Exclusive: Ange Postecoglou relishing ‘fight’ to turn things around at Tottenham ahead of meeting with old enemy
Updated 12/12/2024 at 11:22 GMT
Ange Postecoglou says he is ready to once again prove his doubters wrong ahead of Tottenham's clash with Rangers in the UEFA Europa League. Spurs have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions and Postecoglou has been booed by sections of fans. However, the Australian is full of belief he can turn things around as he returns to Glasgow to face a familiar foe.
'They wrote me off after five weeks in Scotland!' - Postecoglou 'not bothered' by job speculation
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou was in a defiant mood ahead of his return to Glasgow to resume his rivalry with Rangers at Ibrox in the UEFA Europa League, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Postecoglou was in charge of Celtic for two seasons before leaving the Scottish Premiership for the chance to take over in north London.
The Australian made an immediate impact in the Premier League both on and off the pitch and led Spurs to a fifth-place finish in his first season in charge.
However, the 59-year-old has struggled to build on his early success, with his side languishing down in 11th in the Premier League after just one win in their last five domestic fixtures.
He was booed after Tottenham’s 1-0 loss at Bournemouth and that was followed by a 4-3 defeat at home to Chelsea, a match in which they surrendered a 2-0 lead.
But Postecoglou is no stranger to criticism. He had his doubters in the early part of his Celtic reign before turning things around and says he is ready to "fight" to bring glory to Spurs.
"I’ve been pretty fortunate to have some success but it’s the one constant," he told TNT Sports. "There’s always times where there are doubts and concerns and people questioning what you’re doing.
"I’ve never really been bothered by that in terms of it allowing me to be distracted from what I know is important.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/09/27/4045025-82038148-2560-1440.jpg)
Tottenham v Qarabag Europa League highlights as 10-man Spurs cruise to victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
"They wrote me off after five weeks in Scotland and that turned out alright. It’s only taken 18 months down south for people to write me off.
"That’s OK, I enjoy the fight, I enjoy the battle, I enjoy when the doubts are there and you stay strong and find a path forward. I’m still loving every minute of what I do and where I’m at and we all feel like strong sense of responsibility to get this club where it wants to be."
Postecoglou won five trophies in his two years at Celtic (two Premierships, one Scottish Cup and two League Cups) and got the better of Rangers six times in 11 Old Firms in that spell.
- ‘He’s already tired’ – Cole, Laurens question if Guardiola is ‘right guy' for Man City 'rebuild'
- Exclusive: Ekitike on learning from Messi and why he and Marmoush are at '50%' of what they can be
- How to watch Astana v Chelsea on TNT Sports and discovery+
But this will be his first game against the Scottish giants in Europe, however, and both sides will be desperate to claim all three points.
Rangers sit eighth in the new league phase, above ninth-placed Tottenham only on goal difference.
During his time in Scotland, Postecoglou's brand of football proved a constant thorn in Rangers' side and was widely praised, but amid an ongoing injury crisis and a dip in results, his complete dedication to his philosophy has led some to question his management of one of the biggest clubs in the UK.
"I guess it’s one of those things where they just keep asking and hoping that one day [I’ll change]," he added. "I’ll probably do it at my last press conference, I’ll just walk off and say, ‘Yeah, I think my approach has been wrong these last four years’.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/12/12/4071738-82572408-2560-1440.jpg)
'Not the time to point fingers' - Postecoglou says Romero comments 'not helpful'
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I get it and those questions usually come when things aren’t going well and you understand people are always going to question it.
"When I do have success, people see me as a person of principle and use that as a label to show why I’ve been successful and yet that’s used against me in difficult times.
"I can only be who I am and can only do what I believe. I believe it to my core, I live and breathe it. For better or worse, from what it looks like on the outside, I’ll always stick to the path I think is best for the club I’m with."
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/12/11/4071535-82568353-2560-1440.jpg)
Clement says Rangers need to ‘survive’ press against ‘very aggressive’ Spurs
Video credit: TNT Sports
Romero ‘understands’ comments were wrong
Postecoglou also addressed comments made by centre-back Cristian Romero in the aftermath of Tottenham’s capitulation against Chelsea from 2-0 up.
Romero was forced off with another injury in the 15th minute to deal Postecoglou a further blow and was then quoted as saying "something is going wrong" in relation to spending at the club in an interview with Spanish broadcaster Telemundo Deportes.
The 26-year-old has since apologised for those remarks, with Postecoglou adamant everyone at Tottenham is "united" in their desire to achieve success.
"There’s a couple things in there," Postecoglou began. "I think he [Romero] was really disappointed and frustrated with the way the game went on Sunday. He built himself up for a big game, he was desperate to come back, we started so well and then he gets injured and the game doesn’t pan out the way it does.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/12/08/4070638-82550413-2560-1440.jpg)
‘Born out of desperation’ - Postecoglou reflects on ‘painful’ Spurs defeat
Video credit: SNTV
"And he’s a leader, he’s a vice-captain, I think he felt compelled to try and contribute. Some of it was good in that he really cares and believes in what we’re doing, but some of it he didn’t say in the right way and it’s not helpful for anyone.
"I’ve had a good chat with him about it. In times when things are really tough, you’ve really got to stay united, it’s not the time to point fingers or put blame on individuals or other things because I don’t believe that’s the case anyway.
"He understands he definitely shouldn’t have publicly cast a light on the club that somehow we’re not united in what we’re trying to do because we are.
"The board down to everyone involved, we understand we’re in a tough time but he does care and I think that’s important."
- - -
TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League across the 2024/25 season. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
Related Topics
Thoughts?