South Melbourne FC has today congratulated Greek Australian football coach Ange Postecoglou after he led Tottenham Hotspur to victory in the UEFA Europa League final.
Spurs defeated Manchester United 1-0 in a dramatic all-English showdown in Bilbao on Thursday morning (AEST), with a goal from Brennan Johnson in the 42nd minute securing the club’s first European silverware since 1984.
Postecoglou’s win made him the first male Greek Australian coach to win a major European trophy. He has previously said, “I always win things in my second year.”
A social media post by South Melbourne after the victory reads, “He told you he wins things – and he did. Congratulations to the legendary Ange Postecoglou on winning the Europa League and silencing the critics once again. A Hellas boy, and one we’re bloody proud of. Then, now and always!”
Postecoglou has deep roots with South Melbourne FC, formerly South Melbourne Hellas. He joined the club as a child after migrating from Greece and played over 190 games for them, winning two National Soccer League (NSL) titles. He later coached the team to back-to-back NSL championships in 1998 and 1999, and led them to the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship.
The Spurs win is a personal triumph for the 59-year-old Greek Australian manager, who faced criticism throughout a rocky domestic campaign that saw Spurs languish in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
The Europa League triumph now not only silences doubters but also guarantees Tottenham a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
