Ange Postecoglou leading Tottenham to their first major trophy in 17 years on Thursday morning was not only incredibly iconic after his ‘I always win in my second year’ line but also a breath of fresh air needed in Australian football discourse.
For many, it immediately brought back memories of the determined Greek-Australian who began his coaching journey with South Melbourne in the NSL, eventually guiding the club to the FIFA Club World Cup, and now, making history in European football.
Soccerscene spoke with South Melbourne FC President Nicholas Maikousis about what Postecoglou means to the club, the significance of his incredible journey to the Premier League, and the media frenzy that followed his historic European victory.
“We opened the club at about 4:30 in the morning and got a gathering there so we enjoyed watching the match all together,” Maikousis said in the interview.
“Ange is the embodiment of our club. He started playing football as a junior, made it through the senior ranks and captained our senior team to multiple championships.
“As a coach he won multiple championships, took us to the world stage in Maracanã to face against Manchester United and Vasco da Gama so he is South Melbourne.
“There’s no other way to put it except he’s a legend of our club.”
Reflecting back on the Ange days at South Melbourne, Maikousis talks about his footballing philosophy when he first started coaching and his pure love for the club from a young age.
“I was Vice President way back then when he was coach so we spent a lot of time together during that time. Suffice to say he was a young coach back then just learning his trade but he grew up and respected people like Ferenc Puskas who was all about playing attacking football so his DNA is about playing attractive football,” Maikousis continued.
“Also how close he is to his father and the bond they created through this football club and going to Lakeside Stadium so there’s so many different parts to this story.”
South Melbourne were bombarded by majority of the Australian media following the cup success and its clear his legacy in Australian football is leaving its mark.
TV interviews, radio interviews, interviews for websites like this one here were all part of a frantic Thursday at South Melbourne.
However, the club also had huge social media success with the content it posted on the Tottenham win.
“Whilst this club will always be big, his previous and ongoing success in coaching keeps us relevant as well,” Maikousis said.
“The video we posted on social media after the win has over a million views now and its predominantly viewed out of the UK which is just extraordinary.
“We had a similar response when he was at Celtic which is fantastic but it’s also a bit strange considering he has been away from the club for 25 odd years now,” Maikousis said in laughter.
Ange Postecoglou’s journey from Lakeside Stadium to lifting silverware in Europe is more than just a personal triumph.
It’s a reflection of South Melbourne’s proud history and a source of inspiration for Australian football.
As his legacy continues to grow on the global stage, the club that helped shape him remains a key part of his story, and one that proudly shares in his success.
