The Celtic Way

The Aussie manager is under intense pressure at Spurs having lost 16 of his 30 Premier League matches so far this season, with the London club on course to finish outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008.

Speaking on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League quarter-final first-leg with Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night, Hart discussed working under Ange at Celtic alongside fellow pundits Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Joleon Lescott, Owen Hargreaves, Steve McManaman and presenter Reshmin Chowdhury.

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The 37-year-old former Hoops keeper said: “I loved him, but I was in a successful team, playing, you know, some football that I'd never played in my career.”

Asked whether the Ange he’s seeing in post-match interviews now is totally different to the one he played under, Hart responded:

“To an extent, but he was always engaging in terms of, he'd answer the question, but he'd answer it his way.

“Even him having a conversation with a fan about being respectful, that's kind of who he is. If he saw something happen in the street that he didn't think was right, he'd say something.

“But just the Tottenham team, the constant losses, it's bringing that side out of him more.

“But it was there when we were at Celtic. If we lost the odd game or we were questioned the way he played, especially in Europe. We went to Real Madrid and went toe-to-toe with them. And we did all right at home, but we got pumped five-nil away.

“But he stood by it and he would stand by anyone who called him out. Twenty-man press conference, if one man was whispering about him over there, he'd be like, what you saying? What have you got to say? Say it to me.

“But at Tottenham it's difficult because he's constantly having to deal with it.”

The Australian manager left Celtic back in 2023 to test himself in the English Premier League, finishing fifth last season while impressing with his refreshing style of play. This campaign, however, has been one to forget thus far, with the North London team currently sitting in 14th place in the EPL at the time of writing.

In an interview with former Australia international goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for Optus Sport, Postecoglou opened up on the troubles he and his side have faced, as he fronted up to recent calls for his managerial post to be terminated. He said: "It's been a tough season. There's no hiding away from it. It hasn't gone anywhere near sort of to the levels we want it to.”

"We started the season off with some pretty clear goals and ambitions around what we want to achieve. I think there's an equal frustration there and a disappointment in that there's been glimpses of us getting to the level we want, but then there's just been enormous setbacks and our inconsistency, particularly in the league.

"In all the knockout competitions, such as the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup, and obviously in Europe, we've performed better than we did last year, but in the league, we've just been nowhere near it."

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Winning five trophies in two seasons at Celtic, Postecoglou’s success on the pitch was mirrored by the adoration he felt off of it from his own supporters, especially following the pain of the 2020/21 season prior to his arrival.

Though the Spurs supporters have sung his name in the past, there have been recent instances of fans questioning the manager after games, particularly in the dugout following full-time.

The 59-year-old is under no illusions about the job he faces in trying to convince those supporters that he is still the man for the job, though he remains positive in the face of adversity. He said: "I think they (the fans) are encouraged by what they saw last year for sure, but that certainly hasn't manifested itself.

"But I still am really optimistic and bullish about the squad we've got, the squad of players we've got. I just think there's enormous growth in them once we can navigate through this.

"Going through a tough time can be such a strong uniter of people because you figure, ‘Well, there's nothing we're going to face coming down the track that's going to be anywhere near as bad as what we've gone through and we've survived and stuck together.’

"Hopefully, the people, aside from the obvious, which is that the results have been very disappointing, can still see a squad there that they think is exciting.

"We have got to try and finish the season off in a positive way."