Postecoglou at Spurs: What can FPL managers expect?

Ange Postecoglou was named as Tottenham Hotspur’s new head coach earlier this week, after signing a four-year deal to become the first-ever Australian manager in the Premier League.

The 57-year-old arrives after two successful years at Celtic, where he won five out of a possible six domestic trophies, whilst playing an attractive, attacking brand of football.

It comes after a disappointing 2022/23 season for Spurs. Following Antonio Conte’s departure in March, interim head coaches Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason could only help the club finish eighth in the Premier League, as they failed to qualify for any European competition.

In a statement, chairman Daniel Levy said:

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play. He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead.” – Daniel Levy

Spurs fans will be hoping Postecoglou can bring success to north London, but what does his appointment mean for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers?

In this, our latest Scout Report, we’ll take a closer look.

THE HISTORY

After leading South Melbourne to consecutive National Soccer League titles in 1998 and 1999, Postecoglou spent seven years coaching Australia’s youth teams.

He returned to club football in 2008, taking charge of A-League sides Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, before becoming Australia’s senior national team manager. His four years at the helm proved successful as he guided the team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, won the Asian Cup the following year and secured qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

After departing, he moved to Japan to manage Yokohama F. Marinos, securing their first J-League title in 15 years. His success at international level and in Asia caught the attention of Celtic and he agreed to join them in 2021.

“Let’s not beat about the bush, I was a joke when I was appointed.” – Ange Postecoglou

Postecoglou admitted he was seen as a “joke” when he took over, with Celtic having just finished 25 points behind arch-rivals Rangers. However, his two years at Parkhead were hugely successful, as he claimed a Scottish League and Cup double in his first season, followed by the treble – the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup – in 2022/23.

His Celtic side scored a whopping 114 goals in 38 league games last season, winning 32 of their 38 outings and only losing on three occasions, although they struggled in Europe. Despite creating plenty of chances, they only managed to pick up two points and finished bottom of a Champions League group that included Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Above: Ange Postecoglou’s record as Celtic manager

MANAGEMENT STYLE

Like Pep Guardiola, Postecoglou is totally uncompromising about his philosophy.

When asked if he should sacrifice his attacking principles in favour of a more conservative approach, he replied: “My view on that is, if you are a strict vegetarian, you don’t drop into Macca’s just because you are hungry mate, you know? This is what I believe in”.

And if players aren’t capable of playing the front-foot football he demands, they might discover his ruthless streak, regardless of stature.

“His approach is to not compromise. The word ‘compromise’ is definitely not in his vocabulary.” – James Holland, a central midfielder who played for Australia under Postecoglou

“Ange’s massive strength is his ability to be able to bring players along that journey and buy into what he does. There’s zero tolerance for players that don’t want to follow. We were never made to feel comfortable, we were always pushing to be better, always developing, always working harder than any group I’ve experienced before. It didn’t matter if you were the biggest player in the dressing room or the youngest – if you weren’t pulling your weight or following his principles, he was very ruthless.” – Matt Smith, former Brisbane Roar defender

Away from the pitch, Postecoglou provided an insight into his own man-management style, suggesting he’s more than willing to keep a healthy distance from his players when it comes to off-field relationships.

“I don’t think any of the players will ever say they got close to the gaffer. I would never sit down and have a coffee with them. I always like to keep a distance between me and the players. The biggest responsibility I have is to make decisions, and I want to make the best decisions all of the time.

“It’s human nature if you like somebody, or maybe dislike somebody, that might affect you. I always keep that distance. I’d like to think the players always know I’ve got their back and I’ll fight for them right until the end. I’ve always said to the players I take responsibility for all the bad stuff that happens and I think players appreciate that. They know where they stand with me.” – Ange Postecoglou

His new boss, chairman Daniel Levy, has already identified Postecoglou’s “strong track record of developing players” and “understanding of the importance of the link from the academy”, something he discussed while at Celtic.

