First Wenger, now Postecoglou? How the Australian is breaking the managerial mould | John Duerden

With his name in the mix for a Premier League job Ange Postecoglou is helping change attitudes to coaches from outside Europe

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has been mentioned of late as a “surprise candidate” for the vacant Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur jobs. The surprise should be that such links have not materialised sooner, but it is hard to battle the assumption that the best coaches are European or South American. Arsène Wenger came from Japan to take over Arsenal and had a huge influence on English football. Postecoglou, who unlike the Frenchman won the Japanese title, could also be a game changer internationally if he heads to the Premier League and succeeds.

There is no reason why he would not, provided the right club was chosen. The journey from Australia has been long, hard and impressive. “I didn’t get to this position out of luck,” he said earlier this week in response to a jibe from Rangers boss Michael Beale, who said that he was fortunate to have money to spend. “I’ve worked 25 years of coaching to be entrusted at a club like this. This isn’t my first job. If it was my first job maybe I’d be lucky, but it’s not – it’s 25 years of hard work.”