Australian head coach is heading into uncharted waters as he takes on Tottenham role – but after meeting Ange Postecoglou twice, West Ham boss David Moyes is confident he can swim among the sharks.
The score stands at 1-1 between David Moyes and Ange Postecoglou as the two prepare to face off as managers of their respective Premier League clubs – in Perth, Australia, of all places.
That’s not a football scoreline, but rather the tally of wine bottles exchanged between the two head coaches throughout their careers.
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It was an Aussie red handed from Postecoglou to Moyes when the latter’s Manchester United faced off with the former’s A-League All Stars in Australia back in 2013. Eight years later, Moyes returned the favour when Postecoglou’s Celtic FC hosted West Ham in a 2021 pre-season friendly in Glasgow.
One of the two managers will surely depart Perth with a 2-1 lead. The odds are in Postecoglou’s favour as he holds home ground advantage ahead of his very first game in charge of Spurs.
It’s a fixture set to kickstart his four-year contract at the Premier League outfit – a role Moyes has tipped the Australian manager to thrive in despite the raised stakes of one of the most cutthroat leagues in world football.
“Ange is very good,” Moyes said. “I was fortunate when I was manager of Manchester United, I played against Ange out here in Melbourne. That was the first time we met. We also played Celtic two years ago up at Celtic Park, and I met him there again.
“I’ll always remember he gave me a really nice bottle of Australian red wine, that’s what I remember when we came out here. I gave him one back when we met again in Glasgow.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him. I have to say, he sent me a great message after we won the (UEFA Europa Conference League) final.
“He (did) a remarkable job with Celtic this year, winning the treble. It really was. And I think Tottenham will get a really good manager.
“He’s proved himself in a few countries – but obviously now, he’s in amongst the sharks. It will not be easy.”
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Moyes’s West Ham take on Spurs in the second of their two friendly fixtures in Western Australia; the first comes against Isuzu UTE A-League club Perth Glory on Saturday night.
The Hammers manager wasn’t the only member of the touring squad eager to heap praise on an Australian excelling on the world stage.
West Ham star and England international Jarrod Bowen had a smile printed across his face when asked to summarise his relationship with Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine, with whom he played 98 times alongside at Hull City in England prior to his move to the Irons.
Only eight players have featured more times alongside Bowen throughout his career, but Bowen’s standout memory of the now-St. Pauli star came before the pair became teammates.
“I remember when he first signed for Hull,” Bowen began.
“He played for Burton (Albion) before and got sent off for two tackles on me, which is quite funny.
“When he signed he was a really great, fresh player. Then I left and I think he stayed for a little bit longer, and he’s gone out to Germany now. That’s Jackson, he’s kind of a free spirit. He is the party of himself. He goes wherever.
“In the World Cup I remember watching him in the game against Argentina playing against Lionel Messi, and they did really well and made a really good account of themselves.
“I spoke to him just before I was coming out here as well, and he told me what to expect. I’m sure we’ll have another chat when I’m going back home.”
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