Spurs assistant head coach Nick Montgomery has shone a light on his fellow Aussie’s love for his old club
Nick Montgomery has revealed Ange Postecoglou cherished his time at Celtic and continues to watch Brendan Rodgers’ double winners.
The Australian head coach has just led Tottenham Hotspur to Europa League glory but his long-term future has been thrown up in the air due to a poor English Premier League showing.
Postecoglou, who won five trophies in his time at Parkhead, left Celtic for Spurs two years ago.
His assistant, Montgomery, has revealed how Postecoglou still has a soft spot for Celtic and their games are regularly on in the coaches’ room at Tottenham.
“Ange loved his time at Celtic,” Montgomery claimed. “I think he cherishes those times at Celtic, it's a massive club.
“It’s used to winning and when you go in there the pressure is on that you continue that trend and you have to win.
“Probably, people doubted him but Ange managed to do that. He's always watching the Celtic games and the A-League games and the Japanese games.
“We always have them on in the coach's office. He obviously really enjoyed his time there and no doubt he's really happy for the success again this year.”
Postecoglou ended Spurs’ own trophy drought. He lifted the first one in 17 years and their first European one in 41 years, as they beat Manchester United in the final. Montgomery admitted his manager’s influence was massive.
“He's obviously been massive in this cup win,” the former Hibs manager claimed. “Look, he's a great guy and I think he's a man that's full of self-belief.
“He's been around the world and won trophies. To work alongside him and get the opportunity to come to a club like Tottenham in the Premier League and Europa League, he always had the self-belief that we could do something special this season.
“It was a special moment for the club, a club without a trophy for a long time.”
Spurs had struggled with a crippling injury list in the English Premier League but delivered in Europe.
Montgomery admitted: “There was a lot of euphoria, but also relief after what was a really difficult season. Just the usual emotions for winning a major trophy and the celebrations that come with it.
“It was just a beautiful moment to see the boys lift that trophy at the end and obviously Ange and all the staff, just the hard work that we'd put in throughout the year.
“Like I said, under really difficult circumstances. “It was a great, well, probably the best way to end a season.”
Montgomery left Hibs in the summer of 2023 and had several opportunities to return but he decided to go in and learn under Postecoglou.
He stated: “When I accepted to come as his assistant, it was a great honour. We spoke about doing something special.
“I think no one can deny what we achieved was special and I don't think any Tottenham fan would argue any differently.
“It was a difficult season in the league for many different reasons, most notably a long sort of injury crisis that virtually went on the whole season.
“So, when you put all that into context to see how he navigated through that and how the coaches supported him and been an assistant to him.
“I felt it was a great opportunity for me to come and work with him and work at the highest level.
“That's why I chose to come here and turn down offers to go straight back into management when I left Hibs.
“He's won trophies basically all around the globe.
“He's got high standards and he sticks to what he believes in.
“I think, yeah, that's the important thing that he sort of never wavered on what he believes in."