Ange Postecoglou is relishing the task of facing the "unbelievable" Claudio Ranieri when Tottenham Hotspur face Roma in the Europa League on Thursday. (More Football News)
Ranieri came out of retirement eꦫarlier this month to take charge of t✅he Giallorossi until the end of the season, returning for a third stint at the club.
Across his previous two spells, the 73-year-old managed 96 games in all compꦿeꦏtitions, registering 53 wins, with a win percentage of 55.21%.
His first game in charge ended in defeat, however, with Roma losing against Napoli, as former striker Romelu𝔍 Lukaku scored the only goal of the game for Antonio Conte's si🍃de.
Thursday's meeting will be the first between Roma and Tottenham, and Postecoglou is looking forward to the tie, as well as taki🐓ng on Ranieri.
"It's unbelievable. It just goes to show the passion he has forꦛ the game, because I'm sure there's more enjoyable, simpler ways to enjoy his life now, but he still has that in him," he said.
"I haven't co🍎me across him before, but I'm lo෴oking forward to saying hello because it's always nice to actually meet some of these people who have made such a massive impact on football, particularly in my field, management.
"He's always come across as a gentleman. I'm looking forward to meeting him, and it just goes to show that kind of bug for bཧeing a manager on the touchline doesn't leave you."
Spurs come into the encounter on the back of an impressive 4-0 victory over Manchester City last Saturd♓ay, inflicting Pep Guardiola꧑'s fifth defeat in as many matches.
Postecoglou's side have also impressed in Europe, wi🍒nning their last seven home matches in the Europa League without conceding, while also scoring 19 goals themselves.
Spurs have endured an up and down start to the campaign, with consistency in results failing to tran🤪spire, particularly in the Premier League thus far🅺.
While Post༺ecoglou acknowledged there had been some difficult moments this term, he lauded his players for some of the outstanding football they have played this seasoౠn.
"You'll see the same Spurs you see every game. It's about going out there and trying to play our football and try and be the best we can be," Postecoglou said.&n🐲bsp;
"Sometimes, that doesn't work out and hasn't worked out for us in a couple ⛎of games this year. We know that and it's something we need to kind of improve.
"At the same time, ⛦it's been more good than bad. If you are looking for l🌜ikely outcomes, I'd say good but we have had the flat spots that we are working through.
"I don't discount the football we have played either. We've played some ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚoutstanding football. For me, it is about prꦇogress.
"I keep saying that we're a better side than we were last year and we want to keep improving and if we keep improving, the area♐s where there are gaps, we will slowly overcome."