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Manager Ange Postecoglou

Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports

Was sacking Ange a good idea?

  • Yes, I think it was a good idea.

    Votes: 73 64.6%

  • No, I think it was a bad idea.

    Votes: 40 35.4%
  • Total voters
    113
Brian Fantana said:
Or flat track bullies?

We’ve drawn with Leicester, lost to Newcastle and scraped past Coventry. Whilst some of what he says has been written in here, it’s not a particularly fair article. Sounds like one he’s written expecting us to lose Sunday so he can heap pressure on us on MNF by discussing our faults.
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It sounds like one from his drafts at the back end of last season and the electric was due.

What's odd is that you could replace the teams of Spurs and United around and the article would make a bit more sense.

The stats are literally out there for free and pretty easy to find. We haven't conceded a single goal from a counter attack all season, we have one of the best defensive records in the league. We're the best pressers in the entire league so much so that teams cannot really come out and play against us, we're definitely not easy to play against.

Easy to perhaps contain by forging a low block? Sure. But every single top team in world football has struggled against low blocks.
 
Mick Cooper said:
Today's Telegraph article

Tottenham are flat-track bullies – they are too easy to play against
Spurs are style over substance under Ange Postecoglou and if that doesn’t change, he’ll be under pressure
Shortly after appointing Ange Postecoglou, Daniel Levy addressed a supporters’ meeting and confidently stated: “We have our Tottenham back.”
Cynics will say the chairman has been proven right. Under Postecoglou, Spurs are pleasing on the eye but inconsistent, miles off being a title contender and their best chance of a successful season is winning a cup.
This has been the Tottenham way for most of my lifetime.
Whenever Spurs visit the toughest venues – as they will when heading to Manchester United this weekend – you anticipate an entertaining game and a home win. I would never turn off the TV if Spurs are playing because there is an expectation of goals at both ends.
Postecoglou was welcomed in north London because it is clear what he is not as much as what he is. He could ride a wave for following a plan far removed from Antonio Conte and being the anti-Jose Mourinho. There was relief that the era of pragmatic, ultra-tactical defensive football was over, the new manager was a breath of fresh air.

“I just feel we’re seeing football we used to see, and that is all we want.” Levy told an enthusiastic audience.
Twelve months on, Levy’s comments are not ageing so well. While ambitious tactics are the minimum requirement for a Spurs coach to be accepted, there has to be a higher remit for a club of such stature.
The initial goodwill for Postecoglou has eroded because since the second half of last season there has been a worrying downturn.

