Ange Postecoglou has made it clear that he won’t let the hostile reactions from Tottenham fans undermine him following their difficult 1-0 loss to Chelsea on Thursday, during which he dismissed claims of provoking his critics.
The Tottenham manager faced chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” from frustrated fans when he substituted Brennan Johnson and Pape Sarr for Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall during the second half at Stamford Bridge.
This isn’t the first time in recent weeks that Postecoglou has encountered growing dissatisfaction among fans disillusioned with his performance as he embarks on his second season in charge.
Currently, Tottenham sits in a disappointing 14th position in the Premier League, following Enzo Fernandez’s header in the 50th minute, which marked their 16th loss in 30 league matches.
With no wins in their previous four league outings, the north London club risks facing their poorest finish since 1993-94 when they ended up in 15th place.
As speculation around his potential dismissal intensifies after two consecutive defeats, Postecoglou remains resolute in not allowing fan criticism to affect him.
“It doesn’t bother me. It’s not the first time they have booed my substitutions,” he stated.
“If that’s how the fans feel, they’re entitled to express their opinion. They invest their money and support the club, and they’ll be here long after I’m gone.”
“It doesn’t affect me. My focus is on what I can control. I can’t control the fans, but I can control our performance on the field, and that’s where my concentration lies.”
Before VAR disallowed what could have been an equaliser from Sarr, Postecoglou was seen cupping his ear towards the Tottenham supporters in a move interpreted as a reaction to their disparagement.
He clarified that this was not his intention, saying: “Honestly, mate, it’s incredible how things get interpreted. I was just encouraging them to celebrate what we thought was a goal.”
“I feel like there’s a disconnect with people these days. If you want to read it as me trying to make a statement, that’s fine. I just wanted some excitement.”
‘It’s ruining the game’
Postecoglou also expressed his frustration with VAR, noting that the lengthy decision-making process led to 12 minutes of stoppage time in the second half.
“This isn’t the same game it used to be. We’re standing around for 12 minutes, and it’s ruining the experience, but no one seems to care about that; they just thrive on the drama and controversy,” he remarked.
“They’re not considering that it’s killing the spectacle. It’s mad, it’s bonkers. But we have to accept it and deal with the consequences.”
Postecoglou’s chances of avoiding the sack may hinge on securing a victory in the upcoming Europa League clash, as the quarter-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt approaches next week.
However, for Tottenham to finally lift a trophy after a 17-year drought and to support Postecoglou’s claim that he usually clinches a major title in his second season, there must be a substantial improvement from their recent performances.
“We allowed a really poor goal that has become too common for us. Those mistakes have cost us dearly. That was frustrating,” he acknowledged.
“I thought our reaction was commendable. We scored, but that was ruled out, and we had a few chances towards the end.”
In contrast to Postecoglou, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has also faced criticism of late, but his team sit in a much healthier position, currently occupying fourth place.
Chelsea is one point ahead of fifth-placed Manchester City in the battle for Champions League qualification.
“The result is crucial as we near the end of the season,” Maresca noted.
“If we want to establish ourselves as a top side, we need to grind out victories, even if they aren’t pretty, so I’m quite pleased.”
“If you evaluate the result, then achieving Champions League qualification is significant. But from my perspective, since day one, I believe the team is consistently improving.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
