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Tag: Ange Postecoglou press

  • ‘Self-inflicted chaos’: Late drama saves Ange as Aussie calls out fresh toxic turn — PL Wrap

    ‘Self-inflicted chaos’: Late drama saves Ange as Aussie calls out fresh toxic turn — PL Wrap

    Tottenham fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth in north London, saving boss Ange Postecoglou from another embarrassing defeat.

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    Tottenham lost 1-0 at AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League last 16 first leg on Thursday.

    That competition represents Tottenham’s last chance of fulfilling Postecoglou’s boast that he always win a trophy in his second season.

    Languishing in 13th in the Premier League, Postecoglou’s side have gone three games without a win in all competitions.

    ‘UNACCEPTABLE’: Arsenal boss storms out of interview, left fuming as grim PL reality sinks in

    Tottenham conceded in the 42nd minute when Marcus Tavernier applied the finishing touch to Milos Kerkez’s pin-point cross after Pedro Porro carelessly conceded possession.

    Bournemouth struck again in the 65th minute as Evanilson raced onto Justin Kluivert’s pass and lifted a composed finish over Guglielmo Vicario.

    But Pape Sarr reduced the deficit two minutes later, the Tottenham midfielder catching out Bournemouth keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a misjudged cross that somehow dipped in at the far post.

    Tottenham completed their escape in the 84th minute as Kepa conceded a penalty with a desperate lunge on Son Heung-min.

    Son calmly slotted home from the spot for his first goal in 10 games, taking him to 11 in all competitions this season.

    – Spurs must show fighting spirit against Alkmaar: Postecoglou –

    Ange Postecoglou urged Tottenham to replicate the fighting spirit that salvaged a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth when they return to action in Thursday’s crucial Europa League tie with AZ Alkmaar.

    Postecoglou’s side slumped to a 1-0 defeat in the last 16 first leg at AZ on Thursday and looked set for another loss when Marcus Tavernier gave Bournemouth a half-time lead on Sunday.

    Cristian Romero’s return after a three-month injury absence did little to improve Tottenham’s fortunes as Evanilson doubled Bournemouth’s advantage after 65 minutes.

    With the atmosphere turning toxic in north London and the pressure mounting on Postecoglou, Tottenham showed some much-needed character to scramble out of trouble.

    Pape Sarr’s miscued cross crept in to give Tottenham a fortunate lifeline and Son Heung-min converted an 84th-minute penalty that the South Korean won himself.

    Languishing in lower mid-table in the Premier League, Tottenham can now turn their attention to the visit of AZ on Thursday in the second leg.

    “Chaotic game, for sure. We added to the chaos and it was a little bit self-inflicted, especially in the first half. Just with the ball, we were really careless with our passing,” Postecoglou said.

    “At 2-0 down, it would have been very easy, particularly with the atmosphere as it was, for the boys to just let the game get away from us, but credit to them, they found a way to get back into the game and we got something out of it.

    “I don’t think it was a case of being open because we were throwing men forward, we just kept giving the ball away. We certainly need to be better in the way that we execute that part of our game for Thursday.

    “You can imagine the noise around if the players didn’t respond. Thursday is obviously a massive game for us.

    “At least from that perspective – and even for the players themselves – we’ve obviously got a challenge, but they overcame a fairly big challenge today and hopefully we show the same kind of mindset.”

    Adding to Postecoglou’s woes, Romero’s first appearance since December was followed by a pointed social-media post where he thanked the medical staff of Argentina and not Tottenham on his X account.

    Micky van de Ven also returned for his first league fixture in three months and lifted a nervous crowd, which Postecoglou conceded could lead to more tension among his players in the AZ clash.

    “I can’t sort of dictate to people how they sort of interact, but AZ’s crowd certainly helped them on Thursday night and we need our crowd to get behind the boys,” he said.

    “To make it an atmosphere where maybe we lose some of that nervousness and anxiety within our game.

    “The reality is, we as a team have to respond irrespective of the atmosphere and one may follow the other. If we start the game strong, it’ll get the place nice and loud, which will help us.”

    ARSENAL HOPES ALL OVER

    Arsenal’s fading hopes of winning the Premier League suffered a fresh blow as Manchester United held the Gunners to a 1-1 draw, while Chelsea boosted their bid to qualify for the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Leicester on Sunday (Monday AEDT).