Spurs head to Old Trafford after Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Qarabag in the Europa League having lost seven of their last 12 Premier League games. That run absorbed two North London derby defeats, which will not be unrelated to the growing murmurs from supporters about the team’s direction, even if the majority are patient enough to see if his principles pay off. Two seasons ago Tottenham finished above Woolwich, but now they have seen their rivals reap the reward of sticking to a long-term plan. Postecoglou needs statement results and performances during an ongoing transitional period to maintain trust that his side is on a similar trajectory to Mikel Arteta’s, who suffered plenty of bumps before getting where they are today.
Over Postecoglou’s 18 games against the clubs which finished in the top nine last season, Spurs have won four. They are in danger of being seen as flat-track bullies. That must change.
As is often the case with managers when the questions get tougher, the demeanour and remarks which were greeted with excitement during a honeymoon period can start to wear thin and become a stick with which to beat a coach when the mood changes.
Saying your beliefs were honed by mentor Ferenc Puskas’s idea that “we will win 5-4 every week and I’ll enjoy it” plays well to the gallery when winning eight of your first 10 games, but not so much when your side has three clean sheets in the past 26 Premier League games.
Shrugging off vulnerabilities from set-piece defending may be tolerated after occasional lapses in concentration, but not after conceding from corners in consecutive matches against your bitterest rivals. As a centre-back pairing, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – a World Cup winner alongside one of the quickest defenders in the world – have the potential to be one of the best in the Premier League. It is a valid tactical discussion as to whether they are being left too exposed and might benefit from a more balanced set-up.
The investment in the Tottenham squad under Postecoglou has been significant. Around £379 million has been spent, albeit a significant portion of that was due to the sale of Harry Kane. Eye-catching fees were paid for Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson and the jury is out on whether they can elevate themselves from good players to Champions League class. Most of the money has been spent on youngsters rather than ready-made, senior players to improve the starting XI.
These are all worthy talking points for supporters, media and pundits who judge Postecoglou on more than whether his team is a good watch. That is why the press conferences which were box-office for entertaining one-liners when Postecoglou was at Celtic and first arrived at Spurs now seem more tense. The friendly tone now sounds more confrontational, as if the Tottenham manager feels he is being unfairly challenged.
In Postecoglou’s defence, he may be asking himself if the excellent start last season was more of a curse than blessing as it heightened immediate expectations.
Part of the problem in assessing Spurs in 2024 is it is difficult to know what the summit of their ambition truly is.
Watching the video of that meeting between Levy and the fans, as an outsider it is interesting to consider what ‘having our Tottenham back’ really means in terms of tangible success.
If Manchester United, Liverpool, Woolwich or Chelsea declare themselves ‘back’ they mean they are chasing and winning Premier League titles.
Does having Tottenham ‘back’ refer to the recent past, when Mauricio Pochettino led the club to four successive Champions League qualifications and a final?
Does it mean going back to the Keith Burkinshaw era of the 1980s, when they won FA Cups and a European trophy?
If it is purely about entertaining football, Postecoglou can consider himself one of the safest managers in the country.
When thinking about the classic Spurs identity, I immediately remember the classic 1980s line-up with Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles. They were a creative team that won major honours – famously winning back-to-back FA Cups in 1981 and 1982 – and were more consistent than many remember in the league, too.
Between 1981 and 1990, Spurs finished in the top four on five occasions. Despite that, even the great Spurs side of that era had a reputation for lacking the consistency to beat the best over a league season.
When Pochettino’s Spurs side finished second in 2017 it was the club’s highest league finish since 1963.
After finishing fifth last season, at any other of the biggest clubs in England the next logical step would be regarded as qualifying for the Champions League and winning a trophy.
At Spurs? I am genuinely unsure if the manager and his chairman would welcome or bristle at the idea that anything less than that in 2024-25 would be a failure. That may be a cultural problem which has held Spurs back too often whenever they need to propel themselves towards titles.
Every club wants its own style, and there is no question Postecoglou has restored Tottenham’s. Now he needs more substance.
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Watch the bed wetters let this get to them in EXACTLY the same way they did when Carragher and the crew said Conte winning ugly was unsustainable.

The style we play isn’t the problem, the problem is not having the spine to stick to it.
 
Mick Cooper said:
Our defence panicking when overloaded, corners/free kicks
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We've conceded 1 goal from 40 corners against us this season. And that was to the team known for being the best in the world at them and even then, most people think it was a foul anyway.

It's a lazy narrative for those who haven't really watched us this season. Our set up for defending corners has changed and as such, we're quite clearly much better at defending them. Which surprises me as Carragher seems to want to come across as a respected pundit.

In terms of our defence panicking when overloaded, not entirely sure that's a true example for us being easy to play against this season just on the basis that I can't think of a single time this season where we've conceded due to being overloaded.

We've got the 3rd best defence in terms of limiting opponents to chances in the entire league. Behind City, who've won the league in 6 of the last 7 years and Liverpool (who've conceded 1 goal all season)

Thats the definition of not being easy to play against.

Again, if Carraghers whole premise is that "easy to play against" means give us the ball and see if we can break down a low block then sure. But he could have wrote that article for City following the Woolwich game.
 
John Thomas said:
Ha ha!!.
I remember the same helmet getting ridiculed on here last year for predicting we wouldn't be a title challenger when we was top after around 8 games 😆😆





Oh. Hang on .:ange-bored2:
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I had the same argument at a Halloween party last year.
Being Spain the mix of fans was incredible from Rangers to Brighton. I heard a Brummie accent telling a group of golfers that Spurs couldn't sustain a title charge once injuries bit.Beer fuelled i took him to task but soon came the Chelsea game the point that I decided Postecoglu was a useless fraud.
 
