Ange Postecoglou has admitted to feeling “really emotional” after being honoured by three nations on a special night at London’s Australia House.
The Spurs boss was visibly moved by the Australian High Commission’s one-off celebration on Monday called “An Evening with Ange”, which hailed a burgeoning English-based star who, in his own words, “is a product of Greece but made in Australia”.
Surrounded by fellow Australian luminaries at Spurs including Matildas Clare Hunt, Charli Grant and Hayley Raso, Postecoglou said he felt humbled by tributes from Britain’s most senior Australian and Greek diplomats.
It’s a sign of just how significant a multi-cultural figure the 59-year-old has become that both Australian High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith and the UK’s Greek ambassador Yannis Tsaousis wanted to salute him with keynote addresses.
“He’s a great football coach, a great Australian, a great human being,” Smith told AAP. “He’s a great multicultural success, representing great modern, diverse, tolerant country.”
The tributes left Postecoglou reflecting on a remarkable journey that took an Greek immigrant kid in Melbourne all the way to becoming “Big Ange”, a cult figure in the world’s biggest soccer league.
“I do very much feel a product of Greece, but made in Australia, and feel really closely connected to both countries,” he told his audience.
“I feel very strongly about the journey I’ve had as an immigrant, not so much for myself, but to keep honouring my parents. The sacrifices they made for me to be sitting here tonight means the world to me, so I really want to thank them.”
Postecoglou had the audience, including wife Georgia, laughing as he reflected on how his late father Jim had been his main influence growing up – and how very different he’s turned out.
“It’s not that he passed on any words of wisdom there – because he barely spoke to me. He was a dad of his generation, I never saw him because he was always working for his family,” Postecoglou said.
“You don’t reflect on it at the time, but now I think he wasn’t doing it for himself, he was doing it for the family, so that rubs off on you.
“He never kind of gave me any sort of praise, he was really hard on me, and that was annoying as a young person. You just want your dad to say ‘well done’ – he never said ‘well done’.
“But that’s what kind of kept pushing me to be better and better. It’s just the way parenting was then.
“I’m the total opposite of my dad. I tell my (three) kids I love them every day. I give them hugs and kisses. I’ve got boys. They’re all soft as anything, which annoys me – but luckily my wife’s hard on them, so they get their bit of discipline along the way.”
Asked whether he had always had leadership qualities since his playing days, Postecoglou reflected: “I was an ordinary player, so we can start with that!
“I was always kind of in leadership positions. I don’t think I sought that, but people saw me in that kind of light from a very young age.
“I was captain of the club I grew up at (South Melbourne Hellas) from a very young age. I felt comfortable in that, I enjoy that sort of shared vision that you can lead people through.
“My wife will tell you I don’t like getting told what to do – I’m much more comfortable telling people what to do.”
For the moment, that seems to be working at soaring Spurs.
“I love the fact that I was coming to a massive club with great history, great traditions and a great fan base, but very little recent success,” Postecoglou said.
“Because you know that if you can turn it around and bring the club what it wants, I don’t see that as a difficulty, I see that as the beautiful part of the role.
“That’s what we’re going to try and do. We’ve started and I think we’re on the way to becoming the club we want to be – and we’ll keep at it.”
