Ange Postecoglou has found himself under the scanner this season for Tottenham’s inconsistent performances and poor form. Spurs’ campaign has been riddled with injuries, an ever-changing starting XI, and inconsistent results, leaving them languishing in 14th place. While a fourth-place finish in the Europa League group stage may offer some respite, Postecoglou’s challenges on the pitch are far from over.
But beyond tactics and team selection, fans have spotted something different about the Australian manager: he doesn’t quite look like “Big Ange” anymore.
Postecoglou’s nickname has been a staple since his Celtic days, where the moniker became a term of endearment among fans.
In an interview with i News, the Greek-Australian coach revealed a hilarious anecdote about how the nickname stuck:
“We got a delivery from someone at the door, I ended up taking it, and my wife got a notification that said, ‘received by Big Ange’. It seems to have caught on all over the place.”
“My wife’s always asking, ‘what if you lose weight?’ I said, ‘I don’t think that’s why they call me big’,” Postecoglou laughed and said. When asked if it was more to do with his ‘big personality’, Postecoglou replied, “That’s what I try to say, but it didn’t wash with her.”
Despite his lighthearted approach, fans believe Postecoglou might not be so ‘big’ anymore. One website lists his weight at 85kg (187 lbs) and height at 6’0”, while these details are unconfirmed, recent images show a noticeable drop from whatever his weight originally was.
Fans first spotted this change a week ago, when Postecoglou was on the touchline in Spurs’ 3-0 victory at home in the Europa League against Elfsborg. Post match images of Ange revealed clearer pictures as well.
According to one fan, he’s lost as much as two stone (around 12kg) since taking charge at Spurs: “Big Ange has lost like 2 stone, crazy weight loss..” his tweet read.
Managing in the Premier League is no easy task, and some supporters are convinced Postecoglou’s weight loss is stress-induced. One fan commented, “Probably stress related bro,” while another spoke about his hair as well, “Pressure of Tottenham job also hair loss.”
Interestingly Ange’s scenario was compared to ex-Spurs boss Antonio Conte, with the fan concerned about the former’s health: “Bad reminds me of conte, conte lost weight and got ill, Ange in or out no one wants to see the man get ill, sad if you ask me.”
While all the Spurs stress-related concerns are valid, it’s also extremely probable that the Australian could simply be on a weight loss program.
The Spurs boss looked much thinner sporting jeans when welcoming new signing Danso. The cold English weather doesn’t make it easy to spot the transformation, as Ange’s usually bundled up in layers along the touchline shouting instructions.
Regardless of his weight, the nickname is here to stay. “Moderately-Sized Ange,” as one user mentioned, in his tweet, doesn’t quite have the same ring to it and isn’t as nearly endearing as “Big Ange.” Whether Postecoglou’s transformation is down to stress or personal choice will be a mystery to us fans.