    After Liverpool’s 3-1 win against Southampton moved the leaders 16 points clear at the top on Saturday, there was no margin for error when Arsenal arrived at Old Trafford 24 hours later.

    But United captain Bruno Fernandes put the hosts ahead with a superb free-kick in first half stoppage-time.

    Declan Rice’s clinical finish from just inside the United area hauled Arsenal level in the 74th minute.

    But Mikel Arteta’s second-placed side couldn’t find a winner and now sit 15 points adrift of Liverpool.

    Despite holding a game in hand on Liverpool, Arsenal look certain to miss out on the title yet again after finishing as runners-up for the last two seasons.

    Liverpool are bidding to win a record-equalling 20th English title and their first since 2020 in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.

    The Anfield club need a maximum of 16 more points from their last nine matches to ensure they clinch the silverware.

    Not for the first time, Arsenal have faded as the title pressure mounts, with a run of three league games without a win effectively gifting the trophy to Liverpool.

    Troubled Manchester United are down in 14th place, with just one win in their last six games in all competitions.

    Adding to the gloom around Old Trafford, thousands of United fans staged a pre-match protest against co-owners the Glazer family and Jim Ratcliffe.

    At Stamford Bridge, Marc Cucurella struck with a long-range rocket in the second half to lift Chelsea above Manchester City into fourth place.

    The Blues are two points ahead of City in the race for the top four finish that guarantees a Champions League berth.

    It was only Chelsea’s fourth victory in their last 12 league games as they responded to boss Enzo Maresca’s challenge to win all their remaining home matches.

    Maresca believes that should be enough to ensure Champions League action, but Chelsea will have to improve on a spluttering performance against second-bottom Leicester.

    – Cucurella lifts Chelsea –

    Chelsea’s Cole Palmer missed the first penalty of his career and was later substituted, making it seven league games without a goal or assist for the England forward.

    Second-bottom Leicester have lost five successive league games and sit six points from safety as they slide towards relegation.

    Victor Kristiansen’s clumsy challenge pole-axed Jadon Sancho, earning Chelsea a first half spot-kick.

    Usually such a ruthless penalty taker, Palmer seized the ball, only for Mads Hermansen to deny him with a superb save.

    Chelsea finally took the lead in spectacular fashion on the hour when Spanish defender Cucurella drilled into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

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  • ‘What sort of question is that?’: Ange’s fury with reporter over Spurs star’s skiing saga

    ‘What sort of question is that?’: Ange’s fury with reporter over Spurs star’s skiing saga

    Ange Postecoglou clashed with a journalist over questions about one of his Tottenham players’ behaviour away from football ahead of the first leg of Spurs’ crunch Round of 16 Europa League tie against Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar.

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    Having been knocked out of the FA Cup last month, Tottenham had the weekend off and on Monday, midfielder Yves Bissouma posted photos on Instagram from a ski resort.

    The Australian was then asked during his match eve press conference whether he had given the players extra time off ahead of an important match in the last competition in which Tottenham can win silverware this season.

    Postecoglou was less than impressed by the insinuation that his team were not treating the trip to the Netherlands with respect.

    “Seriously, what sort of question is that?” Postecoglou fired back before chuckling to himself.

    “No I didn’t, we were training but he decided to go skiing… “Come on mate, you’re better than that!”

    The reporter refused to back however, following up by asking Postecoglou whether the Mali international did actually go skiing to which the former Socceroos boss replied “well, obviously he did”.

    Postecoglou was then probed further about whether he had any concerns about one of his players undertaking a potentially dangerous activity when Tottenham’s season has been embroiled by an injury crisis.

    “I don’t worry about those things, mate,” Postecoglou said.

    “They’re adults, they’re human beings, they had a couple of days off.

    “They can choose to use that time as wisely as they can to help them be ready for what’s in store for us.

    “You kind of hope that they’re sensible about these things and go about whatever they do in a manner that befits the position they hold, but I have no concerns… and he’s fine.”

    Yves Bissouma posted this photo, and others, of him skiing on his Instagram earlier this week.Source: FOX SPORTS

    Bissouma started on the bench in Tottenham’s last outing, a 1-0 home loss to Manchester City in the league, and Postecoglou’s starting XI remains unclear with several stars a chance to return from injury, including centre back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, as well as striker Dominic Solanke.

