Welcome to A-Leagues Alumni: A weekly piece that keeps you up to date with the best stories from our products flying the flag abroad. The acronyms of the A-Leagues club(s) each player has represented are in brackets after their name.
Postecoglou’s big day at the Theatre of Dreams
Ange Postecoglou (BRI, MVC) loves facing Manchester United, doesn’t he?
Postecoglou heaped further misery on under-fire United head coach Erik ten Hag after his Tottenham outclassed the embattled Red Devils 3-0 at Old Trafford on Monday (AEST).
The A-Leagues legend has taken more points from his first three league matches against United (seven) than another Tottenham manager in Premier League history, per Squawka.
Tottenham showed no mercy as they registered 4.67 expected goals (xG) which was not only the record in Spurs’ top-flight history, but the most United have ever conceded at home in a Premier League match, according to Opta.
“The lads were outstanding,” the Australian trailblazer – who has Mile Jedinak (CCM), Nick Montgomery (CCM) and Sergio Raimundo (CCM) as part of his coaching staff – told reporters afterwards in Manchester.
“I thought we showed real belief and conviction in our football today and were really aggressive in everything, aggressive without the ball, aggressive with the ball, really positive in our intent and a fantastic all-round performance.”
Spurs have now won four straight games across all competitions following the 1-0 North London derby loss to Arsenal.
Tottenham are eighth in the Premier League with 10 points from six matches, five points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
Tottenham went to Old Trafford and an Ange Postecoglou masterclass saw them leave with all three points 
Spurs are now four wins on the trot in all competitions!
Asked if Tottenham made a statement with the manner of their result at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, Postecoglou replied: “I’ve got no idea, mate. I’m befuddled by the whole process.
“I guess people don’t see what I see, which is, it’s fair enough. I mean, everyone’s got their own sort of view of things, but like I said, I don’t think there’s been a game this year in the Premier League… I mean, if you really watched us and I suspect a lot of people don’t watch, where we’ve been outplayed or we’ve looked all at sea. It’s just that we haven’t killed off games like we should have.
“Now we’ve got Dom in the team now, he’s finding some fitness and form and Brennan, but even guys like Madders now and Deki are really giving us some real edge in that front third. But for us, nothing changes.
“We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. There’s still a lot of improvement to do in many areas, but the good thing about the group is they want to keep improving.”
Former Mariners star makes his long-awaited debut
Finally, after months of waiting, Jacob Farrell (CCM) played his first match for Portsmouth in the EFL Championship.
It was a baptism of fire for the former Central Coast Mariners star, with a season-best crowd of 20,330 fans packed into Fratton Park to watch the 0-0 draw with Sheffield United.
A treble winner with Central Coast last season, the A-Leagues product arrived at Portsmouth in July but a knee problem meant the Aussie full-back had to wait until the weekend to make his bow.
It was almost the perfect debut for Farrell, who nearly scored the winning goal at the death.
“It was a good debut for me and I was really happy to get it and be able to play in front of all the fans,” Farrell said.
“I thought it was a good result for us in the end, although we could have come away with the whole three points.
“Their winger probably had the better of me in the first half, but I grew into the game as it went along.
“Now it’s about recovery and getting the body right because we have to be ready to go again on Wednesday.”
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Farrell added: “Everyone’s been really helpful and welcoming to me. I had a little injury and have come back stronger from that.
“Now I just want to play as much as I can and have to fight it out with Connor (Ogilvie), who’s a very good defender.
“Any competition can only be a healthy thing for me and the team because it helps you grow as a player.”
Former Mariners teammate and fellow Australian Sammy Silvera (NEW, CCM) also started for Portsmouth, with Kusini Yengi (ADL, WSW) sidelined due to injury.
“Jacob’s come over from the A-League, which is completely different from the Championship, and dealt with the challenge,” said Portsmouth head coach Joh Mousinho.
“He will be disappointed that he didn’t score right at the end and could have done better with the header, but I was pleased with how he grew into the game.”
Elsewhere in the Championship, Riley McGree (ADL, NEW, MCY) made his first start since August 10 for Middlesbrough in their 2-0 win over Stoke City, and supplied an assist in the victory.
Daniel Bennie (PER) came off the bench for QPR in their 2-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers.
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In the Scottish Premiership, Kye Rowles (BRI, CCM) and Cam Devlin (SYD, WEL, NEW) both started for Hearts in their 1-1 draw with Ross County. Josh Nisbet (CCM) played the entire match for Ross County.
Lewis Miller (CCM) and Nectar Triantis (WSW, CCM) were in the starting XI as Hibernian lost 1-0 to Scottish giants Rangers, while Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (ADL, WUN, NEW) came off the bench in Motherwell’s 2-1 success against St Mirren.
A-Leagues great stays perfect at European juggernaut
Two games and two big wins. That is the result for Joe Montemurro (MVC, MCY) in his start to life at French champions Lyon.
After beginning his tenure in charge of Lyon’s history-making women’s side with a 6-2 demolition of Fleury, the 2023-24 A-Leagues All Stars Women’s head coach backed that up with a 6-0 humbling of Strasbourg over the weekend.
CommBank Matildas star Ellie Carpenter (WSW, CBR, MCY) provided an assist in the comprehensive victory as Montemurro had a home debut to remember with the record eight-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winners.
Only Reynald Pedros (7-0 against Rodez in September 2017) won his first home match with Lyon by a wider margin than Montemurro.
“We played in front of our fans, I think they enjoyed the game,” Montemurro said. “We scored goals with different players, it’s an indication of what we’re trying to put in place.
“It’s important to continue like this with everyone participating, attacking and defending. We did it well today. We had a few situations where the team defended very well collectively and where the players made the effort to supplement their teammates.
“We always try to have the right balance between attack and defence.”
Montemurro is supported by another Australian on his coaching staff – former Melbourne Victory youth boss Joe Palatsides (MCY, MVC) in 2024-25.
Lyon are gearing up for their Champions League campaign, which will see them come up against Wolfsburg, Roma and Galatasaray in Group A.
Sarah Hunter (WSW, SYD) started for Paris FC in their 8-0 mauling of Le Havre.
Montemurro’s former side Arsenal are in Group C, along with another of his ex-employers Juventus, Bayern Munich and Valerenga.
Arsenal claimed their first win of the Women’s Super League (WSL) season by edging Leicester City 1-0 away from home.
CommBank Matildas stars Caitlin Foord (CCM, SYD, PER) and Kyra Cooney-Cross (WSW, MVC) both started for the Gunners against Leicester, who had Courtney Nevin (WSW, MVC) introduced off the bench.
Arsenal have four points from two matches to be two points behind defending champions Chelsea and Manchester United.
Tottenham and Manchester City are also on four points.
CommBank Matildas duo Clare Hunt (WSW) and Hayley Raso (CBR, BRI, MVC) started for Tottenham in their thrilling 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa. Charli Grant (ADL) was an unused sub for Spurs.
City, who will face Barcelona, St Polten and Hammarby in Champions League Group D, edged Dario Vidosic‘s (BRI, ADL, WSW, WEL, MCY) Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0.
Mary Fowler (ADL) came off the bench for City, while Alanna Kennedy (SYD, NEW, WSW, PER, MCY) was on the bench as the home side handed Vidosic his first defeat as head coach since arriving from Ninja A-League premiers Melbourne City.
