FORMER SOCCEROOS COACH ANGE POSTECOGLOU PLANNING FOR J-LEAGUE TITLE DEFENCE AND NOT MOVE TO EUROPE
David Davutovic, Herald Sun
January 10, 2020 7:38pm

Ange Postecoglou sits in familiar surrounds, reflecting on his extraordinary foreign triumph during his whistle-stop visit home.Perched in the heart of Oakleigh, a regular rendezvous during his Socceroos tenure, Postecoglou sips on coffee and tucks into an Aussie brunch that is hard to come by in downtown Yokohoma – even when you’re not clocking up 80 hours a week trying to win a J1 League title with an unfancied side on a modest budget.This is that sweet spot – just after the conquest and long enough before ‘operation back-to-back’ starts – where Postecoglou is in his football zen.

Yokohama F. Marinos’ cavalier triumph, Socceroos reflections, the future of Australian football. Nothing is off the table for one of Australian football’s deepest thinkers, whose intellect, vision and inclination to march to the beat of his own drum remains uncomfortable for many.

An hour-long catch up stretched beyond 90 minutes, where no less than 15 people stopping to pose for photos and congratulate the former Socceroos coach.As if a metaphor that Australia’s premier round-ball coach had nothing to prove, Postecoglou, appearing as comfortable in his own skin as he’s ever been, declared that he was not hellbent on moving to Europe despite attracting global interest with his stunning J1 League title win.“People say it’d be great to see him get a crack at the Premier League, see how he goes. I see it differently. I don’t need to prove anything to anybody. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t,” Postecoglou said.“I just want to keep doing stuff that leaves a mark. When people talk about us winning a championship at South Melbourne, going back to back, at Brisbane – talk about Roar-celona and 36 games unbeaten, Socceroos we won our first trophy, Yokohama trophy and the way we’re playing.“If that ends me up in the top league in Europe, great. If not I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done and try and leave a mark wherever I am. I’m not fixed on ‘this is what I want to do, this is my ambition’ as a point to prove.


“There has been and that’s part of the industry we’re in, when you have success people take notice. But I won’t jump into anything. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. If something comes across my path that I think ‘lets have a crack at this’ then I’ll do it. As much success as I had in Australia, having this success abroad more people have taken notice in Europe and the rest of Asia.“But because they’ve taken notice of this, they’ve looked back and said ‘hold on a sec, he’s had success for a long time’ so the success I had in Australia all of a sudden becomes relevant. It’s not just a flash in the pan.”As he prepares for another change to his coaching staff with assistant Peter Cklamovski headhunted by J1 League rivals Shimizu S-Pulse, Postecoglou revealed that he’s studied one of the greats.A secret to Sir Alex Ferguson’s success was the constant evolution of his coaching staff, which enabled him to stay at Manchester United for 27 years. Although Postecoglou, age 54, won’t necessarily coach on as long as Ferguson – who retired at 72.“Big part of me wants to sit on the Greek Islands and do nothing. I’ll give it away at some stage. If I feel I’m starting to slip, and can’t be as successful as before, in other words stay at the highest level, I’ll (retire),” he said.


“I’ve always been mindful of (evolving). People talk about success, the thing I’m most proud of is that I’m heading into my fourth decade of coaching – I had success in 90s with South, 2000s with Brisbane, then Socceroos and now Yokohama.“Knowing how much the game’s changed, society’s changed, people have changed, the way we communicate has changed. I take pride in that, that I’ve transcended. Which means I’ve evolved as a person, a coach, a leader. I’ve done it in different competitions, the NSL, A-League, internationally, J League.“Part of the reason is because I’ve always worked with different people – Mikey Petersen, Rado Vidosic, Ken Stead, Kevin Muscat, Milicic, Pete (Cklamovski), Arthur (Papas). I’ve tried to bring in different people and different generational people, which keeps me always alert that my message is relevant and timely.”Postecoglou remains proud of his four-year Socceroos tenure, amid an exit that still polarises, declaring the Asian Cup feat remains underrated.“People say he walked away before going to the World Cup. You knew what you were going to get – you saw it four years earlier. We would’ve had a crack against France and the rest,” Postecoglou said.“We might have lost three games, but we would’ve had a crack. I’m proud of my four years. Winning the Asian Cup was underestimated, it’s like winning the Euros – people still talk about Greece winning Euro 2004. It’s a continental tournament, who knows when we’ll win one again.


“Qualifying for 2022 won’t be easy because the rest of Asia is improving. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the guys progress, especially guys like Jackson Irvine.“Hopefully they continue playing a style where we’re making an impact rather than surviving.”Postecoglou never doubted himself, but revealed that wife Georgia’s immense role during his career coaching rollercoaster.From working the clipboards while he was conducting junior clinics in Kooyoong when no-one in Australia wanted to touch him, to constant moves – yet she still doesn’t hassle him to complete house chores, perhaps too busy tucking into a catalogue of international football matches.“I’m just no good at that (chores). I try and keep her happy. I love football, it’s my passion. But at home I’m the happiest. Home life is everything,” he said.“I couldn’t have done what I’ve done without her. She believes in me more than anyone else in the world. None of this would have been possible without her. We’ve lived in 10 houses in 13 years and she’s never complained.”


Postecoglou has not and will not watch the final game of the season, the famous 3-0 win over FC Tokyo where they secured the title.“You want to keep it in a perfect box and don’t want to analyse it too deeply,” Postecoglou said.“It was an extraordinary finish, but our last two months of football, I was really proud of how we finished the season off. We were worthy champions, we didn’t fall over the line, we actually won it – 10 games, nine wins, one draw, 30-something goals, when the crunch came in the final two games we won them convincingly.“With five games to go we’d catch them and once we got our noses in front they wouldn’t catch us. The players’ mentality at the end of the season was so positive and powerful – I was hardly coaching at the end, they were driving it themselves.“I’ve been in this position before with South Melbourne and Brisbane, the second year is always more challenging. If you bring in some new blood and energy, the players who’ve tasted the success will grow with that. It’s a good challenge.”