Footage emerges of Ange Postecoglou’s selfless act after Tottenham’s Europa League triumph

Trailblazing Aussie manager Ange Postecoglou has been praised for a selfless act during Tottenham’s Europa League celebrations.

Postecoglou has delivered the greatest triumph of his career, clutching a potentially job-saving lifeline by steering beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur to Europa League glory in Spain.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Postecoglou’s selfless act during celebrations.

He became the first Australian manager to win a trophy in a major European club competition as Spurs beat fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao on Wednesday night for their first silverware in 17 years.

As the Spurs players gathered on the dais for the traditional trophy lift, Postecoglou could be seen hanging on the side, happy to let the players enjoy the moment.

Defender Pedro Porro noticed Postecoglou and brought him in for a cuddle. The Aussie obliged and again tried to let the players enjoy the moment before another Spurs player noticed him on the side.

Showing his selflessness, Postecoglou was more than happy to stay on the sidelines, but the players weren’t having it and brought him into the middle.

Footage of the moment quickly spread on social media.

“Possibly my favourite video from the night. Shows what an incredible character he has. Just a class act through and through,” one fan said.

“He did his part, wanted that party for the players,” another said.

“Never loved a manager this much,” another said.

“That was class and shows the players love him,” another added.

The stunning triumph made Postecoglou’s early season prophecy come true.

“I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed,” the Tottenham manager said after back-to-back defeats early in the Premier League campaign.

That narrative has followed him all season yet eight months later, Postecoglou delivered on his word by leading Spurs to to Europa League glory.

“It wasn’t me boasting. It was a declaration ... If we fell short, I was ready to cop it,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.

His stint at Tottenham has been “the toughest couple of years” of his career, he said.

“I knew it going into it,” Postecoglou told CBS Sports.

“This football club has had world-class managers, a lot better-credentialed than I am, and haven’t been able to get there, so I knew I had a massive challenge in front of me.”

Here’s a rundown of those second-season trophies won by Postecoglou across his career:

* South Melbourne (1996-2000)

In his first job as a head coach, Postecoglou won Australia’s top-flight title — the National Soccer League — in his second season with South Melbourne and again the following year.

* Brisbane Roar (2009-12)

Postecoglou achieved the same feat at Brisbane Roar, winning the league title — by now it was called the A-League — in his second season and retaining it the following year.

* Australia (2013-17)

During the second year of Postecoglou’s four-year stint with the Socceroos, Australia hosted the Asian Cup in early 2015 and reached the final against South Korea. The Australians conceded an equaliser in added time — coincidentally scored by current Tottenham captain Son Heung-min — but clinched a 2-1 win after extra time. It was Australia’s first Asian Cup title.

* Yokohama F. Marinos (2018-21)

In his first big job outside Australia, Postecoglou lost the Japanese Cup final in his first season with Yokohama F. Marinos but made up for it by winning the top-flight league title by six points the following year. It was the club’s fourth Japanese league championship.

* Celtic (2021-23)

At Celtic, Postecoglou was in charge of the biggest team in Scotland — albeit one which had relinquished its league title the previous year. Under the Australian, Celtic regained the Scottish Premiership title by four points in his first season and retained it — by seven points — in his second season. Postecoglou then left for Tottenham.

* Postecoglou’s other clubs

Postecoglou has been coach at three other clubs in his managerial career, but never got to the end of a second full season with any of them. He was at Greek lower-league team Panachaiki (2008) for less than a year, with Australian team Whittlesea Zebras for just three months in 2009 and at Melbourne Victory for 18 months — but left at the start of his second full season to take over the Socceroos.

- With AAP