Postecoglou Acknowledges ‘Disastrous Mistakes’ in His Time at Spurs

Ange Postecoglou is banking on the philosophy encapsulated in the ‘Stonecutter’s Credo’ to steer Tottenham towards salvaging what has been an “utterly disastrous” season by clinching the Europa League.

With pressure mounting to secure his position, Postecoglou faces a challenging task as Tottenham sit in 16th place in the Premier League, heading into Sunday’s match against Liverpool.

A loss at Anfield would match the North London side’s all-time high of 19 top-flight losses in a single campaign.

Liverpool require only a draw to secure the title, and another defeat seems likely for Postecoglou, whose only lifeline appears to lie in the Europa League.

Tottenham, who last lifted a significant trophy in the 2008 League Cup, are set to welcome Bodo/Glimt for the first leg of the semi-final on Thursday.

In a season marked by disappointment, Postecoglou referenced the ‘Stonecutter’s Credo’—an idea popularised by Danish-American author Jacob Riis more than a century ago—to illustrate that one can never predict when a breakthrough will occur.

” I often discuss the Stonecutter’s creed with the players,” Postecoglou shared with the media on Friday.

“The 101st blow is the one that cracks the rock, but no one witnesses the previous 100 blows. They mistakenly believe it’s the last strike that achieved it. That is not the case.

“Time will reveal whether the approaches I’ve taken over the past two years will lead us to that breakthrough. If not, there may have been reasons, but that won’t be known until we get there.

“It underscores the notion that if you persist in doing the right thing, the effect might be invisible because the 101st blow is made possible by all the previous efforts, even if they seem futile or misguided in the eyes of others. Yet the stonecutter understands the necessity of persistence, knowing success will eventually arrive.”

The former Celtic manager had previously claimed he consistently secures a trophy in his second season at the helm.

Despite Tottenham’s underwhelming performances, they still hold a chance of fulfilling the Australian’s ambitious promise, which even he finds surprising.

“I’m striving to reshape the narrative surrounding the club. There seems to be a persistent expectation for this club to falter, leaving no room for a solid foundation to be laid for a different future,” Postecoglou explained.

“What is clear is that we know what hasn’t worked here. Indeed, I’m attempting to bring about significant changes.

“It hasn’t all gone to plan—some elements have gone wrong, and I accept that—but from the outset, I stated that we need to take a different approach if we are ever to break free from the cycle this club has found itself in.

“Strangely enough, we are still in a position where that change is possible.”