    Son Heung-min is likely to return to the starting XI after coming off the bench against City due to Postecoglou’s desire to rest and rotate, clearly with this European opportunity in mind.

    But unfortunately for Spurs, Postecoglou said that Dejan Kulusevski’s foot injury is likely to keep him sidelined until after the next international break later this month.

    Tottenham finished fourth in the standings after the league stage with five wins, two draws and a loss, including a 1-0 victory at home against AZ Alkmaar, who are sixth in the Eredivisie, courtesy of a Richarlison penalty.

    It has been highly publicised that Postecoglou has a habit of winning trophies in his second season in charge, as he did at Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos, the Socceroos, Brisbane Roar and South Melbourne.

    Plus, Spurs have a much-discussed trophy drought, dating back to 2008 and they last triumphed in Europe in the 1984 UEFA Cup – the predecessor to the Europa League.

    So, Postecoglou shared that there is no need to remind him or the players of the importance of the upcoming tie.

    “Yeah, I think it is fair to say the boys really understand there is a great opportunity for us,” he said.

    “It’s a competition we obviously want to do well in. We’ve got ourselves in a good position. We’re in the round of 16, we’ve got two tough games against AZ and that’s the first thing to overcome.

    “The club hasn’t in recent years done well in this competition, but it’s a major European competition, we’re in the last 16 and for us there’s an opportunity there and we’ll see how far we can go in it.

    “With us tomorrow night, we’ve got to make sure whatever happens at the end of the game, we’ve still got an opportunity to go back to Tottenham and win the tie.

    “We understand with the home support — I’ve been here with Celtic in a Europa game, so I know the experience of it and they’re a good side — but we’ve got to make sure we play our football and dictate the tempo of the game to make sure we take a result back to Tottenham.”

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  • ‘It just sheds light’: Ange weighs in on dramatic Man City demise as stunning Spurs feat looms

    ‘It just sheds light’: Ange weighs in on dramatic Man City demise as stunning Spurs feat looms

    Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says it is no surprise Manchester City have dropped from their “unprecedented standard” following a record run of four successive English titles.

    Postecoglou’s side face faltering champions City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday as they look to beat their opponents for the third time this season.

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    Spurs’ 2-1 win in the League Cup in October was City’s first loss of the campaign and the start of a woeful run of nine defeats in 12 matches.

    Guardiola’s side are now fourth in the table, a huge 20 points behind leaders Liverpool.

    “It looks like they’re going through a rough trot at the moment but that’s because of the unbelievable standards they have set since Pep has been there,” Postecoglou told a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

    “I think it’s just a way of elite sport, you know and it just sheds light on how extraordinary they have been.

    “The fact that they did win four in a row and the consistency of that four in a row of just the sheer numbers they accumulated in terms of points, in terms of goals, in terms of wins, just competing on all (fronts), it’s just an unbelievable and probably unprecedented standard that they set.”

    Spurs win 3rd straight – Gunners choke | 03:05

    The Australian, whose Spurs team are 12th in the table, added: “And it’s only natural that that’s never going to continue forever, I mean that’s just not sustainable.”

    Spurs’ Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero remain sidelined, with Ben Davies also set to miss out against City, leaving Kevin Danso and out-of-position youngster Archie Gray continuing at the heart of the north London club’s defence.

    Spurs, however, were also missing key personnel when they won 4-0 at the Etihad in November.

    Reds sink City in epic title statement | 01:27

    “They will have times in the game where they take control and it’s how we deal with that and cope with that. We’ve done that not too bad in the games we’ve played against them and for us that will be the challenging bit,” said Postecoglou.

    “When we have our moments, we have to show quality. I know we beat them and the scoreline sounds convincing at their place, but it was the quality of our finishing that was the difference.

    “I love coming up against Pep’s teams and am looking forward to it.”

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  • Ange slams ‘ridiculous’ targeted attacks as rejuvenated Spurs win third straight

    Ange slams ‘ridiculous’ targeted attacks as rejuvenated Spurs win third straight

    Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has dismissed talk of Spurs getting relegated before their recent return to form as “ridiculous” and “hysteria”.

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    Postecoglou’s side have officially turned the corner after months of being ravaged by injuries, which led to them losing six out of seven league matches at once stage, with several of their big name stars returning to action and better results have come with them.

