Ange Postecoglou has described Tottenham’s defeat by Manchester City on Tuesday as “probably the worst experience I’ve had as a football manager” as he sought to smooth the waters following a stormy aftermath to the match.
That City’s 2-0 win, which prevented Arsenal from going top, was pleasing to an audible section of Spurs fans had enraged Postecoglou. His post-match comments, pinpointing “fragile foundations” and problems “inside, outside and everywhere”, had drawn comparisons to the complaints of predecessors as Tottenham manager.
On Friday, while looking ahead to Tottenham’s trip to Sheffield United where a point would guarantee fifth place in the Premier League and a Europa League place, the Australian was conciliatory. “We’ve gotta hope we’re never in that situation again but if we are then we would approach it differently,” he said.
“That is probably the worst experience I’ve had as a football manager in a game because once I realised that I got it wrong in terms of what the atmosphere was going to be like and what people felt, I got a real anxiety within me of what happens if Man City, who are the best team in the world, beat us 5-0.
“I got in cold sweats thinking about people questioning my integrity and the people I work with. Even watching the game back, there was a comment somebody mentioned to me in commentary saying: ‘Tottenham are having a real go here.’ You are laughing about it, but that is 26 years of my life. If nothing else people should know about me, I love this game. I’m very principled.”
Postecoglou also got involved in a touchline altercation with a fan. While expressing a modicum of regret, he remained largely unapologetic. “He wasn’t happy we just conceded a goal, so I turned around to find out what his problem was and he used language that he shouldn’t and he was abusive and if I hear that I don’t care who it is, I will deal with it.
“But he is more than welcome to come back next time and take his seat and express his opinions. If he swears, if he is abusive, he will cop the same treatment from me again.”
Asked if he had been able to iron out the team issues he complained about on Tuesday, Postecoglou said: “Not in two days, mate. I think as I said at the time we’ve got some work to do. That’s clear and evident.”
Rodrigo Bentancur’s dugout rage after being substituted was also sidestepped by his manager: “It wasn’t the biggest issue of the night for me, that’s for sure. He just wants to win.”
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Insurrectional digs into the club’s senior executives signalled the imminent departures of Antonio Conte and José Mourinho, but Postecoglou said his “fragile foundations” comments were not aimed at the hierarchy and shouldered the blame for any upset felt by the fans.
“OK, if you want a culprit, it’s me,” he said. “Because I didn’t take it [the Arsenal rivalry] seriously. That’s what I think happened. I just didn’t really understand what was going on. I just didn’t think that that was the case.
“If I had my time again, yes, I would do things differently, I would address the media differently the day before. I would probably address people in the club because they’re looking to me for direction. So if you want a head on a stick, it’s my ugly mug, mate. There you are.”