Ange Postecoglou made an early impression in the English Premier League in August, while Aussie duos in Norway and England piqued Graham Arnold’s interest, and a former Adelaide United defender had an amazing month in Scotland. Christian Marchetti of Front Page Football examines the most important talking points surrounding the Socceroos and Aussies Abroad in July for FTBL.
More Aussies Abroad information may be found on Front Page Football by clicking here.
Angeball makes his debut on the largest stage.
It’s barely been a month, but ‘Angeball’ appears to have arrived in the English Premier League.
Ange Postecoglou cracks down boundaries for Australian coaches every week. He is restoring Spurs fans’ faith in their club and team.
Before we go into Tottenham’s league form and how Postecoglou has partially improved the team, let’s go back to the beginning of the month, when Spurs faced Barcelona in pre-season in the Joan Gamper Trophy.
The Spurs were defeated 4-2, but their performance was indicative of what was to come. Postecoglou rested his starting and only used his bench a few times, which is unusual for a preseason game. However, for the majority of the game, Tottenham was dominant.
Spurs were ready to go for the new season, with Postecoglou’s soldiers in better physical condition. However, they would suffer a severe setback when star forward Harry Kane finally left Spurs after years of good service to join German powerhouse Bayern Munich. Postecoglou was not satisfied with Bayern’s approach in wooing the Englishman to Tomas Tuchel’s side.
“I certainly wouldn’t talk about contracted players at other football clubs, but I’m not at Bayern, mate, so they can go the way they want,” he stated during a press conference.
Kane could have been persuaded to stay and lead the new project under Postecoglou’s supervision. David Ornstein, a well-known Athletic football writer, told HaytersTV that he was “impressed” by
However, Postecoglou did not dwell on the shocking departure, instead doubling down on how to build a winning team.
There were loud calls for Spurs to utilise Kane’s money to replace him in that squad. However, only offensive midfielder Brennan Johnson was a big deadline-day signing from Nottingham Forest. Thus, especially in light of Brazilian Richarlison’s poor displays, it appears Postecoglou will stick with Heung-Min Son in the centre of the field for the foreseeable future.
After the Kane saga was over, it was back to football. Spurs drew 2-2 at Brentford on the first day of the new season, and commentator Matt Holland immediately praised the quality on display.
“Anyone who has
Following the historic outcome, it wouldn’t have taken long to find praise for Postecoglou, which was a far cry from months earlier, when the appointment was seriously questioned.
“There will be some thrills this season here under Postecoglou,” Manchester United veteran and Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville stated after the game.
According to Sky Sports’ Peter Smith, Angeball has “arrived” in England, and Spurs fans have already begun screaming his name.
Spurs strolled through Bournemouth by the same scoreline a week later, fueling Ange mania even more. Again, praise was abundant.
“In a very short space of time, he has changed something at Spurs,” remarked famous Premier League goalie Peter Schmeichel on Optus Sport after the game.
“I’m just copying Pep, mate,” Postecoglou answered to Chelsea legend Joe Cole on TNT Sports’ broadcast of the Bournemouth game when challenged about his use of fullbacks.
However, it is more than just a change on the pitch. Postecoglou has an unbelievable capacity to create a climate in which fans see him as a near-God figure, while his players will go to war for him on the pitch. These characteristics are already visible at Spurs, and they are what make Postecoglou an exceptional leader.
It’s also the little things, like heading over to the travelling Bournemouth fans at full-time and thanking them for their support. Taking such steps is not by chance and is an important aspect of creating a successful business.
Nonetheless, Postecoglou has stated that such fan adoration is still “blind faith,” with the 58-year-old emphasising that he has yet to earn it and must remain humble.
However, so far, so good. If the former Socceroos manager needed any further proof of his early success, he was recently crowned Premier League Manager of the Month for August.
AZ qualifies for Europe thanks to Ryan’s assistance.
Mat Ryan, Postecoglou’s former Socceroos custodian, had a fantastic month with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in August.
Ryan played every minute as AZ qualified for the UEFA Europa League group stage and won their first two Eredivisie games. The Australian played in both of those games, as well as the second leg of the Conference League qualifying round victory over SK Brann of Norway.