    Tottenham’s 4-1 win away to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Saturday was their third straight Premier League victory, the first time they have achieved a hat-trick of wins in the league since the early days of Postecolgou’s tenure in December 2023.

    Brennan Johnson scored a brace in his first start in more than a month due to a calf injury, while Djed Spence also hit the score sheet after a heavy knock kept him out for three games last month and Dejan Kulusevski, who has battled admirably all season, capped things off with the fourth and final goal.

    The win pushed them to 12th on the table, on 33 points, somehow with the fourth best goal difference in the league.

    Tottenham have won ten of their 26 matches, but are second only to league leaders Liverpool for goals scored this campaign, with 53.

    Based on those numbers, it is clear to see why Postecoglou was displeased when asked post-match about the victory putting them 16 points clear of the drop zone, meanwhile they are 11 points out of the top four.

    “It goes to show you how ridiculous a notion it was to start with,” Postecoglou said. “People saying we’re safe with 12 games to go, and people are actually talking about it. That’s the hysteria. And that’s all framed around putting pressure on me and the club. I get that, when you’re in that position you’ve got to accept that.

    “For me, it was always about trying … We always had the [Aston] Villa FA Cup game as a marker for us. We’ve got to get to that space as best we could. We obviously didn’t get the outcomes we wanted during that time. But not through a lack of will or effort from the players.

    “That was always my primary concern, to protect them and support them. Because they gave everything during that period. Now they’ve got some help, they’ve got some rest.

    “Like I said, we’re not happy where we are in the league, obviously, it’s unacceptable. But we’ve got an opportunity to address that.”

    To improve their position on the table, Tottenham will need to put in more performances like they did at Ipswich.

    An undermanned defence has struggled massively for much of the season, but it was a far more assured performance from the back four of Destiny Udogie, loanee Kevin Danso, teenager Archie Gray and Spence with the support of first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

    Postecoglou’s preferred centre back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven were absent, but he was pleased to lean on some improved squad depth.

    “I thought we did the hard things really well,” Postecoglou said. “A couple of times in the first half we lost a bit of concentration in terms of the second ball and duels.

    “It was a disappointing goal we conceded, but aside from that I thought we handled that side of the game really well.

    “I always felt we were a threat when we had the ball. Son Heung-min was unplayable in the first half and so good to get Brennan back in those areas where he’s always a threat.

    “All four of our goals were quality goals. We had to do the hard things, but the fruits of that labour was that our front third play was super exciting and clinical,” he said.

    “We’re certainly in a good space of using these two weeks as well as we could to re-energise the team and I think it has.

    “We’ve still got some significant players out. We’ve got (Dominic) Solanke, Richarlison, (Cristian) Romero, (Micky) Van de Ven, Ben Davies, he’s out today. They’re all still to come back.”

    Tottenham’s resurgence faces a stern test in the coming weeks, started by hosting Manchester City mid-week.

    Spurs have had the wood on Pep Guardiola’s side this season, demolishing them 4-0 at the Etihad as well as knocking them out of the Carabao Cup.

    But City have had a bounce back of their own, and they now sit fourth on the league table after winning three of their last four fixtures.

    Also looming is the final pursuit of silverware for the season.

    Spurs have been drawn to face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, who they defeated 1-0 in the league phase, in the two-leg Round of 16 Europa League tie.

    The first leg will take place on March 6, with return leg in London to be played the following week, and Postecoglou believes the lead-up is going to be crucial.

    “I just feel like we’ve got a really good opportunity in these next 10 days to be well equipped for what’s ahead,” he said.

    “What’s ahead is obviously Europe but also an opportunity to address our league position, which is obviously not good enough.”

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  • ‘Welcome to my world’: Ange’s cold response as Man United’s great lashes ‘really poor team’

    ‘Welcome to my world’: Ange’s cold response as Man United’s great lashes ‘really poor team’

    There was no way Ange Postecoglou was going to feel sympathetic for Ruben Amorim after Tottenham’s 1-0 win at home against Manchester United on Sunday.

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    After months of being pillaged by injury, Postecoglou welcomed back first-choice Guglielmo Vicario, who made his presence known with several key saves, and James Maddison, who scored the only goal of the game when he pounced on a rebound from Lucas Bergvall’s shot, to the starting line-up.

    Almost as importantly, Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert returned to the list of substitutes, with the latter two coming on in the second half.

    Tottenham started to look like the side who came agonisingly close to a Champions League berth last season again.

