Dwight Yorke backs Ange Postecoglou to be a success with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League

Dwight Yorke has backed Ange Postecoglou to be a success at Tottenham, insisting football fans and experts shouldn’t be surprised to see him make his mark in the Premier League.

Postecoglou was officially unveiled as Spurs new manager on Tuesday after signing a four-year deal to become the first-ever Australian manager in the Premier League’s history.

Tottenham had been looking for a new permanent manager since sacking Antonio Conte in March, with Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason taking up roles as interim coaches over the next two months.

A move for Feyenoord boss Arne Slot fell through at the last hour, as the Dutchman committed himself to the Eredivisie side, and attention soon turned to Postecoglou, who won five out of six domestic trophies available in two seasons at Celtic.

The Australian has never managed in one of Europe’s top five leagues, but Yorke, now an ambassador for aceodds.com, believes concerns over his pedigree are misplaced.

Ange Postecoglou was appointed as Spurs manager on Tuesday morning – but he has his doubters despite his golden run with Celtic (pictured)

Dwight Yorke has backed the Australian to be a success in the Premier League – and has some advice for anyone who wants to undermine him based on the standard of Scottish football

‘He’s obviously done the business up in Scotland,’ the former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker told Mail Sport just days before Postecoglou’s appointment was made official. 

‘Because he’s been successful, I know people will probably try to undermine the level of teams in Scotland. 

‘But at the end of the day, you can only beat the teams in front of you. And he’s been able to do that consistently.’ 

The former Socceroos boss is no stranger to having to prove doubters wrong.

His move to Celtic two years ago was widely mocked, given his lack of experience in European football, having coached in Japan and Australia for much of his career. 

Postecoglou, however, swiftly won over his critics. 

In his first season at Parkhead, he won the League Cup and wrestled the SPL title back from Rangers, before defending both trophies this season.

On Saturday, he became only the fifth manager in Celtic history to complete a domestic treble as the Hoops beat Inverness 3-1 to clinch the Scottish Cup.

‘He has done a remarkable job,’ explains Yorke, who spent a season in the A-League as a player and one as a manager. 

Postecoglou won five trophies in two seasons at Celtic Park and last week became only the fifth manager in the club’s history to complete a domestic treble 

Celtic were mocked for appointing Postecoglou in 2021 but he quickly won over the fans

‘He got the Celtic job, which is obviously one of the two biggest clubs in Scotland. […] Once you go to one of the top two teams in Scotland, the potential of winning a trophy is always there.

‘Winning the treble […] he’s always had a look at that. It would always be Celtic or Rangers in this kind of scenario. 

‘We’ve seen Brendan Rodgers doing it, we’ve seen Neil Lennon doing it there as well. It’s a fantastic achievement.’

Rodgers moved south of the border midway through his third season at Celtic after winning seven trophies with the Hoops. 

Postecoglou departed Parkhead with the club’s blessing, but Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell admitted the Scottish giants had done all they could to convince him to stay.

But Yorke said a move to the Premier League was the logical step for a manager on the rise. 

‘Every manager ideally would like to be in the best league, and the best league is in the Premier League,’ he said. 

‘So no surprise that he was linked to a possible job.’

After leading South Melbourne to two titles as manager in the old National Soccer League in 1998 and 1999, Postecoglou spent seven years coaching Australia’s youth teams.

He returned to club football in 2008 and he led Brisbane Roar from finishing bottom of the A-League to consecutive Grand Final victories in 2011 and 2012, with a record 36-game unbeaten run.

Following a four-year spell in charge of Australia, Postecoglou moved to Japan to manage Yokohama F. Marinos and guided them to their first J-League title in 15 years in 2019. 

Postecoglou’s path to north London may not be one normally travelled by his European colleagues, but Yorke believes it is testament to the Aussie’s determination to prove himself. 

The 57-year-old (left) led Brisbane Roar to successive A-League titles in 2011 and 2012

Postecoglou won the J-League while in charge of Yokohama F. Marinos in 2019 

‘He was a little bit unknown when he first took the job [at Celtic] in terms of what he had done,’ he says. 

‘To go from the A-league then to Japan, and then from Japan to an opportunity in Scotland and getting the Celtic job. 

‘When you do well, it doesn’t matter what league you are in, and whatever standard you’re coaching.

‘If you are successful as a manager, which he is now, then you’re always going to have that attraction of trying to get to the Premier League.’