Postecoglou managed several Australian and Greek sides before taking charge of the Australia national team and Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos
“People have only discovered me in the last couple of years, where I have had 25 years of being fairly successful.
“I didn’t understand it, I used to come over here five, six years ago – I was national team boss and people would introduce me to so and so. And it was like going to those Hollywood auditions and being rejected, they just didn’t know who I was.
“It was so depressing, I’d been working for 25 years. I never thought I would get here to be honest, not because of my ability, just because no one was looking this way.
“Japan is an unbelievable country. I loved my time there. With the language taken away as a tool, which I like to use, it really challenged me as a manager and it worked.
“I had success and that really added to my belief. I thought wherever I end up next, I conquered that and I will have my language back and will feel more comfortable.
“That gave me maybe a bit more credibility. I was also part of the City Football Group, which exposed me to this part of the world. People kept telling me, ‘you are better off being sacked three times in Europe than being successful this side of the world’.”
Postecoglou left Japan for Celtic in 2021 and after two years in Scotland became Spurs boss this summer
“I think in both jobs, no one would say it, but I was last man standing. They ended up being rejected by a fair few and I ended up being the last one left. That’s OK, I’ll take that.
“I have to thank Eddie Howe [for the Celtic job]. I think that was pretty much done and then for whatever reason, Eddie didn’t feel comfortable in taking the role. That had gone so far down the path in pre-season that they had to make a quick decision.
“I think I was on their list, I had a quick discussion with a couple of the key decision makers and they saw something in me.
“I was looking forward to it because it was the bit that had been missing. I’d had success, I knew I could do the job, but I hadn’t had it in a place that I knew it would be impactful, meaningful.
“I knew if I had success at Celtic it would mean something, if only because I knew what it meant to the supporters.
“If nothing else, I knew I would have an impact in Glasgow.”