Ange Postecoglou names next Aussie export who’ll ‘break down barriers’ in UK
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has tipped former assistant and fellow Australian Kevin Muscat to make the move to the United Kingdom as he continues to impress in Japan.
First Melbourne Victory and now Yokohama F.Marinos. Muscat has been following a path walked by his mentor Postecoglou, but he has been doing things his own way while tasting success, having guided F.Marinos to the J1 League title last season.
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A long-time assistant to Postecoglou at Victory in the Isuzu UTE A-League before replacing the Aussie trailblazer in Yokohama following his switch to Celtic in 2021, Muscat’s F.Marinos were crowned kings of Japan for the first time since 2019.
Muscat, who has been linked with his former club Rangers, has the defending champions in contention for back-to-back J1 League titles – not even something Postecoglou achieved during his time there, having already became the first F.Marinos manager to win the Japanese Super Cup at the start of the year.
“Kevin’s a good man and he’s doing very well in Japan,” Postecoglou, who has overseen an unbeaten start to life as Tottenham coach in the Premier League, told talkSPORT.
Muscat’s F.Marinos are fighting for the J1 League title and they’re also through to the J League Levain Cup semi-finals after defeating Consadole Sapporo 3-0 on Sunday.
F.Marinos lost the opening leg 3-2 away from home but the defending J1 League champions blitzed Sapporo to secure a 5-3 aggregate win.
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crowned kings of Japan for the first time since 2019.
The result snapped a three-game losing streak as F.Marinos set up a semi-final date with Asian champions Urawa Reds.
F.Marinos – also gearing up for the AFC Champions League – are four-time winners of the Levain Cup, however, they have not won the competition since 2001.
Postecoglou’s Spurs, meanwhile, are second in the Premier League during the international break, only two points behind reigning champions Manchester City.
Tottenham are yet to lose any of their four league fixtures, while they have scored 11 goals, a tally only bettered by Brighton and Hove Albion.
Only Harry Redknapp (12 in 09-10) has more Premier League points after four games for Tottenham than Postecoglou (10).
There was a blip in the Carabao Cup when Spurs lost to Fulham on penalties after Postecoglou made nine changes.
There was some criticism of his decision to alter the line-up amid the club’s trophy drought, which dates back to 2008, while they are also absent from Europe this season.
“I’ve been at pains to say, supporters should feel the way that they want to feel. I’m not going to tell them to not to be disappointed but I’m not in this job desperate to win something just to win something,” Postecoglou said.
“I’m here because I want to help the club to win things on a yearly basis and there’s a difference.
“Us winning a Carabao Cup and finishing 10th is not what I think this club is about and that’s not dismissing the Carabao Cup because I want to win every game – trust me, I was disappointed on that night as well but that’s not the endgame for me.
“It’s not about just winning something for the sake of winning something, it’s about building something and that’s what’s always driven me through my whole career.
“I want to build clubs who have sustainable success with supporters going into every season feeling good about their prospects and watching their team play football.”
