Phil Neville says people completely underestimated Tottenham man before this season

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Phil Neville has suggested that he is a massive fan of Ange Postecoglou and claimed that many completely underestimated the Tottenham Hotspur boss before his arrival in the summer.

Neville was speaking on NBC Sports ahead of Spurs’ clash with Fulham on Monday, which presents the side with the chance to return to the top of the Premier League table. In fact, they will go two points clear with a victory.

Ange Postecoglou has taken absolutely no time at all to win the hearts of the Tottenham fans. He was perhaps not a name that anyone was speaking about in the days after Antonio Conte’s departure was finally confirmed last season.

But he had done an outstanding job at Celtic. And the more you learn about what came before that, the more you are impressed by his track record.

There would have been some doubts over whether Ange ball would work in North London. But the early signs are that Postecoglou was an inspired appointment.

Phil Neville would love to go for a beer with Ange Postecoglou

Spurs set the pace heading into the international break. And they are playing arguably the most attractive football in the entire division right now.

Phil Neville believes that Tottenham will fall away at some stage. However, he insisted that he cannot help but be hugely impressed by the Australian.

“I love him. I think he’s been a breath of fresh air, someone who just looks totally authentic,” he told NBC Sports. “They can go top of the league tomorrow night I think. But I don’t think they’re quite there yet. I think they’ve had a good start, they’ve got a little bit of momentum, good feeling. I think the jury’s still out, for me, whether they can reach the top four.

“I go back to what I said about David Moyes and Unai Emery at the start of the show, it’s because it’s not a fashionable name. This guy’s been coaching at the top level for a long time, at national level, at Celtic and around the world. And just because he’s not fashionable, people underestimate the quality of these type of guys. He’s been a total breath of fresh air. If there was someone that you’d want to sit down and talk to at this moment in time, I’d say I want to go and have a beer with him because I think he’d give you so many lessons in how to deal with people, react to people.”

Tottenham probably happy to go under the radar

In many ways, Neville is doing exactly what he is accusing others of doing when he says that he is not convinced Tottenham can make the top four.

Of course, he is praising Postecoglou rather than Tottenham’s team. But Postecoglou’s identity is stamped all over the side. So to suggest that he is not sure that they can make the top four is surprising.

Postecoglou may not mind if many outside are questioning Tottenham right now. It is a new system to the players. So they probably do not need to feel any pressure from outside at the moment.

But if Tottenham remain near the summit when the January transfer window opens, the club simply have to capitalise on the brilliant position Postecoglou has taken them to.