That second leg reminded me of Ryan’s heroics in the same tournament last season. Ryan had the final laugh when AZ could only mange a 3-3 draw in Norway despite going the full in extra time, tying the two teams at 4-4 on aggregate.
Ryan was victorious in a penalty shootout.
One stop would be important in a gruelling match for both goalkeepers, with numerous penalty kicks converted. Ryan, diving to his right, deflected a strong Brann shot, giving his Dutch club the advantage in the shootout, which they eventually won 6-5.
AZ fans are no strangers to similar events, having witnessed Ryan become the team’s hero last season, when he saved two penalties in a 4-1 shootout win over Belgian giants Anderlecht, advancing Alkmaar to the third-tier European competition’s Semi-Finals.
The next stage saw AZ and Ryan’s run come to an end at the hands of eventual winners West Ham. The Australian and his teammates will want to go even further in 2023/24. However, they must
A huge congratulations to Patrick Yazbek, an Australian midfielder, who played the entire 90 minutes for his @vikingfootball team in a thrilling 3-2 home win over Norwegian giants Bod/Glimt!
Viking are on an eight-game winning streak and currently sit second in the Eliteserien standings!
But he isn’t racking up minutes just for the purpose of it, as the ex-Sydney FC midfielder is gaining traction with the national squad. Yazbek was named to the Australian Olympic team for their recent Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos and Tajikistan. Graham Arnold has been “assessing the progress” of Yazbek, according to FTBL, ahead of the Socceroos friendly against Mexico.
D’Agostino, on the other hand, had an even stronger month, scoring once and assisting once in three outings.
The goal and assist came in the same game, which was D’Agostino’s first start versus Lillestrm. The ex-Melbourne Victory forward opened the scoring for Viking before setting up Markus Solbakken for their third goal, bringing the total to 10.
It’s a good indicator for D’Agostino to make the most of his chance when he gets it. Hopefully, he gets trusted more as the season progresses.
In an interview with FTBL last month, the forward discussed how he is adjusting to life in Norway.
“It took me a while to get used to playing on the Astro Turf here,” he admitted.
“Of course, I want to start more games and score more goals, and the weekend was a great way to get back on track.”
“This is a high-quality league, the opposition is always tough, and scoring goals is much more difficult than in the A-League.”
“Of course, one element in coming here was hopefully
providing myself a better opportunity of selection for the Socceroos and also just challenging myself in Europe, and this is the ideal first step for me in doing so.”
D’Agostino’s August form was observed by Graham Arnold, who included him to the Socceroos team for the friendly against Mexico.
It was D’Agostino’s first call-up since June 2022, when he was part of the squad for the controversial 2022 World Cup qualifiers against the UAE and Peru.
However, club form is likely more important for D’Agostino and Yazbek right now, with Viking in the middle of a title fight alongside Bod/Glimt and Troms.
When they defeated Stabaek 1-0 in Round 19 in August, the team had a 10-game winning run. This game also included
A top-three result for Viking ensures participation in next season’s European qualifiers, while winning the title guarantees inclusion into the UEFA Champions League early stages in 2024/25.
One Ipswich star has been rewarded, and another is back on Arnie’s radar.
Yazbek and D’Agostino aren’t the only Australian couple who have found success at the same club. Cameron Burgess and Massimo Luongo both shone in August for English Championship club Ipswich Town.
Burgess started every league game for Ipswich last month and was rewarded with his first Socceroos call-up for the Mexico friendly. He had previously represented Australia up to the U23 level and Scotland at the youth level before switching allegiances.
It will be intriguing to see how Burgess fits into Graham Arnold’s plans.
“We’ve been watching him for about a year, and I would’ve picked him for the Argentina game if he hadn’t been injured,” Arnold added.
“Our connection and communication has been there for about 10 to 12 months now, and he fully deserves to be called up.”
“Having another left-footed centre back is fantastic.” He’s 198cm tall, a huge lad, very strong, and he’s playing at a high level for Ipswich.”
Massimo Luongo, who started each of Ipswich’s first four league games in August, is another player performing admirably for the club.
Luongo discussed his involvement at the club with the East Anglian Daily Times last month.
“I’m at the age now where I understand that I’m not going to play 46 games in a season and that every game is different,” he explained.
“I trust the manager to decide who will play and who is better suited to that particular game.”
