TOTTENHAM FAN VIEW: Ange Postecoglou’s outburst was necessary to instill a winning mentality at the club… but Spurs supporters’ desire for success should be in no doubt

Following his side’s 2-0 defeat to Man City on Tuesday night, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was quick to criticize the north London club’s “shaky foundations”.

The pre-match speech was driven by the title race – with Spurs fans knowing that if they drew or beat City, their bitter rivals Arsenal would likely end their 20-year wait to win the title. Premier League.

Postecoglou was adamant that “100% of the fans” wanted to beat City but, in reality, a large proportion of fans went into the match expecting their team to lose, which irked the Australian.

The Spurs boss was even seen in a heated exchange with a supporter sitting behind the dugout, as tensions began to boil over between the manager and fans.

Here, Mail Sport offers the views of two Tottenham fans after the Australian’s outburst.

James Cohen

Personally, I think it’s understandable that a section of the Spurs fans would want to lose the match, given Arsenal’s quest for a first league title in two decades.

However, if you don’t want to win a football match because of external circumstances, no matter how bizarre, you are not Ange Postecoglou’s type of person.

But he’s exactly the kind of man Spurs need at the helm.

We must not forget that Postecoglou is used to winning. From Brisbane Roar to Yokohama F. Marinos and, later, Celtic, success followed him everywhere.

Tottenham’s constant pursuit of silverware – since their League Cup triumph in 2008 – was also the main reason the Australian was brought in.

Therefore, the idea that Spurs fans should want their team to lose any game, even despite their bitter rivals, is foreign to Postecoglou.

During the 2-0 defeat, he was seen arguing with a home fan who allegedly shouted at Spurs to cancel the match.

The Spurs coach had a heated exchange with a fan during the match.

Postecoglou, rightly, is not expected to represent fans cheering on the opposition, with some home fans seen playing in Poznan following Man City’s goal on Tuesday.

If it were Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola in the Spurs dugout, one can imagine they would be just as perplexed. Because that’s the mentality of a winner.

Neither the Liverpool nor City boss – at any point in their respective plans – would put up with home fans cheering for the opposition. Just like Postecoglou will not do it.

For example, let’s go back to March 2018. We were abruptly eliminated from the Champions League round of 16 after a Juventus comeback victory.

Defender Giorgio Chiellini then launched the famous jibe: “It’s the story of Tottenham. We believe in the story.

The Italians knew we were going to collapse. They knew they could come back. And above all, they knew that we did not have a winning mentality.

Even José Mourinho and Antonio Conte failed to redefine the club’s expectations. This proved to be an almost impossible task.

But, with all that in mind, Postecoglou’s brilliance seems far more justified. There simply needs to be a change in mentality, both inside and outside the club.

And is there really any doubt as to whether the Australian has the ability to do it? Look at how he started life in North London.

He won the Coach of the Month award three times after a terrific start, before his team’s form was derailed by injuries and suspensions.

Postecoglou is right to seek a change in mentality both inside and outside the club

However, perceptions of what was possible changed. Spurs went from being written off – after the sale of Harry Kane – to potential title contenders in a matter of months.

After a dark few summer months – during which fans protested against the club’s ownership – Postecoglou resolved the disagreement within the club in the blink of an eye.

And even though many of us are feeling discouraged again, there is every reason to believe that Postecoglou can turn things around.

His attitude since arriving in north London should tell Spurs fans everything we need to know about how he sees our project and it’s certainly one we should get behind.

Josh Hughes

Ange Postecoglou had every right to be furious after his side’s 2-0 defeat to Man City. It was Tottenham’s fifth defeat in their last six games, an almost certain doom of Thursday Night Football and a 10th consecutive game where Tottenham have conceded.

Perhaps more worrying than the results is Spurs’ decline in performance. “I feel like we’ve lost a bit of confidence and belief in our football and it’s up to me to change that” – the Australian told Sky Sports after the defeat against Chelsea on May 2 – well far from his attitude after the match. team’s 4-1 loss to the Blues in November.

I was one of thousands of people who cheered for the team that day, full of admiration for our crazy, fast-paced style of play and our desire to “take a chance” against one of our archrivals. more fierce when new.

Postecoglou was like an enigma during his first few months at Spurs – what he said was gospel. Ask any Tottenham supporter and they will admit they didn’t expect this form to last.

Even in moments of joy, there has always been an air of cynicism among our fans – a feeling of “we’ve been here before” – and the skepticism has only grown stronger as the performances have become weaker .

Tottenham fans have bought into Postecoglou’s methods and applauded the team for their confidence in his style of play despite losing 4-1 to London rivals Chelsea in November.

The decline in performances is worrying amid a series of five defeats in six matches.

Maybe there’s a lack of trust among the players, maybe that’s also true for certain sections of the fanbase, but we’ve been told this is a project – and that it will take time to bear fruit.

Before the Man City game, a top four finish was still mathematically possible – but for many – we had already missed that chance – hope had vanished at St James’ Park. Even with a slim chance, a win against the champions would have left Spurs relying on Aston Villa to lose at Crystal Palace.

If Tottenham’s failure to qualify for the Champions League is a consequence of Arsenal not winning the title – then I like a lot of fans – who are more than happy to win it. As one Arsenal fan remarked to me: “It’s not like you have a choice, it’s Man City” – and he was right.

It’s unclear who Ange was specifically rooting for during his post-match press conference, but it certainly seemed like a low blow to fans. Maybe expecting failure is part of the problem, but that won’t change overnight.

Since Spurs last won a trophy (in 2008), we have lost three Carabao Cup finals, four FA Cup semi-finals and one Champions League final. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy appointed ‘win now’ managers in José Mourinho and Antonio Conte and failed to provide them with ‘win now’ players, Mauricio Pochettino went 500 days without signing.

Spurs fans have every reason to be skeptical – but their desire to succeed at this football club is the last thing that should be questioned, and for that Ange has crossed the line.

His team’s dismal form got us into this predicament in the first place (wanting to lose the game).

Rather than finding themselves 3-0 down at half-time due to weak and inevitable goals against Arsenal, the team should have approached the match as they did against Pep Guardiola’s team – with heart, with passion and intensity.

Postecoglou was wrong if he questioned the fans’ desire to see success brought to the club

The rivalry with Arsenal matters to fans, so the desire to stop the Gunners was understandable.

Our first-time exits in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup meant another season without silverware and Postecoglou’s inability to remember the last time we won a trophy during his pre-match press conference was revealing.

I saw other teams climb the hallowed steps of Wembley, I was in Madrid for the Champions League final. These memories stay with you.

There has always been this feeling that Spurs never really got going – but under Ange Postecoglou there is still plenty of confidence and fans and fifth place would be an admirable starting point – even if the team makes it past the finishing line.

Most recognize this and are proud of the team’s efforts this season, proud to be back in Europe again – after selling out and failing to replace the world’s best striker, Harry Kane.

Ange Postecoglou is at Tottenham to get results and there is much to be admired in his unwavering values, his confidence in his ability to turn this club around and take it to the promised land.

He did this everywhere he went, with the same doubts and questions asked of him at every turn. He thrives in this environment, but Tottenham are unlike any club he has managed before – and for supporters, the rivalry with Arsenal matters.

Deep down, he surely understands it.