LONDON (Reuters) – Angry Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou appeared to question the club’s mentality after Tuesday’s defeat by title-chasing Manchester City ended his side’s hopes of finishing in the top four of the Premier League.
In the build-up to the game the straight-talking Australian had refused to entertain any suggestion that Tottenham, or the fans, would not want to take points off Manchester City and give arch-rivals Arsenal a massive boost to their title hopes.
Tottenham matched City for long periods but on a strange evening and in a subdued atmosphere Erling Haaland’s double secured City the three points that put them two points clear of Arsenal with one game each remaining.
It was a fifth defeat in six games for Tottenham and Postecoglou was asked whether his side’s performance gave him confidence in the foundations being laid at the club.
“No, I think the last 48 hours has revealed to me that the foundations are fairly fragile mate,” he told reporters.
“That’s just what I think. I just think the last 48 hours have revealed a fair bit to me. That’s alright. It just means I’ve got to go back to the drawing board with some things.”
Asked whether his frustration was at the fans who seemed to be celebrating the fact that City, not Arsenal, are now title favourites, Postecoglou left his audience guessing.
“Outside (the club), inside, everywhere,” he said. “It’s been an interesting exercise. You can make your own assessments of what’s happened. I understand. I probably misread the situation as to what I think is important in your endeavour to become a winning team, but that’s ok. That’s why I’m here.”
Postecoglou said in the build-up that he could not understand why any Tottenham fans would want their side to lose against City, saying he had no interest in bragging rights between the two sets of north London fans.
Tottenham fans were subdued on Tuesday while songs taunting Arsenal echoed around the stadium after City went ahead.
“I’m just not interested mate. Maybe I’m out of step, but I just don’t care, I just want to win,” Postecoglou, whose side need a point at Sheffield United on Sunday to guarantee fifth place and a Europa League spot, said.
“I want to be successful at this football club, it’s why I was brought in. So what other people, how they want to feel, and what their priorities are, are of zero interest to me.”
Postecoglou said his side had lacked discipline in their football and that it has been a problem all season.
But he did not question the attitude of his players.
“Unless I was watching a different game, we matched it with the best team in the land for the last four years, unless someone saw it differently,” he said.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
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