preferred attacking football without much risk assessment. The goal was to score as many goals as possible, which was the type of football that was played when Puskas was a legendary player.

Postecoglou inherited that affinity because he first experienced it as a player for Melbourne and then as a coach.

He fiercely implemented those ideas wherever he went and worked his way all the way to Tottenham and the Premier League. He wouldn’t have gotten that job if his system didn’t work.

The problem for Tottenham is the quality of the squad. It’s simply not good enough compared to previous years, at a time when the rest of the Premier League is arguably as strong as ever. Look at Manchester City and how they have fallen apart with a squad that is twice as good as that of Tottenham.

Yes, it’s factually true that Tottenham haven’t had the best results this year, but it’s also a fact that the team has an identity which is unshakeable, no matter the circumstances. That’s a hallmark of a great manager and with a better squad, Tottenham could be a lot better.

They are a victim of a lack of quality and modern-day football.

Modern-day football is stale, it’s based on heavy possession, neatness and just an overall conservative approach. After all, if you don’t rush forward you’re not likely to concede a goal. Teams are playing not to lose rather than to win and it shows.

That’s not Postecoglou's approach.

He wants his teams to attack, to score, to make football the sport that kids fall in love with. But this Tottenham squad doesn’t have the quality for that. Being 11th on the standings is truly the reality of what this team is arguably capable of, but it’s not Postecoglou's fault.

Despite the lack of quality, his Tottenham team is arguably the best watch in the Premier League. For a neutral football fan, that’s gold.

That’s why Postecoglou matters.

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