John Thomas said:
Ha ha!!.
I remember the same helmet getting ridiculed on here last year for predicting we wouldn't be a title challenger when we was top after around 8 games 😆😆





Oh. Hang on .:ange-bored2:
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Not John Thomas selling his team out to jump on cheap gotchas with WUM pundits from other teams.

No issue with making your comments about the owners but there's no way you are still a Spurs fan. Maybe you were but now you hate every team we have, there's no way you are a fan.
 
Richard Arlison said:
Not John Thomas selling his team out to jump on cheap gotchas with WUM pundits from other teams.

No issue with making your comments about the owners but there's no way you are still a Spurs fan. Maybe you were but now you hate every team we have, there's no way you are a fan.
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Hey. You're better than this mate.
Never expected you to be going down this road.

Disappointed
 
John Thomas said:
Yeah. Deciding who is and isn't Spurs based on them not holding the same unwavering enthusiasm for our current manager as yourself.

Comes across as childish and petulant.

Like I said. I expected better, but I'll leave it there.
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You know what I'm not a judge so i can't reach a verdict to say what you are or aren't.

I guess I can just say that I've never seen you post/behave like someone who supports the team.

Interesting to me that observation would lead you to personal digs about being childish. I never said anything personal about you, i just said you come off like someone who hates every team we have. If that touched a nerve, that's not on me mate.

I'd much prefer to be wrong.
 
Mick Cooper said:
Today's Telegraph article

Tottenham are flat-track bullies – they are too easy to play against
Spurs are style over substance under Ange Postecoglou and if that doesn’t change, he’ll be under pressure
Shortly after appointing Ange Postecoglou, Daniel Levy addressed a supporters’ meeting and confidently stated: “We have our Tottenham back.”
Cynics will say the chairman has been proven right. Under Postecoglou, Spurs are pleasing on the eye but inconsistent, miles off being a title contender and their best chance of a successful season is winning a cup.
This has been the Tottenham way for most of my lifetime.
Whenever Spurs visit the toughest venues – as they will when heading to Manchester United this weekend – you anticipate an entertaining game and a home win. I would never turn off the TV if Spurs are playing because there is an expectation of goals at both ends.
Postecoglou was welcomed in north London because it is clear what he is not as much as what he is. He could ride a wave for following a plan far removed from Antonio Conte and being the anti-Jose Mourinho. There was relief that the era of pragmatic, ultra-tactical defensive football was over, the new manager was a breath of fresh air.

“I just feel we’re seeing football we used to see, and that is all we want.” Levy told an enthusiastic audience.
Twelve months on, Levy’s comments are not ageing so well. While ambitious tactics are the minimum requirement for a Spurs coach to be accepted, there has to be a higher remit for a club of such stature.
The initial goodwill for Postecoglou has eroded because since the second half of last season there has been a worrying downturn.

