IAN Cathro believes the clarity of Ange Postecoglou’s vision will help to ensure the former Celtic manager is successful at Spurs.
Cathro was assistant manager to Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo at the Premier League club in the 2021/22 season.
The pair were unable to replicate the success they had enjoyed together at Wolves and left after just four months.
They moved on to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia last year and won the Saudi Super Cup and Saudi Professional League in their debut campaign.
Postecoglou, who led Celtic to a world record eight domestic treble last month, faces a huge task justifying his appointment down in England in the 2023/24 campaign.
But Scottish coach Cathro believes the experience the Greek-Australian has built up in the game coupled with his definite views on how he wants his teams to play will stand him in good stead in North London.
“I can’t tell you I watched a lot of Ange’s Celtic side,” he said. “I saw bits and pieces. But I know enough to know that he knows what he is doing and that he knows what he wants.
“It is very, very clear, even from seeing snippets of how his team plays, that he knows how he wants his team to work. From what I can gather, he is someone who won’t waver. That is step No 1 towards being successful.
“The rest is going to be complex and there will be a lot to manage, but I think he is a guy who is very comfortable in his own skin. He has lived through more than enough, he knows what he wants to do, he is going to go and do it. I wish him well.”
In his first interview since being appointed Spurs manager last month, Postecoglou stressed he is not at Tottenham to do anything other than win.
He has made a pro-active start in refreshing a squad stuck in the doldrums last season, signing James Maddison from Leicester for £40million after signing Empoli keeper Vicario for £17m.
"I’m looking forward to all of it,” he told Spurs' official channel. There is not one bit of it I’m not looking forward to. I understand that as I'm walking out there, there is great expectation here, great responsibility, that’s not lost on me.
"It’s not just about me going out there and saying, ‘this is wonderful, what a great experience’, I’ve taken the responsibility on of a massive football club, with great history and with a supporter base that’s craving football and more great moments to add to the historical base we’ve already got.
"I understand that. I love that too. That’s exactly where I want to be. I don’t want to be anywhere else. I want to be in that position of having that responsibility, understanding that and embracing that. I’m looking forward to that challenge.
"It’s a great moment, a proud moment not just for myself but for my family and friends and people who have been on that journey, because they’ve all lived those experiences with me. My main thoughts will be on the responsibility I bear and the excitement that I have within me that I can fulfil those dreams and aspirations of every Tottenham supporter."
He added: "Obviously I'm excited about the challenge ahead. It's an enormous football club, an exciting league and all of the things you strive for in your professional career. It's great to finally be here, getting ready to work and I'm really excited about what's ahead," he said.
"I love to win mate, that’s the main thing, and I’ve done that wherever I’ve been. The football is designed to bring success. Alongside that it’s really important to me that there is an element of what I think most fans and players want to be associated with, and that’s football that’s exciting, that people talk about, not just the end result but also the manner in which you played your football.
"That’s really important to me, firstly because I think it’s a way to be successful and also secondly, because it allows people to grab on to those things that are most special about our game, those memorable moments.
"People want to see their team scoring goals, being exciting, not conceding goals, being aggressive in their approach, all these kinds of things that everyone seeks in their own football team. That’s what I want to try to provide. You're never going to get it right in all aspects but the basis of it will be that we want to be a team that wins things and, ultimately, also entertains our fans."