    Meanwhile, Amorim had eight teenagers among United’s nine substitutes, and he only called upon one of them.

    The sole change he made was bringing on 17-year-old striker Chido Obi for his debut with three minutes remaining as they tried to snatch a point.

    It was a predicament Postecoglou knows all too well.

    But the Australian was not in the mood to feel sorry for his rival manager as his side defeated United for the second time this Premier League season, becoming the first Spurs outfit to do the league double against the Red Devils, and for the third time in all competitions.

    “If I check my office, I don’t have any sympathy cards from other managers, so that hasn’t happened,” Postecoglou said.

    “There’s definitely a few (injury issues). I could see Ruben there, players out of position, kids on the bench. Well, welcome to my world.

    “But that’s for one game. Now do that for two months. Do that for two months. Any club. Do that for two months.

    “I thought Man United were good today, considering all that, and we had our days when we were good, we beat Liverpool in this spell.”

    The victory was Tottenham’s second straight in the league and lifted them to 12th on table, while United dropped to 15th, 12 points clear of the relegation places.

    Amorim has officially had the worst start of any United manager since the great Sir Alex Ferguson with his side recording, four wins, two draws and eight losses in the league since the Portuguese manager took over.

    The Red Devils have lost 12 of their 25 league games so far, and the last time they piled up that many losses was in 1973/74 when they were relegated from the top flight.

    The former Sporting CP boss said post-match he has “a lot of problems” and that his “job is so, so hard here”.

    But United great Gary Neville summed up how dire the situation is by saying on Sky Sports that the best part of Amorim’s tenure has been his work in front of the cameras.

    “The best thing about it has been his press conferences, and I think even today after the game, the way in which he communicates his vision and his idea, and he wants to succeed at Manchester United, and he feels he’ll get it right,” Neville said.

    “I don’t think there’s anything on the pitch that I’ve seen so far, either in results or performances, that tell me we’re watching a really good team.

    “This is a really poor team, this United team.

    “He has died in a ditch when he said very early on that I’m not going to change my ideas, and now he can’t, and I suppose that’s an issue in some ways.

    “The concern is that the players aren’t demonstrating this system yet, in any of the 20 games Ruben Amorim’s had, apart from maybe Liverpool away.”

    Like Tottenham, United are clinging to the hope of silverware in the Europa League despite their poor Premier League campaign.

    Both teams gained automatic passage to the Round of 16 courtesy of finishing in the top eight of the league phase, but Neville believes things are trending upwardly only for Spurs as they emerge from their injury struggles.

    Speaking on Sky Sports pre-match, he was full of praise for Postecoglou and even said he hoped the Australian wins the secondary European trophy, but with a caveat.

    “He’s a massive asset to the Premier League,” Neville said of Postecoglou.

    “I hope they can turn it around and do well in Europe as well.

    “I’d like United to win the competition but if they didn’t I would want Spurs to win it as well.”

    Post-match Neville again expressed his support for the former Celtic boss.

    “I don’t buy into this that everyone wants Ange Postecoglou to be sacked, or to fail, because actually, I desperately don’t,” he said.

    “I think he’s one of the best styles of play I’ve seen here for a long time.

    “It’s brilliant how he’s got his team to play. They’re so exciting to watch. I love it when I get a Tottenham game given to me.

    “Everyone wants him to succeed, but obviously results do have to improve.”

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  • PL ‘farce’ Ange can’t solve as four-word revolt exposes true villain of Spurs crisis

    PL ‘farce’ Ange can’t solve as four-word revolt exposes true villain of Spurs crisis

    As Tottenham slumped to lowly 15th place on the Premier League table with their 12th loss of the season, one person felt the wrath of Spurs’ fans and it was not Ange Postecoglou.

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    There is no denying that the Australian is under the pump, but the travelling fans who took the train north to Liverpool to watch their side concede three goals in the opening half to Everton, who had only scored 15 goals in 20 league games prior, knew the mess was not entirely Postecoglou’s fault.

    The former Socceroos boss admitted to making tactical blunders post-match as Tottenham started the game with a change of formation, a 3-4-3, that was unstuck by positioning issues and defensive errors.

    For the second half, Postecoglou changed the shape of the team to 4-2-3-1 with Richarlison coming off the bench to play alone in front of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevki and Son Heung-min, while the defence was bolstered with Djed Spence and Pedro Porro playing as full backs either side of Archie Gray and Ben Davies.

