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Australia midfielder Massimo Luongo feels everyone in his country is now a Tottenham supporter following the remarkable start Ange Postecoglou has made to life in England.<\/p>\n
Spurs lead the Premier League on goal difference from north London rivals Arsenal going into the international break and are unbeaten in the league since the former Socceroos boss took charge.<\/p>\n
He is the first Australian to be appointed in England\u2019s top flight and has caused a sensation in his home country by transforming the club\u2019s playing style in just a few months.<\/p>\n
Luongo, who after helping Ipswich to second place in the Championship has been recalled to the national team for the first time since 2019 for Friday\u2019s meeting with England at Wembley and next week\u2019s game against New Zealand, was an unused member of Postecoglou\u2019s squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.<\/p>\n
He has featured in every one of his club\u2019s league fixtures this campaign as Kieran McKenna\u2019s side have won nine of their first 11 games to install themselves as early favourites to land consecutive promotions.<\/p>\n
It follows a period in the international wilderness during which he endured difficult spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough, with injuries contributing to a lack of playing time and a \u201cdifficult time mentally\u201d.<\/p>\n
His last call-up was in October 2019, but he has impressed enough at Portman Road to earn a recall from boss Graham Arnold.<\/p>\n
Australia reached the last 16 of the World Cup in Qatar under Arnold \u2013 their fifth consecutive finals \u2013 before being eliminated by eventual winners Argentina, their best performance at the tournament since 2006.<\/p>\n
And Luongo, who was long-listed for the Ballon d\u2019Or in 2015 in part for his showing at the Socceroos\u2019 victorious Asian Cup campaign, said that though there are comparisons to be made, the two coaches should be judged on their own merits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re completely different, like most managers,\u201d he said. \u201cAnge has his ways, Arnie has his ways. (The 2014 World Cup) was definitely an enjoyable time. (Postecoglou) brought me from Swindon in League One and he gave me my chance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat he\u2019s doing now is incredible. Every Aussie is following him now, I think every Aussie is secretly a Tottenham supporter. It\u2019s great to watch from afar.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing in this country, I think he\u2019s just a genuine person, you see that in his media interviews. He\u2019s got so much passion for the game, he\u2019s just hungry for success. And that\u2019s what we have here (with Arnold).\u201d<\/p>\n
Australia are ranked 27th in the world but were buoyed by their success in Qatar, knocking out Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark to progress from their group.<\/p>\n
They will be looking to replicate the result the last time they met England in London, running out 3-1 winners at West Ham\u2019s Upton Park as Three Lions manager Sven-Goran Eriksson made 11 half-time substitutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cEngland are one of the best in the world,\u201d said Luongo. \u201cBut even at Ipswich we look at teams ahead of us who we want to replicate, (like) Man City, the best team in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re alright, we\u2019re doing well, we\u2019re a good Australia team. People underestimate that.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo matter who you play I think Aussies have that DNA that you don\u2019t just roll over and give up. That Argentina game (in Qatar), I watched it, if it goes on for another 30 minutes, we get an equaliser, easily an equaliser. It\u2019s just the nature of football. When momentum is with you, you never know.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that there have been significant changes to the national team set-up since his last call-up.<\/p>\n
\u201c(There are) a lot of young players,\u201d he said. \u201cThe staff, there\u2019s a lot more backing now. The set-up has (improved), there are no corners cut. Things you wouldn\u2019t even think of are covered, more beds and physios, the food; everything. They\u2019re trying to create an atmosphere that\u2019s as top-level as you can get.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe expectation now is really high. The World Cup is a big evidence that we can beat top teams, especially European teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re definitely in a transition period of younger players coming through. At the moment you can\u2019t really judge the team based on the first year of four years building up to a World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe manager\u2019s got three more years to build a team and see where they get to. These games are a building process. I promise you the team now will look very different to the next World Cup team.\u201d<\/p>\n