‘Even he knows it’s fishy’ – fans baffled as Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou beats Arsenal rival Arteta to top manager award
TOTTENHAM boss Ange Postecoglou beat out rival gaffer Mikel Arteta to the award for London’s best manager.
The Spurs boss took home the trophy from the London Football Awards despite sitting 11 points behind Arteta’s Arsenal in the table.
The 58-year-old has completely transformed Spurs since his arrival from Celtic in the summer with the club playing attractive attacking football and competing for European places.
However fans were still left puzzled by Postecoglou’s prize with the Aussie manager still some way off achieving a top four spot and relatively new to the Premier League.
And it would appear even Postecoglou recognises that he is fortunate to win the award as he joked in his press conference about the honour.
He said: “It’s a bit weird because it’s only February, and into early March, and I’m not really sure where that fits in terms of recognition.
“Having said that it is an acknowledgement of the work that we have done since the start of the year.
“And coming back off a disappointing year for the club last year I guess we as a group have made an impact and it’s an acknowledgement of that.”
He went on to reiterate that Spurs still have plenty of work to do before they can say they have achieved their goals.
He added: “Like I said we have still got a fair chunk of the season to go and our sights are [set] firmly ahead.”
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Fans joked online that Postecoglou was admitting that he shouldn’t have won the award.
One wrote: “Lol! Even he knows it’s fishy.”
While another added: “Even he knows he didn’t deserve that.”
And a third commented: “So even he knows he is an impostor!”
Others suggested that the Tottenham manager was right to win the award with one writing: “He has turned Tottenham to a better team!”
It wasn’t just Mikel Arteta that Postecoglou beat to the award either with three other managers nominated for the honour.
West Ham’s David Moyes, outgoing Chelsea Women’s head coach Emma Hayes and Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens were also on the list.
Arteta picked up the award last season after mounting a title challenge with Arsenal before ultimately falling short to Manchester City.
And despite a second consecutive title challenge Arteta was overlooked for the award this year.
His record signing wasn’t missed out though with Declan Rice earning himself the Premier League Player of the Year award after his £105m move this summer.
And Chelsea youngster Cole Palmer won the award for Young Player of the Year with the 21-year-old impressing since his move from Man City.
London Football Awards
Manager of the Year – Ange Postecoglou
WSL Player of the Year – Lauren James
Goalkeeper of the Year – Guglielmo Vicario
Premier League Player of the Year – Declan Rice
Men’s Young Player of the Year – Cole Palmer
Women’s Young Player of the Year – Agnes Beever-Jones
EFL Player of the Year – Alfie May