    But Postecoglou was merely moving deck chairs on the Titanic, as the saying goes.

    Postecoglou: ‘Spurs need reinforcements’ | 01:11

    With first choice goal keeper Guglielmo Vicario, and three of Postecoglou’s preferred back four in Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie, sidelined with injury, things were always going to be difficult.

    Proven goal scorers Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson as well as midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma are also in the casualty ward.

    Postecoglou did not even have the likes of much-maligned forward Timo Werner and defender Destiny Udogie, who signed for €20 million back in 2022, to call upon.

    So, where were the reinforcements?

    That question is why Tottenham chair Daniel Levy copped the wrath of Spurs fans, not Postecoglou.

    The away end at Goodison park sung ‘we want Levy out’ and the Sky Sports cameras panned to the English businessman after every Everton goal and nervy moment for Spurs.

    Levy has been the boss at Tottenham since 2001, making him the longest serving chair in the Premier League.

    During his time in charge, the 62-year-old, who made his fortune in property development and investment banking, has become renowned for sacking managers and a reluctance to spend big in transfer windows.

    Levy has sacked 13 managers during his 24-year stint, including the likes of Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Harry Redknapp, Glenn Hoddle and Nuno Espirito Santo, who is now in charge of this season’s fairytale team, Nottingham Forest.

    But Levy has changed his tune on managers in recent times, publicly declaring the need for stability during Postecoglou’s tenure, but he has been quiet recently despite reports he was recently spotted meeting with former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri.

    The change fans are most desperate for however is to bring in some new signings this January transfer window.

    Tottenham have been linked to Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, Barcelona winger Ansu Fati, who had a loan spell at Brighton last season, 17-year-old Irish prodigy Mason Melia and PSG centre back Milan Škriniar.

    Postecoglou admitted they were interested in Juventus-bound, on loan, PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani.

    But with the clock ticking, the only signings Spurs have to show so far is 21-year-old Czech goal keeper Antonin Kinsky and 18-year-old South Korean forward Yang Min-hyeok, who actually put pen to paper in July but waited until January to join the club after the K-League season.

    They are crying out for defensive support, but are yet to see them.

    According to Deloitte, Tottenham generated €631.5 million in revenue last year which was the eighth most of any football club in the world, and fourth most in the Premier League behind Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.

    But one of their star players, Romero, expressed his frustrations last month that Spurs are not spending like those clubs.

    “Manchester City competes every year, you see how Liverpool strengthens its squad, Chelsea strengthens their squad, doesn’t do well, strengthens again, and now they’re seeing results. Those are the things to imitate,” he said.

    “You have to realise that something is going wrong, hopefully, they [the board] realise it.

    “The last few years, it’s always the same – first the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it’s always the same people responsible.

    “Hopefully they realise who the true responsible ones are and we move forward because it’s a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.”

    Postecoglou said after the Everton loss that he expected the closing days of the transfer window to be action-packed for Tottenham.

    “There will be urgency but it doesn’t need me to say it, everybody can see that,” he told Sky Sports.

    “I have no issues with how the club are going about it, they are working hard and trying to find solutions. These players need help that is for sure and hopefully over the next 10 days or so we’ll find a solution. It is really tricky, we’re not the only ones in the market. The club are trying hard.”

    But fans are expecting more reluctance from Levy to spend money, and miss out on players that go on to shine at other clubs.

    Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is one such example in recent times.

    The Swede has scored 15 goals this campaign to sit third in the golden boot race, three behind leader Mohamed Salah, and former Tottenham scout Bryan King told Tottenham News that the club could have had Isak.

    “It is the same with Isak – Tottenham could have signed Isak when he was at AIK Fotboll,”

    King said.

    “I spoke to scouts at Spurs who had put dossiers together on Isak. Again, the recruitment staff at Tottenham at the time obviously ignored the possibility that Isak could be a successful player in the Premier League.

    “Borussia Dortmund then came in and paid good money for him – around £6 million. I was at Aston Villa and sat with people at Tottenham who were watching him, as I was. You might have thought he was a bit lightweight, but he was a good size, very quick and as far as I knew, Tottenham were far more interested than Aston Villa were.”

    To avoid Deja vu, Spurs fans will be hoping Levy adapts his strategy to support their spiralling Premier League campaign in the short-term.