“When I was younger, I might have tried to outdo the other midfielders, but now I’m old enough to help and, if I’m not playing, to share my knowledge with others.”
“When I signed my contract (this summer),
He could yet be called up for the Socceroos in the future. According to FTBL, Luongo may have been recalled for the Mexico game, and he could now compete for the midfield vacancy created by Aaron Mooy.
Burgess undoubtedly helped his club teammates’ hopes of a Socceroos comeback when he praised the midfielder in an interview with this publication last month.
“Mass has been amazing for us from the moment he came in,” Burgess added.
“First and foremost, he’s a fantastic young man, but what he brings to us on the pitch is second to none.”
“He brings so much to the team, and having him in front of me in midfield is a blessing.”
Aside from being linked to and chosen for national team duty, the
“We’re so used to playing such nice football and putting on a show, and this is a little bit different for us, so we have to get used to that,” he said after Ipswich beat Sunderland.
“With the group we have, we want to do our best. The result may not occur, but I believe the performance is more important since it can be built upon.”
It’s fantastic to see two Australians in a Championship upset!
Massimo Luongo and Cameron Burgess both played 90 minutes for @IpswichTown in their 2-1 victory over Sunderland!
The newly promoted side returns to Portman Road with three vital points.
Burgess expressed similar comments after Ipswich defeated Queens Park Rangers on BBC Radio Suffolk.
“It’s nice to know in the back of your mind that we have some room for improvement,” he remarked.
“Every game will present different challenges; there will be an increase in quality and physicality [compared to last season], and we will have to work hard for every point we get.”
“But we knew that coming in – you can see the quality throughout the league.”
Finally, Luongo spoke to PA Media on the transition to the Championship, stressing the greater toughness that Ipswich will face.
“It is definitely a step up, physically speaking.” The challenging
“We want to play out from the back, play good football, and be entertaining, so it will be a challenge, but the players we have are all excited about it.”
Luongo and Burgess are definitely in fantastic form right now, and should both continue to play important parts for a side that is producing unexpected wins; regular Socceroos call-ups may be unavoidable.
Mabil faces yet another European issue.
A Socceroo signed a two-year contract with Swiss Super League team Grasshopper team Zürich in August, becoming his seventh European club. Mabil has played in Denmark, Portugal, Turkey, Spain, Czechia, and currently Switzerland after leaving Adelaide United in 2015.
Mabil’s continual changing of clubs has resulted from
The move was definitely undertaken in quest of more games, although it will be difficult to achieve. Grasshopper is Switzerland’s most successful club, having won 27 league titles. They’re ambitious, and Mabil’s performances will be scrutinised from the start. However, time may be on his side, as the 27-year-old has the option to extend his contract for another season after the first two. This alternative would require agreement from both sides.
Mabil will seek to enhance the club’s league fortunes if he plays consistently. Grasshopper has not won the Swiss championship since the 2002/03 season. The new Australian combo, along with Joshua Laws, will seek to create a lasting impact.
It’s not like Australian football and Swiss football have ever met. With the exception of Scott Chipperfield and Mile Sterjovski, Australians have been few and far between in Switzerland’s top division.
Everyone boarded the Strain train.
Ryan Strain, a former Adelaide United defender, is on fire for St Mirren in Scotland and took his game to the next level in August.
Strain played practically every available minute for St Mirren last month, and his efforts earned him the SPFL Premiership Player of the Month award.
Strain’s manager, Stephen Robinson, spoke to Renfrewshire Live Sport about the accolade and lauded his wing-back while admitting there is still potential for improvement.
“I’m thrilled for him, but I believe there’s a lot more to come.”
Last month, Edinburgh Evening News & The Scotsman journalist Barry Anderson noted on KEEPUP that Strain drew significant attention in the transfer season, and the amount of parties interested in him will only grow if his great form continues.
Strain’s performance in a 2-2 draw with Aberdeen was possibly his best of the month. Despite his ability to push forward and give an attacking outlet, his defensive style drew attention. Strain recovered 12 balls, won six of his 11 duels, and had a 100% tackle success rate.
Crucially, his performances have not been rendered ineffective. In August, St Mirren went undefeated in the league and advanced to the Scottish League Cup quarterfinals. In the 1-0 victory over
