As Ange Postecoglou prepares to lead Tottenham Hotspur into the 2024/25 Europa League Final, a group of his closest friends are flying to Bilbao to support him in what is being called the biggest match of his club coaching career.
Postecoglou’s mates Chris Nikou, Nick Deligiannis, Ralph Battista, and Manny Anezakis will be among the 53,000 fans at San Mamés Stadium on Thursday morning when Spurs face Premier League rivals Manchester United.
A cancelled flight has thrown Nikou’s travel plans into chaos, but he remains undeterred. “I’m planes, trains and automobiles getting to Bilbao,” he told The Herald Sun.
“We’ve clocked up a few (kilometres). I feel like we’re the fortunate ones because we get to watch, without the pressure. It’ll be a terrific occasion.”
Postecoglou, who previously managed the Socceroos, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Celtic, has endured a challenging 15 months at Spurs.
Despite a tough domestic season that has left the club 17th on the Premier League table, he has focused on European success—facing relentless media scrutiny and one of the worst injury records in English football history.
“He’s not thrown anyone under the bus. He’s taken responsibility,” Nikou said.
Deligiannis added, “It’s difficult to watch, it’s relentless. It focuses him even more to prove people wrong… At times he gets a bit grumpy, but commendably he just keeps fronting up, answering questions.”
A win would be monumental for Tottenham, whose last European trophy came in 1984. Postecoglou, then an 18-year-old starting his career with South Melbourne, could now deliver Spurs their first silverware since 2008.
Source: Herald Sun.