    The League Cup, in which they lead Liverpool 1-0 after the first leg of the semi-final, the Europa League and the FA Cup remain Postecoglou’s great white hopes, but without reinforcements Tottenham will go down in flames in those competitions as the current crop of players are stretched beyond their limits.

    Therefore, there is a lot to play out in the coming days in north London.

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  • ‘There’s something…’ Legend’s worrying Ange theory as ominous presser, fan blow-up expose fury

    ‘There’s something…’ Legend’s worrying Ange theory as ominous presser, fan blow-up expose fury

    Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou said the foundations he has built at the club are “fragile” after many fans took glee in their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, which could deny north London rivals Arsenal the Premier League title.

    Spurs’ chances of Champions League football were ended by Erling Haaland’s second-half double that took City back to the top of the table, two points ahead of Arsenal going into Sunday’s final fixtures.

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    Postecoglou had dismissed suggestions on the eve of the game that Tottenham supporters would want their own side to lose if it meant denying the Gunners a first title in 20 years.

    But after a subdued atmosphere on Tuesday night, with chants mocking Arsenal in the final stages, the Australian admitted he had “misread” the situation.

    “I think the last 48 hours have revealed to me the foundations are pretty fragile. That’s things I’ve got to go back to the drawing board on,” said Postecoglou.

    The former Celtic boss was further pressed on whether his frustration was aimed at the fans or those inside the club.

    “(I) Don’t care. Outside, inside, everywhere. It’s been an interesting exercise,” he added.

    “I probably misread the situation in what it takes to make a winning team.”

    Postecoglou was left fuming after Tottenham’s loss to Manchester City. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

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    Postecoglou’s comments regarding Tottenham’s “fragile” foundations had Liverpool legend Michael Owen baffled as to what he meant, but it was evident “there’s certainly something” that has rankled the Australian in recent times.

    “I’m desperate for him to reveal a little bit more and I’m scratching my head to think he’s referring to then, but he doesn’t seem happy, does he,” Owen told Premier League Productions.

    “I wonder what that can be, whether he’s had a meeting with the people above, if he’s started looking ahead to next season already, which would surprise me if he had. That’s a head scratcher, that one.

    “But there’s certainly something that’s affected him and annoying him at the moment. That will obviously come out in the hours and days to come, but not a happy man.”

    Perhaps Postecoglou’s frustrations are centred around the atmosphere — or lack of — generated by the Tottenham faithful.

    The Tottenham boss spoke on Tuesday that he’d “never understand if somebody wants their own team to lose”, but he received a rude awakening against City.

    Cameras showed two Tottenham fans celebrating by doing the Poznan — a City celebration — when Haaland scored the opener as a chant of “Are you watching Arsenal?” echoed around the stadium.

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    It supposedly took its toll on Postecoglou as footage emerged of him ripping into a supporter behind the team’s bench, although it is unclear exactly what is said by the Aussie boss.

    And when asked if the subdued atmosphere was a result of Tottenham’s rivalry with Arsenal and the implications of beating City, Postecoglou delivered a telling response.

    “I’m just not interested mate,” Postecoglou said.

    “Maybe I’m out of step, but I just don’t care, I just want to win. I want to be successful at this football club, it’s why I was brought in.

    “So what other people, how they want to feel, and what their priorities are, are of zero interest to me.

    “I know what’s important to build a winning team, that’s what I need to concentrate on.”

    Postecoglou added: “I can’t dictate what people do. Yeah, when we’ve got late winners in games, it is because the crowd has helped us.

    “What other people’s priorities are doesn’t interest me. I know what we need to build a winning team and that’s what I’m concentrating on.”

    Tottenham still have work to do to guarantee fifth place and Europa League football next season, but only need a point when they travel to relegated Sheffield United on Sunday to do so.

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  • ‘Couldn’t care less, mate’: Ange’s stinging response as Spurs take pole position in race for fourth

    ‘Couldn’t care less, mate’: Ange’s stinging response as Spurs take pole position in race for fourth

    Despite Tottenham taking a major step towards Champions League qualification, Ange Postecoglou insisted he “couldn’t care less about the race for fourth”.

    Postecoglou’s side took full advantage of Aston Villa’s 3-3 draw against Brentford as they eased to a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest.

