Ange Postecoglou is quietly the biggest winner from Roberto De Zerbi's slow start
Ange Postecoglou is busy enjoying his life in the Saudi Pro League as Cristiano Ronaldo's new manager at Al Nassr, and although it is early days, he is already well on his way to becoming a cult hero there, just as he became at Tottenham Hotspur.
Big Ange is but a fleeting memory to many Spurs fans with Roberto De Zerbi in charge, as the latter is viewed as a superior tactical manager and also helped Spurs escape relegation last season. But there is still a deep appreciation for what Postecoglou did during his time at N17, particularly since he was never backed by Daniel Levy and the club - not at all like Spurs have backed De Zerbi this summer a year after Levy's departure - yet still brought home the Europa League trophy after 41 years without European silverware.
De Zerbi's slow start to the 2026/27 Premier League season is also bringing up another point about Postecoglou that needs to be appreciated, because while he did fizzle out in the end and finished 17th in the Premier League in his final season, his hot start was pretty historic.
Fast vs. slow starts aren't everything, just ask Mauricio Pochettino
As a fan pointed out on Reddit, in his first 10 games as Tottenham Hotspur manager, Ange Postecoglou took home 26 points, more than anyone else since Mauricio Pochettino. Antonio Conte was the only other manager with at least 20 points in 10 (21 points, to be exact). And of the managers who actually completed 10 games, De Zerbi is actually the worst at 12 points. Though it is worth noting that the second worst also turned out to be the best manager on the list: Poch himself with a meager 14 points in 10 games.
Whlie that stat on Pochettino points out that fast vs. slow starts don't actually mean all that much when it comes to a manager's long term success - and maybe Ange is further proof of that, too - it is still nonetheless impressive to think back to how fast Postecoglou started things off as manager.
Now, Roberto De Zerbi did get hurt by inheriting a team doomed for relegation, but Postecoglou also inherited a Tottenham team that was in turmoil itself and had just lost its greatest ever player in Harry Kane. So even considering the two situations, what Postecoglou did was awesome and seems to be getting more praise nowadays from fans, too.