Spurs head to Old Trafford after Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Qarabag in the Europa League having lost seven of their last 12 Premier League games. That run absorbed two North London derby defeats, which will not be unrelated to the growing murmurs from supporters about the team’s direction, even if the majority are patient enough to see if his principles pay off. Two seasons ago Tottenham finished above Woolwich, but now they have seen their rivals reap the reward of sticking to a long-term plan. Postecoglou needs statement results and performances during an ongoing transitional period to maintain trust that his side is on a similar trajectory to Mikel Arteta’s, who suffered plenty of bumps before getting where they are today.
Over Postecoglou’s 18 games against the clubs which finished in the top nine last season, Spurs have won four. They are in danger of being seen as flat-track bullies. That must change.
As is often the case with managers when the questions get tougher, the demeanour and remarks which were greeted with excitement during a honeymoon period can start to wear thin and become a stick with which to beat a coach when the mood changes.
Saying your beliefs were honed by mentor Ferenc Puskas’s idea that “we will win 5-4 every week and I’ll enjoy it” plays well to the gallery when winning eight of your first 10 games, but not so much when your side has three clean sheets in the past 26 Premier League games.
Shrugging off vulnerabilities from set-piece defending may be tolerated after occasional lapses in concentration, but not after conceding from corners in consecutive matches against your bitterest rivals. As a centre-back pairing, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – a World Cup winner alongside one of the quickest defenders in the world – have the potential to be one of the best in the Premier League. It is a valid tactical discussion as to whether they are being left too exposed and might benefit from a more balanced set-up.
The investment in the Tottenham squad under Postecoglou has been significant. Around £379 million has been spent, albeit a significant portion of that was due to the sale of Harry Kane. Eye-catching fees were paid for Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson and the jury is out on whether they can elevate themselves from good players to Champions League class. Most of the money has been spent on youngsters rather than ready-made, senior players to improve the starting XI.
These are all worthy talking points for supporters, media and pundits who judge Postecoglou on more than whether his team is a good watch. That is why the press conferences which were box-office for entertaining one-liners when Postecoglou was at Celtic and first arrived at Spurs now seem more tense. The friendly tone now sounds more confrontational, as if the Tottenham manager feels he is being unfairly challenged.
In Postecoglou’s defence, he may be asking himself if the excellent start last season was more of a curse than blessing as it heightened immediate expectations.
Part of the problem in assessing Spurs in 2024 is it is difficult to know what the summit of their ambition truly is.
Watching the video of that meeting between Levy and the fans, as an outsider it is interesting to consider what ‘having our Tottenham back’ really means in terms of tangible success.
If Manchester United, Liverpool, Woolwich or Chelsea declare themselves ‘back’ they mean they are chasing and winning Premier League titles.
Does having Tottenham ‘back’ refer to the recent past, when Mauricio Pochettino led the club to four successive Champions League qualifications and a final?
Does it mean going back to the Keith Burkinshaw era of the 1980s, when they won FA Cups and a European trophy?
If it is purely about entertaining football, Postecoglou can consider himself one of the safest managers in the country.
When thinking about the classic Spurs identity, I immediately remember the classic 1980s line-up with Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles. They were a creative team that won major honours – famously winning back-to-back FA Cups in 1981 and 1982 – and were more consistent than many remember in the league, too.
Between 1981 and 1990, Spurs finished in the top four on five occasions. Despite that, even the great Spurs side of that era had a reputation for lacking the consistency to beat the best over a league season.
When Pochettino’s Spurs side finished second in 2017 it was the club’s highest league finish since 1963.
After finishing fifth last season, at any other of the biggest clubs in England the next logical step would be regarded as qualifying for the Champions League and winning a trophy.
At Spurs? I am genuinely unsure if the manager and his chairman would welcome or bristle at the idea that anything less than that in 2024-25 would be a failure. That may be a cultural problem which has held Spurs back too often whenever they need to propel themselves towards titles.
Every club wants its own style, and there is no question Postecoglou has restored Tottenham’s. Now he needs more substance.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Who wrote this crap?
 
Mick Cooper said:
Today's Telegraph article

Tottenham are flat-track bullies – they are too easy to play against
Spurs are style over substance under Ange Postecoglou and if that doesn’t change, he’ll be under pressure
Shortly after appointing Ange Postecoglou, Daniel Levy addressed a supporters’ meeting and confidently stated: “We have our Tottenham back.”
Cynics will say the chairman has been proven right. Under Postecoglou, Spurs are pleasing on the eye but inconsistent, miles off being a title contender and their best chance of a successful season is winning a cup.
This has been the Tottenham way for most of my lifetime.
Whenever Spurs visit the toughest venues – as they will when heading to Manchester United this weekend – you anticipate an entertaining game and a home win. I would never turn off the TV if Spurs are playing because there is an expectation of goals at both ends.
Postecoglou was welcomed in north London because it is clear what he is not as much as what he is. He could ride a wave for following a plan far removed from Antonio Conte and being the anti-Jose Mourinho. There was relief that the era of pragmatic, ultra-tactical defensive football was over, the new manager was a breath of fresh air.

“I just feel we’re seeing football we used to see, and that is all we want.” Levy told an enthusiastic audience.
Twelve months on, Levy’s comments are not ageing so well. While ambitious tactics are the minimum requirement for a Spurs coach to be accepted, there has to be a higher remit for a club of such stature.
The initial goodwill for Postecoglou has eroded because since the second half of last season there has been a worrying downturn.

