Tottenham, super start with Vicario and Udogie

Not even Ange Postecoglou knew what to expect. “I’m interested in the game, in starting to build something important. The points in the standings are secondary for now” he says with his engaging way of explaining things, often calling the interlocutor “mate”, friend, who contributed to making his start at Tottenham perfect. Yes, because although the points are secondary, Tottenham have scored 10 out of 12 at the start of the season, with the first Australian to coach in the Premier League (and first manager of the month for 2023-24) essential in the sprint start. Like James Maddison, just elected player of the month. Like Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie, the two Italians making their debut in the most beautiful championship in the world that Postecoglou has transformed into cornerstones of his project.

philosophy

—

Postecoglou and his silent revolution was the first step in Tottenham’s relaunch. Having arrived in London after the Scottish treble against Celtic which earned him the nomination for FIFA manager of the year (“I think it is a great recognition for a club whose successes are often belittled”), the 58 year old who thirty years ago leaving a job in a bank without regrets to start his career on the bench, he hit Tottenham like a cyclone. He removed from the environment the tension accumulated at the end of last season, after the divorce from Antonio Conte and the dismissal of Cristian Stellini, he navigated without problems the farewell of Harry Kane, the best player in the history of Spurs, building a team of which the fans are already proud. Tottenham beat Manchester United convincingly after the initial draw with Brentford, and if newly promoted Sheffield United were to defeat at home on Saturday they would put together their best start since 1965. “But if we lost it wouldn’t be all to waste – he says with a smile -. I didn’t start the season with precise expectations on how many points to score: I was more interested in seeing the beginning of building a style of play that the group is able to assimilate, something that makes me understand that we are working in the right way and we are ready for the next step. If we had scored 10 points out of 12 without playing as we are doing, I wouldn’t speak of a promising start. I think we have started well, but that we are only at the beginning of a long season and we still have a long way to go.” Not even the unexpected elimination in the first round of the Carabao Cup, losing to Fulham on penalties, has touched the belief that Tottenham have begun a new and potentially successful path.

maddison

—

Postecoglou has set up the team with 4-2-3-1, with an attacking game of which Maddison has already become the cornerstone. The 26-year-old who arrived from Leicester for 46.5 million euros is already considered one of the best deals of the English summer: he scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists in 4 games, giving Spurs a creative dimension that they haven’t had for years. “He was always a low-risk purchase because we knew his qualities well, but the way he fitted in, both on and off the pitch, was fantastic – explains Postecoglou -. He arrived with enthusiasm and mental freshness, what was needed to create a new environment, especially for the players who still had some waste from last year. James, like the other new additions, contributed to creating a positive environment straight away despite all the problems we had in the preseason. He immediately embraced the club and made an enormous contribution both on and off the pitch, so much so that he became part of the group of leaders.” Maddison is not the only novelty of a rejuvenated team, overturned by a transfer session considered only the first step (the first of at least three) to bring Tottenham back to competing for something important, to compete with the greats of the Premier League and savor that football again European great absent from this first season of the Postecoglou era.

Italians

—

With a new coach elected manager of the month and a number 10 best player of August it is easy to forget about the new additions. Postecoglou doesn’t do it, especially when he talks about his two new Italians. Vicario and Udogie impressed the entire Tottenham environment, especially the 20-year-old former Udinese player who seems to have already understood how to do the right thing on the pitch. “Destiny is playing great, she is giving us what we ask of our young people: the desire to rock the world – explains Postecoglou -. We tried first of all to explain to him and the other young players that they had to go onto the pitch free, that their future at Tottenham wouldn’t change at the first mistake, that they had to play always trying to show what they could do. Destiny is doing it better than others.” He is doing it so well that so far he has played more minutes than captain Son and world champion Cristian Romero, who playing at left back shares with Maddison and Solomon first place in Spurs’ season assists table (2), which Postecoglou sees as as an integral part of Tottenham’s success. Like Vicario, that he “deserves to be our number 1 because he is playing incredibly”. After the uncertainties of his debut with Brentford, the former Empoli player reacted with two consecutive clean sheets and a series of decisive saves, one of which was in contention for the title of intervention of the month by a goalkeeper. It would have been a sensational trio for a team that started the season without certainties. And that on Saturday at the home of newly promoted Sheffield United he is looking for his best start since 1965. Postecoglou preaches prudence, the upcoming tests with Arsenal and Liverpool are final exams that will tell how far along the Ange project is. However, no one at Tottenham expected him to be so far ahead. Thanks to a coach from Australia, a number 10 taken at a sale price and two Italians who have already understood how to get noticed in the most beautiful championship in the world.