Ange Postecoglou had plenty to say in his press conference ahead of Tottenham's Europa League match against Elfsborg.
The Tottenham head coach's future has been the subject of plenty of speculation this week amid a run of terrible form in the Premier League with just one win in 11 matches in that competition. He was asked about his future, the latest transfer news around the club, injury updates both positive and negative as well as the imminent loan for Yang Min-hyeok to QPR.
Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Postecoglou. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference at Hotspur Way.
What's the latest team news?
Micky is good. He is good to go and we will try to get him some match minutes tomorrow. That’s the plan. Let’s see how much we can get out of him tomorrow. He has a good week/10 days training with the team and is in good condition so he is fine.
In terms of the other guys, Madders has a calf strain so he is probably two to three weeks. He picked that up in the Hoffenheim game which was a week ago almost. Pape is okay, he still has got a bit of a niggle but he is okay and available. Biss is available. I think that is it for tomorrow night at this stage
Are you feeling the pressure after Sunday's defeat?
Me, personally? No different to any other game mate. It’s a game I want to win and we go into it with the same intent. It’s a competition we have done really well in to be in a great position. We want to solidify our position and finish in the top eight. That’s in our hands tomorrow night. A win makes it certain, a draw is probably going to be good enough as well. Finishing in the top eight for us is hugely important because it gives us a good foothold in the tournament and also gives us a couple of weeks where we don’t have midweek games which at this point we are at is really important.
What's your message to angry Spurs fans? My message would be to all Spurs fans because I represent them all not just the angry ones that you are referring to or maybe talking to. All Spurs fans. We are working hard to turn this around. Obviously we know the situation, notwithstanding the fact the possibilities and opportunities in the second half of this season are still very much in our hands to capitalise on and still make it a successful season.
What's the latest on Cristian Romero?
Cuti's still a bit of a slow burner. We're mindful his injury was a bit different and he's still got to tick a few boxes so, yeah, not for the horizon at the moment in terms of this weekend. We'll see how he goes after.
How's the injury crisis been for you, have you been running from the physios when you see them coming?
It's well chronicled. Earlier in the year it was a different issue, we were kind of dealing with guys coming back and getting injured. But since probably late November, it's been logical that with the workload of the players we'll be getting niggles along the way and people picking up things. That's a natural consequence and not something that really we can do much about obviously. It hasn't been something you're surprised by.
What's the thinking behind Yang Min-hyeok going on loan to QPR?
Just to give him a chance to settle in to a new culture, a new environment, new league, new country. He's very young and we feel he needs to be allowed to settle. And with our current situation, the last thing I want to do is throw in another young player. We've got enough that we're exposing, they're doing awfully well. He's obviously a long-term investment for the football club and we've got to do the right thing by him.
There's big pressure and questions about your job every week, how are you dealing with that?
Are you still rock solid behind me? You don't know? I've lost you as well. I thought you'd be the last one standing for me, mate. If I've lost you I must be in trouble! It doesn't affect me, it never has, it never will. My view has never been about self-preservation or security. It's about trying to achieve and we're still in a position where we can do that. You suggest there's a running commentary around me at the moment which is not surprising considering our league position. I don't have to respond to that or get involved with that, it just doesn't interest or affect me.
What is important to me is my responsibility to...as I said, people can choose to ignore it, but we're still in a great position this year, I'm going to push this group of players and everyone at the club to not lose sight of the fact that this is a tough spot we're in but the possibilities of us doing something special are still there if we work our way through it.
Do you feel you've had enough backing from the board this January?
Everyone is trying their utmost. I don’t think anyone is working against me. I don’t think anyone wants me to fail. I think everyone genuinely at the football club… this kind of situation is a tough gig for a manager. You can be very isolated, you can be very vulnerable. I don’t feel that. The people I work with are doing their utmost to try and help me guide us through this. I don’t feel like anyone is blocking that. From my perspective my focus is firmly on the things I can control which is making sure I prepare a team for a really big game tomorrow.
Are you confident about getting a new signing in this transfer window?