“I think it’s an important part of any club, this club. Having players who were brought up with this club is important. I mean, you just have to look at our captain. It’s not just for Callum [McGregor], it’s for our supporters. To know that one of their own has gone from the terraces to on the pitch. It’s important, it’s a priority, that we keep developing our own players.” – Ange Postecoglou

PLAYING STYLE

“We want to entertain our fans and we want to win – these are the objectives which I always set myself and which I now begin work on.” – Ange Postecoglou

In previous clubs, Postecoglou has implemented an attacking style of football, typically using a 4-3-3 formation.

There is an emphasis on keeping possession with lots of short passes, but when they do lose the ball, they will press opponents high up the pitch in an attempt to win it back as quickly as possible.

It’s a system that emulates Manchester City’s, particularly in how the inverted full-backs are used, which isn’t a huge surprise given that Postecoglou describes himself as “a massive fan of Johan Cruyff”.

Instead of instructing his full-backs to stay wide and overlap around the outside, he encourages them to occupy central areas, which means there is sometimes space in the inside channels for the full-backs to attack.

Above: Left-back Greg Taylor’s seasonal heatmap 2022/23, via SofaScore

Left-back Greg Taylor was particularly effective in the attacking third last season, racking up three goals and four assists from 28 starts, averaging 0.7 shots and 1.3 key passes per game.

Due to the inverted nature of the role, he was involved in so much of Celtic’s play on the ball, often accumulating more touches than any other player on the pitch.

“I think you see the type of product that he [Postecoglou] brings. You see Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool when he plays those inverted full-backs. I had to handle them on Saturday. Taylor at times was playing as a centre-forward. So was Johnston [Celtic’s right-back], but maybe not as high as Taylor.” Inverness manager Billy Dodds, speaking after his side’s recent loss against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.

THE FPL PROSPECTS

Postecoglou’s preferred 4-3-3 formation means Spurs will stop playing a three-man defence, a staple of Conte’s time in charge. Instead, we can expect a return to a four-man backline, as seen in the final two league games of last season. That period saw Spurs create 3.99 expected goals (xG), more than any other top-flight side bar Manchester United.

Postecoglou’s arrival should, in theory, see the Lilywhites score more goals, the only real question is whether he has the personnel currently at the club to successfully employ his fluid system. He does at least have a couple of months and a full pre-season to find the right players, although it is still unclear if that will include Harry Kane.

The England captain has one year left on his contract and has been linked with a possible summer move. However, if he does end up staying, it goes without saying he’ll be an excellent Gameweek 1 option, given his elite finishing ability – he has ‘beaten’ his xG in all but one of his Premier League seasons since becoming a Spurs regular.

Postecoglou certainly knows how to get his centre-forward firing, too: Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi netted 20 goals in 33 appearances during his first season and ended 2022/23 as the Scottish Premiership’s top goalscorer with 27 goals, also winning the PFA, Scottish Premiership and Scottish Football Writers Association Player of the Year awards.

There will undoubtedly be new arrivals this summer, with Spurs already linked to David Raya and James Maddison, but there is existing talent already at the club that shouldn’t be completely written off by FPL managers.

• READ MORE: Transfer news: Confirmed new signings in FPL

Postecoglou likes his full-backs to invert and attack the inside channel, so we could see Pedro Porro or Djed Spence play important roles. Since making his debut in Gameweek 23, Porro ranked third among all FPL defenders for expected goal involvement (xGI), so there is potential.

However, it’s not the worst idea to stay clear of Spurs’ backline, at least initially, given their dreadful 2022/23 defensive record, which was the sixth worst in the league.

Then there’s Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski. Postecoglou likes his wingers to attack first and foremost, rather than track back, so they can expect more chances in 2023/24.

Still, for Postecoglou, it must be acknowledged that translating dominance in the Scottish Premiership to success in the Premier League isn’t exactly straightforward, as Steven Gerrard proved at Aston Villa.

We can, of course, look to pre-season for clues as to how Spurs will perform. Postecoglou will take his new side back to his native Australia for pre-season training and a friendly against West Ham United on 18 July as part of a tour of Asia.

• READ MORE: FPL 2023/24 pre-season page now live

However, it won’t be until Gameweek 1 and beyond that we can truly assess Postecoglou’s impact. Chances are, then, the majority of FPL managers will be comfortable with little investment bar Kane if he stays, although an appealing opening schedule may see interest in their assets ramp up, especially without any European commitments.

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