Ange's move tipped to trigger Aussie influx

Ange Postecoglou's appointment at Tottenham Hotspur should open the door for other Australian managers to coach in Europe's top soccer leagues, according to Socceroos coach Graham Arnold.

Postecoglou, who guided Scottish club Celtic to a domestic treble, has signed a two-year deal to take over at Spurs and become the first Australian to coach an English Premier League side.

Though Australia has produced a number of world-class players, the country's coaches have long been overlooked by major European clubs. That could be set to change, said Arnold, who pitted his wits against Postecoglou as an opposing A-League coach for years.

"We've got some great young coaches in the A-League and overseas," Arnold told reporters on Tuesday. "Kevin Muscat is doing fantastic (in Japan). These guys will end up overseas. Ange is the leader of that pathway."

Muscat won Japan's domestic championship as coach of Yokohama F. Marinos last year, three years after Postecoglou guided the club to the 2019 title.

Former Socceroos defender Patrick Kisnorbo, who coached Melbourne City to the 2021 A-League title, became the first Australian to coach in France's top flight after crossing to Troyes last year.

"You need someone to open the eyes of people around the world to say, 'Oh, the Australian coaches might not be so bad'," Arnold said.

Arnold backed Postecoglou for success at Tottenham, describing him as a soccer obsessive who draws motivation from proving people wrong.

"I always knew that he had that mentality of where he wanted to go, that was to the top," he said. "Going to Tottenham I think is a great fit for him and I think he'll kill it."

Reuters