I’d be disingenuous if I said anything other than fight now there’s nothing imminent but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity being explored. Traditionally the last few days of any window tend to be pretty frenetic. I expect us to be involved in that. Does that mean anything will get concluded? I can’t commit to that because I’m a bit of a distance from it but the information and dialogue I have is we’re exploring all the opportunities to see if we can bring some help in with the finances.
There have been reports about the lower percentage of wages at Spurs in relation to revenue, compared to other clubs, do you think that plays a part?
I’d be overstepping my mark if I started commenting on that. I’m not within proximity of the financials to be able to give a real clear answer on that. It’s not something that I have any exposure to. I wouldn’t be able to know how our wage bill stacks up against anyone else’s. At every club I’ve been at I’ve never asked those questions. That doesn’t mean I haven’t known because some clubs do volunteer that and give you a clear picture. All I can focus on is right now the club is trying everything in its power to get at least some help in for the players. That’s where my focus is. The topic of the finances, it’s better that other people at the club speak about it.
With Micky coming back, what does he bring to this team and how wary are you of bring him straight back in?
I am not wary because he has got to come back at some stage. We can keep him training forever and never play and he maybe gets injured, that’s not how it works. We’ve done everything in our power and we did last time too. Last time he probably played more than he should have him in that first game but again hindsight and the circumstances around that game without rewriting history were pretty challenging anyway, but he’s ticked every box, worked awfully hard and been given clearance by the medical team. Invariably when you’ve had one injury it means you are always going to take a conservative approach, which we have and at some stage he has to play.
What we’ve got to make sure is to just manage his minutes now to give him every chance to grow into it, but he’s enormous for us because A he is a fantastic player, and B with a lot of these guys who will come back, they are just champing at the bit to help so there is an energy there, a positivity there and for the guys who have been on the grind for a while, just having him training is a boost. Having him out there tomorrow I think even for our supporters it just gives you some energy and renewed energy, particularly for the core group of players who have got us through the last two and a half months, I think it gives us an enormous lift. So, really happy to have him back and tomorrow night is a good game for him to get back into it, European football, so a good way to reintegrate him in and I’m sure he’ll do well.
How is Djed Spence?
Djed will be fine for the weekend. He is not available tomorrow so I was just talking about tomorrow’s team.
I just mean because he missed the game?
Yeah he’ll be fine for the weekend, but him and Reguilon are obviously not involved for tomorrow.
With Lucas Bergvall, how would you say he's dealt with the pressure and demands of playing at this level?
Outstandingly well. We lose sight of the fact that he's only 18-years-old but also his previous senior experience is in the Swedish league so he's coming from a different league, obviously a step up in the league level. Different country, different environment. As an 18-year-old for him to be taking such a massive responsibility on his shoulders to not only play but also try to make an impact for the team, I think has been outstanding.
I'll keep saying it, that as tough as it's been and it's been tough, we're going to get so much benefit from the likes of him and Archie coming through this really not like 18-year-olds, but like men, wanting to help the club through this process, once we hit some calmer waters we'll truly see them flourish even more. He's been outstanding and it's a credit to him as much as a person as it is as a player that he's tackled this in the way that he has.
With Dejan Kulusevski, how important have his qualities as a leader been off the pitch as well?
Hugely so. That was the other area of growth for us that we haven't had Vicario and Romero, part of our leadership group, for large parts of this season and it's fallen on Sonny and Madders' shoulders to carry that load and I think through this time, Deki and Solanke in particular, I think both of them in performances but just with their general demeanour around the place have really taken on the responsibility of leading us through this. Deki has been outstanding, with his football but also his mentality and again it's a great area for us of growth. When all our players come back, I'm sure they're going to feel like they've grown through this period as well. In a difficult season, Deki has been outstanding all year and really important for us.
What can you say about Elfsborg?
Obviously a bit different scenario for them to us. They've had their off-season so they've probably got a hell of a lot of enthusiasm and looking forward to a new season. They had a great result last week against Nice. A good team, well structured and organised, hard-working and pretty direct in their play. They're going to challenge us with their style of play. They're in a good position to make the knockout stages of the Europa League which will be a great achievement for them. It will be a good challenge for us tomorrow night.
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