Spurs head to Old Trafford after Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Qarabag in the Europa League having lost seven of their last 12 Premier League games. That run absorbed two North London derby defeats, which will not be unrelated to the growing murmurs from supporters about the team’s direction, even if the majority are patient enough to see if his principles pay off. Two seasons ago Tottenham finished above Woolwich, but now they have seen their rivals reap the reward of sticking to a long-term plan. Postecoglou needs statement results and performances during an ongoing transitional period to maintain trust that his side is on a similar trajectory to Mikel Arteta’s, who suffered plenty of bumps before getting where they are today.
Over Postecoglou’s 18 games against the clubs which finished in the top nine last season, Spurs have won four. They are in danger of being seen as flat-track bullies. That must change.
As is often the case with managers when the questions get tougher, the demeanour and remarks which were greeted with excitement during a honeymoon period can start to wear thin and become a stick with which to beat a coach when the mood changes.
Saying your beliefs were honed by mentor Ferenc Puskas’s idea that “we will win 5-4 every week and I’ll enjoy it” plays well to the gallery when winning eight of your first 10 games, but not so much when your side has three clean sheets in the past 26 Premier League games.
Shrugging off vulnerabilities from set-piece defending may be tolerated after occasional lapses in concentration, but not after conceding from corners in consecutive matches against your bitterest rivals. As a centre-back pairing, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – a World Cup winner alongside one of the quickest defenders in the world – have the potential to be one of the best in the Premier League. It is a valid tactical discussion as to whether they are being left too exposed and might benefit from a more balanced set-up.
The investment in the Tottenham squad under Postecoglou has been significant. Around £379 million has been spent, albeit a significant portion of that was due to the sale of Harry Kane. Eye-catching fees were paid for Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson and the jury is out on whether they can elevate themselves from good players to Champions League class. Most of the money has been spent on youngsters rather than ready-made, senior players to improve the starting XI.
These are all worthy talking points for supporters, media and pundits who judge Postecoglou on more than whether his team is a good watch. That is why the press conferences which were box-office for entertaining one-liners when Postecoglou was at Celtic and first arrived at Spurs now seem more tense. The friendly tone now sounds more confrontational, as if the Tottenham manager feels he is being unfairly challenged.
In Postecoglou’s defence, he may be asking himself if the excellent start last season was more of a curse than blessing as it heightened immediate expectations.
Part of the problem in assessing Spurs in 2024 is it is difficult to know what the summit of their ambition truly is.
Watching the video of that meeting between Levy and the fans, as an outsider it is interesting to consider what ‘having our Tottenham back’ really means in terms of tangible success.
If Manchester United, Liverpool, Woolwich or Chelsea declare themselves ‘back’ they mean they are chasing and winning Premier League titles.
Does having Tottenham ‘back’ refer to the recent past, when Mauricio Pochettino led the club to four successive Champions League qualifications and a final?
Does it mean going back to the Keith Burkinshaw era of the 1980s, when they won FA Cups and a European trophy?
If it is purely about entertaining football, Postecoglou can consider himself one of the safest managers in the country.
When thinking about the classic Spurs identity, I immediately remember the classic 1980s line-up with Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles. They were a creative team that won major honours – famously winning back-to-back FA Cups in 1981 and 1982 – and were more consistent than many remember in the league, too.
Between 1981 and 1990, Spurs finished in the top four on five occasions. Despite that, even the great Spurs side of that era had a reputation for lacking the consistency to beat the best over a league season.
When Pochettino’s Spurs side finished second in 2017 it was the club’s highest league finish since 1963.
After finishing fifth last season, at any other of the biggest clubs in England the next logical step would be regarded as qualifying for the Champions League and winning a trophy.
At Spurs? I am genuinely unsure if the manager and his chairman would welcome or bristle at the idea that anything less than that in 2024-25 would be a failure. That may be a cultural problem which has held Spurs back too often whenever they need to propel themselves towards titles.
Every club wants its own style, and there is no question Postecoglou has restored Tottenham’s. Now he needs more substance.
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Click to shrink...

That's a good read Mick. Thanks for sharing 👌
 
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