ANGE POSTECOGLOU’S fatherly approach to revitalised Yves Bissouma is reminding Darren Anderton of his own experience working with Terry Venables.
Bissouma has looked like a man reborn this season compared to his injury-hit nightmare of a campaign under Antonio Conte last term.
GettyYves Bissouma has been sensational so far under Ange Postecoglou[/caption]
Abrasive and defensively-minded Conte never really took to the £25million signing from Brighton, making the Malian play safe when he did select him.
But Postecoglou – whom Bissouma described as like “a dad” when speaking to SunSport in Perth this summer – has encouraged the midfielder to use his creative instincts.
Bissouma had more touches than any other player in the Premier League during the opening weekend and was sensational in last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Manchester United.
Spurs legend Anderton sees similarities to his own difficult early days when he first arrived from Portsmouth in 1992, only for man-manager expert Venables to get the best out of him.
The 51-year-old told SunSport: “Terry was like a second dad to me.
“I struggled when I first came to the club. He made me believe that it was OK.
“I came off in one game and the game was still going on, but he came into the changing room and had a chat with me. He put his arm around me and told me it was going to be all right. To this day, I’ll always remember it.
Darren Anderton spent 12 seasons at Spurs, winning the League Cup in 1999Getty Images
Anderton with Terry Venables during their time together with EnglandNews Group Newspapers Ltd
“I read what Bissouma said about Ange being like a dad and that was really good to hear.
“Especially for a player who has been there for a year and not played enough. He’s had an injury, he’s having a tough time. He was probably excited to come and then was like, ‘Oh my God, what am I doing?’
“Now he has that belief and you see it in the first two performances. It’s amazing to see.”
Postecoglou’s friendly manner was summed up by new signing Micky van de Ven this week who described the ex-Celtic chief as “a sweet and lovely guy”.
The Aussie is still capable of giving the hairdryer treatment though, as was proven at half-time against West Ham and Shakhtar Donetsk in pre-season.
But overall his approach by all accounts seems to be much more cordial than that of predecessors Conte and Jose Mourinho.
Anderton, watching on TV from his home in California, can tell a difference.
He observed: “As a footballer, you can sense when you watch games that things aren’t quite right and people aren’t happy. Fans do as well. You can tell by body language.
“The start they’ve had under Ange has been really positive. Players have a new lease of life and are now playing well.
“Players are not all the same. We’re all young men who are all very talented and have come from being the best from wherever we were from growing up.
“You put them in the dressing room and have to somehow bring it all together. That’s the most difficult part of being a manager.
“From what I hear from the club and from listening to some of the players speak, it seems Ange has that (ability).
“That’s really refreshing, after watching what’s happened over the last few years where the managers have been more, ‘It’s my way or the highway’. It’s almost been a certain form of bullying at times.”
Ex-England star Anderton said he was bored watching Conte’s Spurs but now is excited to get up early to watch his beloved Spurs play under progressive Postecoglou.
Cherries have picked well in Andoni
DARREN ANDERTON reckons old club Bournemouth will steer clear of danger this year – even if the sacking of Gary O’Neil was “unfair”.
O’Neil, who has since taken over at Wolves, was replaced by Andoni Iraola.
It was a shock appointment but Anderton rates the Spaniard highly.
The 51-year-old, who ended his 18-year career at Bournemouth in 2008 and still owns a house in the area, told SunSport: “The decision was pretty unfair on Gary O’Neil. I thought he did a great job and really pleased for him that he’s now got a job at Wolves.
“The new owners have taken the opportunity to get a top, top manager, in my opinion, which might take time which you don’t get in the Premier League.
“I thought they played well in the first two games. It’s early days.
“I don’t think Bournemouth will be in relegation danger. They’ll be OK and he’s a manager who can take the club forward.”
Saturday’s lunchtime clash at Bournemouth, another of Anderton’s old sides, will kick off at 5.30am on the west coast.
Yet it will be no chore to tune in as Postecoglou puts together the most attacking Spurs side since the one Anderton played in under Ossie Ardiles.
That side in the early 90s involved a quintet dubbed the ‘famous five’ of Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, Nicky Barmby, Ilie Dumitrescu and Anderton.
He recalled: “Defensively we weren’t good enough but we were very close to being a very good team.
“We had Teddy and Jurgen Klinsmann up front, Nicky Barmby in behind, Ilie Dumitrescu out left, me on the right. But then on top of that we had full-backs Ossie wanted to bomb on as well!
“It literally was Sol, Stuart Nethercott and Colin Calderwood who would sit there as a central midfielder holding the fort.
“I was a team player, I would run up and down all day and help. But, to be fair, Ilie Dumitrescu on the other side was not so willing to do that sort of thing!
“The balance wasn’t right. The balance in this team will be better. They will be better defensively, although still a little bit open like we saw in the Brentford game.
“But we’re going to dominate games and be entertaining to watch and that’s what you want.”
Postecoglou’s revolution is, of course, happening without Harry Kane who was sold to Bayern Munich for £104million.
Richarlison is still to score this term in the England man’s absence, but Spurs have not signed a new forward yet despite interest in Gift Orban and Brennan Johnson.
Anderton added: “Richarlison will come good and he will score goals.
“I like him as a player, he would be a pain to play against. It’s not the be all and end all to see a top, top striker come in.
“I believe there’s a really good chance of us getting back into the Champions League again.
“We’re only two games in, it will only get better. That’s the exciting part.
“Harry has gone to Germany and I’m chuffed for him, he’s going to play in the Champions League and win the Bundesliga and score tons of goals.
“But as a Tottenham boy he obviously loves the club. I wonder how he’ll feel watching that style of football at the moment.
“I’m sure he’s happy where he is but I bet he wishes this style of football had been played the last four years.”