ANGE POSTECOGLOU will try to stop Tottenham's FA Cup hopes on Tamworth's plastic 3G pitch on Sunday.
But that's nothing compared to the surface the Australian and his South Melbourne team once played on in Fiji – which was contaminated with TOADS.
In 1999, Postecoglou's Australian squad traveled to the Pacific Island for qualifiers ahead of the first Club World Championship and found a ground littered with amphibians.
But they showed enough Kermit mentality to reach the final a year later, facing Treble winners Manchester United in Brazil.
Postefroglou. . . sorry, Postecoglou recalled: “During the warm-up, there were toads that kept jumping on the field. At that moment you actually think: 'Really?'
“But when you realize what was at stake – a fair amount of money and the chance to play in the Maracana against some of the best teams in the world – it was quite extraordinary.”
That match, 26 years ago, was the Oceanic qualifying final against local side Nadi at Prince Charles Park. South Melbourne won 5-1 and then played United, Vasco da Gama and Necaxa from Mexico.
The gap between Postecoglou's Melbourne team and United is comparable to the 96 division spots between Tottenham and National League Tamworth.
United won 2-0, but it was much more exciting than expected.
And the Australian knows that players can cheer themselves up for the biggest match of their lives.
Postecoglou, 59, added: “We were a semi-professional team playing at the Maracana against the great Manchester United. So there was quite a difference between us.
“But qualifying for that tournament probably destroyed our domestic season because players didn't want to risk getting injured.
“In the end we lost, but we were able to assess ourselves and some of my players well. They probably played the best game of their lives.
“You know Tamworth has had a few defeats lately. It's probably because their minds had been on this game.
“What we face on Sunday is players hoping to play the best game of their lives.”
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