Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic success made a pathway for other international coaches to move to the UK – insists Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery, as the Australian nails down strong start to life at Spurs

• Ange Postecoglou is helping inspire other coaches from outside Europe
• The Tottenham head coach originally moved to Scotland from Australia
• New Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery recently made the same journey

New Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery insists Ange Postecoglou’s success at Celtic has helped create a pathway for coaches to move to the UK from Australia.

The former Scotland Under-21 international was unveiled yesterday as Lee Johnson’s successor at Easter Road on a three-year deal after leaving A-League champions Central Coast Mariners.

And the 41-year-old is sure Australian football can provide the platform for him to do well in Scotland, just like Postecoglou did at Parkhead.

The ex-Celtic boss’ arrival two years ago was greeted with much scepticism as he had only coached Down Under and in Japan.

But he departed for Tottenham as a Celtic hero after delivering five domestic trophies from a possible six by playing an attacking brand of football.

Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a strong start to life since taking over at Tottenham in the summer

Postecogloy guided Celtic to the Scottish Treble during his final season at the club

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‘The media around Ange and the negativity when he came over to Scotland, he quashed that pretty quickly,’ said Montgomery.

‘Ange is a good guy and I saw the work he did in the A-League in terms of the success he had there and in Japan.

‘I saw how good it was for Australian football and he gets a lot of support over there.

‘He has had success everywhere he’s been and I have seen him. I have played against his teams when I first went out there, but I have never coached against him because he had already moved.

‘But I have followed him closely and been impressed with what he’s achieved and I’m sure he is going to be able to achieve more.’

Montgomery has brought assistant Sergio Raimundo and goalkeeping coach Miguel de Oliveira Miranda with him from the Mariners and will retain club legend David Gray as a coach.

The former Sheffield United midfielder is Hibs’ fourth boss in the space of four years but chief executive Ben Kensell, who was joined at the unveiling by director Ian Gordon, son of late chairman Ron, hopes the appointment brings much needed stability to the dugout.

New Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery (pictured) recently followed Postecoglou’s route from Australia to Scotland

Postecoglou has demonstrated how managers from outside Europe can thrive in the UK

Longevity for managers was one of the visions Ron Gordon had for the team.

Kensell said: ‘This is a long-term appointment from our perspective. And it was something that Ron always wanted, a long-term approach to the football club.

‘We’re following in the footsteps of what Ron wanted and I know Ian is passionate about this appointment as well.

‘We had a lot of interest in the role but there were criteria — and Nick ticked all the boxes.’

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