Ange Postecoglou has had a mixed start to his second season at Tottenham, winning just five of his first 11 Premier League matches. The shocking 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town last weekend only added to the pressure, with Spurs now sitting 10th in the table ahead of the international break.
In light of this challenging start, Postecoglou’s demeanour in press conferences has noticeably shifted.
Ange Postecoglou, who joined Tottenham on a four-year contract in the summer of 2023, enjoyed a stellar start to his first season, going unbeaten in his opening 10 Premier League matches and topping the table in October.
However, momentum slowed significantly as he managed only 12 wins in the following 28 league games, ultimately missing out on a top-four finish and concluding his debut season in North London in fifth place.
The way Ange is headed its more closer to Ted Lasso than to Jesse Marsch
While Ted Lasso took AFC Richmond to second place, Tottenham’s journey under Ange Postecoglou has been far from smooth. Despite being a top-six team, they’ve struggled to meet expectations, often falling short in key games. Ange, who confidently claimed he’d bring silverware in his second season, now faces a string of obstacles—a team plagued by injuries and the recent seven-game ban for Bentancur due to racist remarks.
Postecoglou’s attempts to establish a tougher, more no-nonsense persona in media appearances haven’t gone as planned, seemingly backfiring as pressure mounts. Determined to avoid comparisons to former Leeds coach Jesse Marsch, who was often likened to the fictional “Ted Lasso,” Ange’s results have yet to improve the club’s standing. Instead, with each setback, he risks becoming a caricature himself, his ambitions appearing increasingly out of reach.
Journalist Sam Matterface explained about the Ange situation, Speaking on the Premier League All Access podcast,
“What I’ve been told is, is that he’s so desperate not to be seen as sort of an Australian caricature.
“He doesn’t want to be Jesse Marsch 2, he doesn’t want people to throw the sort of Australian Ted Lasso thing at him.
“So he tries to sort of not be the playful, happy character and tries to be serious, that’s what I’ve been told.
“It doesn’t come across very well. And Mark Scott of Match of the Day has had two rather difficult exchanges with him in a couple of weeks. I know Crook and I have both had interesting exchanges with him as well over the last year.
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Tottenham’s season has stumbled early on, raising fresh doubts about Ange Postecoglou’s long-term future at the club, as they sit mid-table with a third of the campaign already gone. While the Australian manager’s position doesn’t seem immediately threatened, frustration is clearly brewing within the club over the recent results. If Postecoglou wants to avoid being perceived as a caricature rather than a commanding leader, he’ll need to make notable improvements and steer Spurs back on course.
