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Manager Tottenham wanted before Ange Postecoglou makes perfect start with 20 goals in three games

Dan Owen

Thu 26 September 2024 18:45, UK

For the first time in his Tottenham Hotspur career, questions are starting to be asked of Ange Postecoglou.

In his first season in North London, the straight-talking Aussie immediately won over the Spurs support simply by virtue of not being Antonio Conte or Jose Mourinho.

After the toxicity of previous regimes, and the negative, cure-for-insomnia football that came with in, the ferocity and the fun of Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham team was welcomed with open arms by a fanbase delighted to welcome a manager who shared their view of how the game should be played.

But with the novelty threatening to ware off after over a year in charge – Arsenal’s North London derby win exposed Tottenham’s ongoing set-piece issues amid a myriad of other familiar failings – a prickly Postecoglou is suddenly under pressure to prove that he can bring success and silverware as well as excitement to the English capital.

Speaking of silverware, it would be a brave move indeed to bet against Bayern Munich bouncing back from their first trophyless season in 12 years this term.

While Postecoglou arrived at Tottenham Hotspur to a very warm reception, Vincent Kompany’s shock appointment at Bayern was greeted with suspicion at best and utter bemusement at worst.

Talk about failing upwards; from relegation with Burnley to one of the top jobs in world football in a matter of weeks.

But while Kompany was hardly Bayern’s first choice – or their second, third or fourth for that matter – a quite glorious seven-day spell in September has gone a long way to turning those cynics into admirers.

Vincent Kompany showing why Tottenham wanted Bayern Munich boss

“You have to say that the way we’re playing at the moment is fun,” legendary Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller told the after the German giants smashed Werder Bremen 5-0 away from home on Saturday.

‘Fun’ was in short supply last term.

Under Thomas Tuchel, Bayern not only went trophyless, they also struggled for fluidity while lacking the sort of identity associated with those iconic Pep Guardiola, Jupp Heynckes and Hansi Flick teams.

“Of course, we are [now] scoring a lot of goals,” adds Muller.

And that is an understatement. A staggering 20 in the last three Bayern outings, with nine of those coming in that Champions League obliteration of Dinamo Zagreb.

“But I see the goals more as a consequence of the way we play and the way we put it into practice on the pitch. That’s something that hasn’t happened on this scale for a long time.

“There have certainly been some good games in recent years. But I think this dominance, the way we are dominating the opposition, feels new again. You have to be honest about that. It feels good.

Inspired by former Tottenham captain Harry Kane and a scintillating Michael Olise, Kompany’s Bayern have won all six games in 2024/25 while scoring 29 goals along the way.

An average of 4.8 per game.

And while Postecoglou’s biggest admirers may scoff at those numbers – ‘it is only the Bundesliga’ they will grumble – Kompany’s remarkable start to life at Bayern may go some way to explaining why the former Man City captain found himself on Spurs’ radar shortly before the former Celtic boss got the gig back in 2022.

Ange Postecoglou must emulate Xabi Alonso and Kompany

“It was a surprise to the whole world,” Kompany’s father Pierre told  following his son’s appointment as Bayern boss. “Well, not to me. [Not] if you look at which teams had already come knocking.”

Tottenham considered a move for then-Burnley boss Kompany back in 2023. Chelsea would come knocking – twice – while Brighton and Hove Albion eyed up the Belgian before replacing Roberto de Zerbi with Fabian Hurzeler.

“Last year, you had Tottenham and Chelsea. Brighton showed an interest [in the summer of 2024], alongside Chelsea again. But when Bayern, a club that is so well structured at all levels, comes knocking, you don’t refuse.”

Tottenham, driven into the ground by the Mourinho and Conte eras and desiring something new and fresh, found themselves prioritising a coach who – first and foremost – would bring a style of football capable of breathing life back into a tired fanbase.

Spurs looked at a pre-Bundesliga-title-winning Xabi Alonso in 2023, alongside Kompany and Postecoglou.

Now, with Alonso guiding Bayer Leverkusen to glory and Kompany leading Bayern’s domestic fightback, the pressure is on Postecoglou to prove that he too can marry excitement with sustained success.