OK, I’m on a bit of an Ange Postecoglou love-fest tonight. What can I say, Tottenham Hotspur won a huge match today, are in another European cup final, and I’m flying high. But I think it’s important to listen to the guy when things are going well, and not just focus on the negatives.
Yes, there have been plenty of negatives, and those shouldn’t be discounted. But one thing I’ve always appreciated about Postecoglou during his two years at the club is that he, perhaps more than any other Spurs manager I’ve seen since I started following this stupid club in 2007, really and truly GETS what it means to be a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur.
Some of that comes through with how he deals with the English press. There’s a game of sorts that reporters play with football managers in press conferences. The rules are unspoken, but we all know what they are — reporters ask leading or irritating questions to try and provoke a reaction, after which a narrative can be created, or furthered, or changed.
Ange knows the game, he just doesn’t play according to the rules. That came through in tonight’s press conference in Norway after the 2-0 win over Bodø/Glimt that sent Spurs to the Europa League finals on May 21. A reporter started to ask Ange a question about the importance of the upcoming final to Manchester United in the context of what has also been a disappointing league season.
Ange, being Ange, didn’t want to hear it, and dismissed the premise of the question, while also giving one of the best defenses of the club explanations of what it means to be a Spurs fan I’ve ever heard from a Tottenham manager.
Here’s the full exchange.
United have constantly said that this competition won’t save their season. The manager has said it, the players have said it. Would it save Tottenham’s season or is it different?
“Why do I care what Man United think? Why is that relevant to me? Ask the Manchester United manager why he said that. Me, I’ve said all along that this is important.”
To rephrase, what does it mean for Tottenham’s season?
“Well, to be fair, you know better than me. You’ve followed this club for longer than I have. What do you think a trophy would do for this club?”
I think it would be massive.
“Exactly. That’s exactly right. So the question answers itself, it doesn’t need me to... but what’s happening now is people are fearing that. That it actually might happen and let’s see how we can tear it down somehow and diminish it somehow by saying it’s been a poor season and we don’t deserve this or we don’t deserve that.
“Or somehow comparing us to Man United. Maybe if we had Man United’s success then maybe I’d have a different view. But I came into this role, you know better than me, I could have been sitting here at exactly the same time in fifth position and I can guarantee that the commentary around me ‘well that’s great Ange but this club needs to win something’.
“That’s exactly what everyone would be saying. So of course it’s massive. Of course it is, because you have to frame it against what this club has been through over the last 15 or 20 years and what the supporters have been through.
“Man United have got their own journey to go on. Maybe if they go 15 years without winning something they’ll change their perspective on things as well.”
I know I keep asking you to watch videos tonight, but honestly — this exchange is even better hearing him directly.
Wow. WOW. That’s just fantastic. Utterly, utterly great. And you know what’s even better? Apparently the reporter in the exchange was none other than our good buddy Matt Law!
Outstanding.
Elsewhere, Postecoglou did what he always does and praised his players for their resilience and performance in what was an incredible atmosphere at the Aspmyra Stadion in Norway.
“The players were outstanding. They were well-prepared tonight, the staff did a great job of making sure the boys were really clear about what we needed to do. They executed it perfectly. It’s been well-chronicled in the last few days it’s a difficult place to come through, they’ve got a really imposing home record, not just with wins but with goals, I thought the lads just handled it really well, as they have throughout this European campaign, particularly the knock-out stages, and credit to them, I thought they did an outstanding job.
“[Reaching a European final], it’s a great opportunity. It’s my fourth year in European football, plenty of people have been in European football for longer than I have, they haven’t got to a final. So you understand it’s something that you need to appreciate. And I’ll certainly do that. I haven’t really thought a lot about it, because obviously the focus is on tonight. More importantly, just really pleased for the players and the staff, and particularly our supporters. There were a few hundred here tonight who I’m sure will remember this night. And thousands back home. We’ve given them some real hope and something to dream about, that we can do something special this year.”