Salford City have found the next Ange Postecoglou

Peter Cklamovski was enjoying an extended family holiday in England, taking a break after Asian Cup qualifying with Malaysia. He, his wife and two children toured the country, taking in English culture and English football and falling in love with both. In London, they met up multiple times with his old friend, colleague and confidante Ange Postecoglou, with whom they discussed just how the sport gets under your skin in England. The family had thoroughly enjoyed their sojourn and were getting ready for their flight home when Peter received a call from Gavin Fleig, CEO of Salford City. The rest is history, but the Cklamovskis delayed their flight home. “I had no intention of being here to get a job, so to speak,” Cklamovski says. “We were basically on our way back out after a great holiday. Then the opportunity came to talk to the CEO and we connected really well. Along the journey, everything felt right: super people, a super project with a really strong purpose behind it and the ambition to chase promotions.” Cklamovski has already forged a reputation as a manager in Asian football: seven successful years in Japan across three clubs and then 18 months in charge of Malaysia. But it was before that, under Postecoglou, that he really learnt his trade. Cklamovski was an assistant coach with Australia between 2014 and 2017 when Ange was the manager. He then followed him to Yokohama F. Marinos, where they won the J-League title. “He’s a super person, leader, super coach and someone that I’m blessed to have in my journey,” says Cklamovski. “I will always have him as my mentor. I’ll always say this as well: whatever I do, I want it to be an extension of his legacy and again, that’s something I’ll always take wherever I am. “I’m my own man and I think that’s going to be important to recognise. But I’ve had 15 years with Ange and along that journey, we shared some super memories, historic moments for Aussie coaches, Aussie football. “I have had eight years on my own now so it’s important that I build my own way. That’s attacking, aggressive football with a ruthless mentality to keep clean sheets and hungry to score goals off set pieces. That’s what we will try to do in the next 12 months.” Cklamovski has got one of the prime jobs in Leagues One and Two; no doubt. After losing the play-off final in May, Salford’s wealthy owners chose to invest heavily in their summer recruitment and fund what they hope will be an automatic promotion campaign. Macaulay Langstaff signed from Championship Millwall and is surely the shortest-priced golden boot favourite in EFL history. Luke Molyneux dominated League Two with Doncaster Rovers in 2024-25 – attracting him back to the fourth tier is a coup. Elliot Bonds has joined from Fleetwood and Joe Powell from Rotherham. Salford’s owners have clearly matched the ambition of players with contract offers. Macaulay Langstaff’s goals can lead Salford to the title (Photo: PA) “It’s some great signings, astute signings, ambitious signings,” says Cklamovski. “I think that is a reflection of the ambition and the mentality that the club has, that resonates with me. “But it’s not about me, it’s not about Langstaff, it’s not about Molyneux, it’s not about any one person, it’s about us and what we’re trying to build at the football club and the brand of football that’s going to get our fans off their seats: hungry, determined, exciting to watch and hard to beat.” Which also makes this managerial appointment particularly brave from Salford’s point of view. Some would conclude that if you are investing heavily in dependable, league-proven, comparatively expensive playing talent, the call is to reflect that with your manager. Salford have gone for the opposite: a coach with no managerial or coaching role outside Asia. I also ask Cklamovski if there will need to be a process through which players also have to learn who he is. At most EFL clubs, managers appointed are either familiar through their previous work in England or – in the case of first-time managers – their playing careers or history at the club in question. Again, Cklamovski has none of that. Does that matter? “It’s a good question,” he says. “I’m not sure I need to sell myself in any way. I’ll do that by the work we produce every day and that’s a methodical approach, evidence-based approach, don’t waste a second approach, get-better-every-day approach and build something special. “That way the club, the people, the players – they’re hungry, they’re determined, they’re ambitious, they see what we’re building, they’re starting to feel it on the field. We’ve got more work ahead but we’ll go full steam ahead to create something special.” One thing is for sure: it will absolutely be worth watching. Salford City are the target in League Two with every other club aiming to take down the pre-season favourites for the division. The manager is promising to play the type of risk-taking, aggressive, pressing, attacking football that his mentor has found can work two ways in English football and hasn’t been tested in England’s fourth tier. Read more The Journeyman: Leicester City: How not to run a football club Daniel Storey: West Ham fans’ Palestine chant is disgusting – and football is to blame It may take a little time. But if it works, with this squad, Salford City and their owners will surely get their wish of League One football. Cklamovski will enhance his reputation on a new continent. A new Australian manager will take on the Ange mantle. “I’ve got a strong career built within Asia but it’s a new challenge, a new frontier, a new opportunity,” Cklamovski says. “The European fire and flame was burning inside me and I started to chase it. That’s what the next 12 months is going to be about.”