EXCLUSIVE
Micky van de Ven insists Tottenham squad love ‘sweet guy’ Ange Postecoglou who has made team feel like a family
Micky van de Ven has gushed over 'sweet guy' Ange Postecoglou as he expressed his love for the Tottenham boss' tactics.
Spurs have earned praise for their attractive football at the start of the season - a far cry from their drab defensive displays under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
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The north Londoners were expected to struggle this campaign following Harry Kane's departure and the squad having to get to grips with a new philosophy.
However Spurs appear to have seamlessly got used to Postecoglou's demands, resulting in an entertaining 2-2 draw away at Brentford before outclassing Manchester United.
And Dutch defender Van de Ven, who joined Spurs earlier this month in a deal rising to £43million, insists their positive start is all down to Postecoglou.
Crediting the ex-Celtic manager for turning the squad into a family, he also waxed lyrical over his man-management skills.
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Speaking to talkSPORT's Jim White on his early impressions of the Australian, the 22-year-old said: "He's a lovely guy.
"He is so good for all of us, he's quiet, but he's straight in with what he wants.
"He is clear, everything is clear for everyone in the dressing room and everyone in the team knows what he has to do and what he is expecting from us.
"He's a sweet guy - a lovely guy - but he's straight and he knows what he wants to be and what he expects from us in his way of playing.
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"He has a good vibe with everyone, he has a good relationship with everyone and I think all of the team loves him and we feel like one family and I think that's really important."
And the ex-Wolfsburg star also believes that Spurs can end their trophy drought this season and win their piece of silverware since the League Cup in 2008.
Commenting on whether Postecoglou can instantly replicate his Celtic success at Tottenham, Van de Ven remarked: "That's a possibility.
"I think how we play now, every player in the team loves the way of playing under him, the way he thinks about football.
"We feel each other and we know what he wants and we know what he expects from us.
"So we do what he wants, and I think he also looks at how we think about it, so it's not only from one way, but from both ways, and I think that will help the team and the manager also to develop everyone."
And unsurprisingly, Van de Ven has declared that his conversation with Postecoglou convinced him to swap Germany for England.
He remarked: "I spoke with the manager, I think that's the most important part to make your decision.
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"Of course you can talk with people from the club like the director, but he's not going to train you on the pitch, it's the trainer who has to make you better.
"You have to love his style of play, how he wants to play, you have to love it, because if you don't get the vibe, the feeling, the system I want to play, then it's not going to work.
"So I talked with the trainer and everything in the meeting went well and I love the way of playing, so that made a really huge decision for me to go to Tottenham."
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