Unstoppable Ange: Postecoglou makes more Premier League history
The remarkable rise of Ange Postecoglou in English soccer seems unstoppable with the Australian now being garlanded as the Premier League’s manager of the month for the second successive time.
The 58-year-old Tottenham boss, already the first Australian to win the award, becomes the first manager ever to win the much-coveted prize in each of his first two months in the competition, having also claimed August’s accolade.
The last manager to win the first two awards of any season was Jurgen Klopp, in 2019-20 – and Postecoglou will be hoping it’s a happy omen as the German’s Liverpool side went on to win the Premier League that season.
Postecoglou beat fellow nominees – Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, Newcastle’s Eddie Howe and Klopp – following a public vote combined with those of a panel of soccer experts.
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He scooped the gong after another impressive campaign in September as top-of-the-table Spurs continued their unbeaten start to the season with three more victories and a draw.
They scored five against Burnley, and then netted twice in stoppage time to earn a remarkable 2-1 win over Sheffield United, a comeback facilitated by Postecoglou’s late introduction of Richarlison, who scored an equaliser in the 98th minute before setting up the 100th minute winner.
Next, Spurs fought back twice to grab a 2-2 draw at Arsenal in Postecoglou’s first north London derby and the month concluded with Tottenham earning another stoppage time winner to earn the scalp of Liverpool for the first time in six years.
October has started well too for Postecoglou, with the 1-0 win at Luton currently leaving Spurs top on goal difference ahead of Arsenal.
On his league break during the international window, Postecoglou has kept himself busy by trying to inspire the Socceroos over lunch in the build-up to their glamour friendly against England at Wembley on Saturday.
Also in Friday’s awards announcement, Spurs’ captain Son Heung-min was declared as the EPL player of the month, following teammate James Maddison’s victory in August.
Son scored a hat-trick against Burnley and netted a brace at Arsenal, becoming the side’s key man following the move of Spurs’ talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich.
AAP
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