Tottenham: Bill Nicholson ideals at the heart of Ange Postecoglou’s plans for Spurs | OneFootball

Postecoglou believes there is a ‘synergy’ between his approach and the beliefs of legendary double-winning Spurs manager

It is rarely dull when a leading manager opens up about their influences and Ange Postecoglou can be especially insightful when discussing his formative memories of the game.

“It has been a strong influence [on] a lot of my thinking,” said Postecoglou, who recalled staying up into the early hours as a seven-year-old to watch Rinus Michels' Holland team, inspired by Johan Cruyff, light up the 1974 World Cup.

“The whole 'Total Football' era was when I first fell in love with the game and the '74 World Cup was probably the pinnacle of 'Total Football'. It was also Australia's first time in a World Cup. At 2am I was up watching a grainy black and white TV and fascinated by the way the Dutch went about their football.

“Johan Cruyff I think was a genius in many respects, not just as a footballer but also a football thinker, so a great influence [on me]."

Influence: Ange Postecoglou says Bill Nicholson’s principles help him to ‘maintain belief’ in the virtues of his much-debated approach

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Just about every football supporter on the planet was moved by Michels' revolutionary side, but there are some clear parallels between 'Total Football' and Postecoglou's own tactical approach, including the high-intensity pressing to win back possession and a reliance on versatile players.

Postecoglou actually has a direct line to one of the forefathers of 'Total Football', an English coach named Jimmy Hogan, who was the inspiration behind Hungary's 'Magical Magyars' side, captained by Puskas, which beat England 6-3 at Wembley in 1953.

Puskas, who coached Postecoglou at South Melbourne Hellas, would take on many of Hogan's ideas.

Postecoglou, though, acknowledged that Michels' side, which lost the '74 final to hosts Germany, was more extreme than his own in some respects.

“People talk about my high line but watch the Dutch in 1974 and you'll see something even more radical than me. I've got a bit of a way to go,” he added.

Postecoglou's interest in Dutch football was further honed by its “strong connection” with his Australia, and he named two of his predecessors as Socceroos head coach, Guus Hiddink and Pim Verbeek, as well as the federation's former technical director, Han Berger, as more recent influences.

“I also got to know and still know [former Ajax coach] John van 't Schip really well who was part of that Ajax folklore of the greatest sides,” Postecoglou added.

Postecoglou, who was speaking ahead of Tottenham's Europa League game against AZ Alkmaar, revealed he has never had the opportunity to work in Holland but still maintains a keen watch on the Dutch game.

When asked if he had sought the advice of Micky van de Ven, the Spurs and Netherlands defender, on dealing with AZ, Postecoglou said: “I think I know more about Dutch football than Micky! I know AZ really well, I know Dutch football really well, I've always followed it very closely.”

Postecoglou's Celtic twice faced AZ in a Europa League play-off in 2021, the Bhoys winning 3-2 on aggregate, and he is conscious that they will pose what is likely to be a youthful Spurs XI a "good challenge" in London on Thursday.

Postecoglou also used his pre-match press conference to pay tribute to another influence in Tottenham's double-winning manager Sir Bill Nicholson, who died 20 years ago on Wednesday.

“I always had a real fascination with great managers and he is certainly one of them,” Postecoglou said of Nicholson, whose Spurs side were the first team in the 20th century to win the league and FA Cup in the same season in 1960-61.

Legend: Bill Nicholson’s Spurs side were the first team in the 20th century to win the league and FA Cup in the same season in 1960-61

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“He is one of those figures like very few who has left an indelible mark that will always be here because it wasn't just about winning. It was how they won, the way he carried himself, the kind of person he was. Those kind of things I often say are far more important than achievements.

“I would say he has left the ultimate legacy really because I think in many ways how the club is defined and wants to be defined is very much the qualities and values he brought. It is 20 years since his passing, but certainly time has not diminished his influence and you feel it even to the present day.”

Postecoglou believes there is a “synergy” between Tottenham's ideals, which were cemented by Nicholson, and his own, helping him to "maintain belief" in the virtues of his much-debated approach.

And, somewhat neatly, Nicholson and Spurs provide another direct link between Postecoglou and 'Total Football'.

Along with Hogan, the coach most cited as a progenitor of the philosophy is Vic Buckingham, a former Ajax and Barcelona boss, who gave Cruff his debut in Amsterdam, and was succeeded by Michels at both clubs.

Buckingham's own footballing education was at Spurs, where he was team-mates with Nicholson and heavily influenced by coach Arthur Rowe, who led the club to their first league title with a revolutionary push-and-run approach.

Buckingham and Nicholson would both borrow many of Rowe's ideas to build their own great teams, principles which have now filtered all the way down to Postecoglou.