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    The victory over Forest meant Tottenham leapfrogged Villa into fourth place as both sides sit level on 60 points but the former enjoy a better goal differential with +20 to Villa’s +17.

    Tottenham also have a game in hand, placing them in pole position to secure top four and guarantee Champions League football for next season.

    In the press conference after Tottenham’s win over Forest, Postecoglou was asked with the very first question if he felt like his side had taken control of the race for fourth.

    It left the Aussie chuckling to himself before delivering a trademark response as he expressed his delight at how his troops largely nullified a team scrapping for survival.

    “Yeah, go right for it, right from the start,” Postecoglou said.

    “Couldn’t care less about the race for fourth, mate. What I care about is the way the team is progressing.

    “Pleased with today. It had a little bit of everything. We started the game well, not just the goal, I thought we controlled the game well.

    Postecoglou isn’t fussed about the top four race. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

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    “Then we conceded from a counter attack which was obviously disappointing. I thought we lost our way a little bit towards the back end of that first half, but a super reaction and the whole second half we were really dominant.

    “We played some good football and scored a couple of good goals and created a couple more against a team that is desperate for points and fighting for everything.

    “I guess every team is fighting for something and I thought we handled it really well.”

    Postecoglou also hailed the impact of half time substitutes Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as the duo delivered the “energy” and “quality” Tottenham needed to take control of the game.

    “Yes, it made a difference,” Postecoglou said.

    “It wasn’t anything Biss (Yves Bissouma) or Pape (Matar Sarr) did.

    “I just thought, I have the luxury of a strong squad now which I didn’t for the middle part of the year and I thought we needed some energy and legs in the midfield for the second half because I could see Forest were working really hard to maintain their grip on the game.

    “I thought Pierre and Roddy were outstanding in the energy they brought and the quality they brought in the second half.”

    Tottenham’s next challenge comes in the form of Newcastle United at St James’ Park on April 13.

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  • Ange Postecoglou’s classy message to Premier League rival Mauricio Pochettino ahead of Spurs return

    Ange Postecoglou’s classy message to Premier League rival Mauricio Pochettino ahead of Spurs return

    Ange Postecoglou has called for Tottenham fans to show respect to Mauricio Pochettino when he returns to his former club with Chelsea on Monday.

    Blues boss Pochettino will be back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time since his sacking in 2019.

    The Argentine enjoyed a largely successful five-year spell with Tottenham and guided them to their first Champions League final just months before his dismissal by chairman Daniel Levy.

    When Tottenham were looking for a new manager in the close-season, Pochettino was linked with a return to the club after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

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    Ange Postecoglou will face off against former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.Source: Getty Images

    But Tottenham hired Postecoglou from Celtic and Pochettino opted to join his old team’s London rivals, raising the possibility that Spurs fans will give the 51-year-old a hostile reception.

    However, Postecoglou hopes Pochettino is afforded a show of respect from the stands.

    “Look, it is undoubted that he had an unbelievable impact on this football club,” he told reporters on Thursday.

    “He almost took the club to the ultimate summit of the Champions League, got close to the league, so his work is unquestioned.

    “Everyone I speak to around here, there are still people who worked with him, they can’t speak highly enough of him as a person and as a manager.

    “I doubt there will be anything but respect for Mauricio from anyone at this football club, supporters or people associated, but it doesn’t mean he will get a guard of honour on Monday night because we want to win.

    “I don’t think he would expect that, but his tenure here and impact here is undeniable and will stand the test of time.”

    Chelsea’s Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino has endured a difficult time at the Blues.Source: AFP

    Postecoglou has made a flying start at Tottenham, leading his unbeaten side to the top of the Premier League with eight wins from 10 games.

    In stark contrast to the Australian’s instant impact, Pochettino has suffered plenty of teething problems at Chelsea.

    Despite spending more than £350 million ($664 million AUD) on new signings during the close-season, Pochettino’s injury-hit team are languishing in 11th place after only three league wins.

    Asked to assess Pochettino’s predicament, Postecoglou offered support for the Argentine.

    “What I know is you don’t really know what challenges exist until you’re in it,” he said.

    “What I have to deal with and what Mauricio has to deal with are probably very, very different, but in essence what we are trying to do is the same thing: build a team that we believe can bring success.

    “You look at Mauricio’s track record and I’ve got no doubt he’ll get Chelsea on the right path, I’ve no doubt about that.”

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