• last year
Ange Postecoglou on struggling Sheffield Utd visit to Tottenham
Transcript
00:00 Hi, Ansh. The internationals all back, have you got the teams back?
00:04 Yeah, everyone's back. We had everyone back yesterday.
00:08 We had an afternoon session which was more of a recovery session for everyone.
00:13 Today it's a full session and everyone was good, no issues.
00:18 They all got through training okay.
00:21 We'll obviously still see how they recover from that, but at this point in time,
00:26 come through unscathed and available.
00:28 I was going to say congratulations on the UEFA FIFA World's Best Coach nominee.
00:33 It's just been announced that you're now the Premier League Manager of the Month.
00:36 You must be very proud. I know the FIFA one is more of your time with Celtic.
00:40 This one is obviously your short time out at Spurs. It's been a great few years for you.
00:44 Yeah, look, you do. I take great pride, but also I understand that I'm kind of
00:49 in all those things I'm just sort of the front man.
00:52 Whether it's the Manager of the Month, obviously we've had a really promising start to the season
00:58 after a fair say challenging pre-season.
01:01 That's because I've got great staff and the players have all sort of embraced the challenge of us
01:07 beginning this season in a promising fashion.
01:10 It's a credit to everyone, the way they've tackled that.
01:12 As I said, I'm kind of the front man for that.
01:15 I think it's an indication of us as a club that we've handled a pretty challenging start fairly well,
01:23 which is great.
01:25 For the FIFA nomination, I'm obviously fairly humbled.
01:29 But again, I'm just rapt at its recognition.
01:33 Again, a great group of people that I worked with, staff and players, everyone involved at Celtic,
01:39 the fans. It's great recognition for that club.
01:42 It's a great club and sometimes its achievements get diminished because people sort of look down on the league.
01:48 But I think any time you win a treble, and we did that last year in the best possible manner.
01:54 We won the league, we beat Rangers in both the Cups.
01:56 It wasn't easy in any stretch.
01:58 I just think it's great recognition for that football club.
02:01 Again, I'm just the front man, but I'm really, really pleased and rapt that that great football club
02:07 gets the recognition it deserves.
02:09 It's been a difficult few weeks for Richarlison.
02:12 He's revealed to Brazilian media he's going to seek psychological help.
02:16 How is it?
02:18 Is this a little bit more than just putting your arm around his shoulder and saying you're going to score soon?
02:24 I think with all the players, they all get whatever help and assistance that they require here.
02:33 It doesn't always happen in the public eye because most of it's done in-house.
02:40 But we provide all the support and whatever players may need.
02:45 Sometimes they seek help, sometimes we offer the help.
02:48 So whatever Richie needs, we'll help him get to the space where he wants to.
02:55 From our perspective, he's put it out there because he was quite emotional after a game.
03:04 That's fine. We'll give him the support he needs.
03:08 But we do that with all the players, and I think most professional clubs do.
03:12 My role within that is to make sure that whatever each player needs.
03:18 Sometimes it's basic things like help with nutrition or relocating or whatever it may be.
03:25 The services are here and the help is here to get players into the place they want to.
03:32 What I will say is that no one has a perfect life.
03:37 Sometimes you look at footballers and they do things well.
03:40 They've got all the money they need and we think that's a perfect life.
03:44 But that doesn't make you immune from life itself.
03:48 I'm sure that every player in our dressing room is dealing with something.
03:52 Sometimes players fall into the trap of thinking their life should be perfect because of the position they're in.
04:00 But that's not how life works.
04:02 What you do and all those kinds of things don't make you immune from what life throws at you.
04:07 There's always going to be something in your life that is not where you want it to be.
04:12 It's about keeping perspective and balance.
04:16 There are probably parents and people this morning who have had a few rough days but they still have to front up to work.
04:22 They're not losing their job because that's part of life.
04:27 That's the advice I give to all the players.
04:31 Always try and keep a balance because you're always going to have something in your life that's probably not where you want it to be.
04:38 On the 25-man squad, most expect Hugo to have moved on but he hasn't.
04:47 Eric Dier didn't find another club so they are backing the squad.
04:50 Does it get more on that?
04:52 Leading into it, it was a fairly fluid situation.
04:59 We weren't really sure what was going to happen with Hugo.
05:03 Eric was never out of the squad.
05:06 I had to make decisions around the 25-man squad.
05:10 On the last day of the window, we had Reggie on moving to Man U, then Dembele and Sanchez out.
05:16 That's three foreigners.
05:18 If one of them had stayed, it would have been a different decision.
05:21 I've already stated that publicly.
05:24 Once we got to the end of the window, we knew the numbers we had.
05:28 Hugo and Eric were still with us.
05:31 We had room to put them on the list and they are on the list.
05:36 Nothing has really changed from that perspective.
05:38 They were training before, we were the first team, they are still training and available now.
05:41 Thank you.
05:43 How pleased are you with not only the quality of Brentford Spurs but also his leadership?
05:53 Spot on. I think that's been really pleasing.
05:56 For us, it was a fairly low-risk acquisition because he's just a quality player.
06:04 We knew that.
06:05 I think the way he's embraced the whole football club and his contribution on and off the field.
06:12 He's obviously part of the leadership group.
06:14 The way he's embraced the whole group and the whole club has been fantastic for us.
06:20 We haven't had an ideal build-up leading into the season.
06:24 Him coming in and what you're looking for for players like him who are coming in with enthusiasm and a freshness.
06:32 Maybe the players who were here from last year were still carrying some baggage.
06:36 Guys like him and the others that were brought in have created a real good energy around the place.
06:42 I'm delighted for Matt.
06:44 As you said, it's just as much for what he's done around the club as he has on the field.
06:49 Sheffield United play Kemp Burnley in a newly promoted side that's struggled so far this season.
06:54 How similar do you think the game tomorrow will be to the Burnley game?
06:58 A little bit different.
06:59 Obviously, when you play away from home it's different.
07:01 I think the way Burnley play and the way Sheffield set up is different.
07:05 It'll be a different challenge for us.
07:07 Within that context, it's still going to be difficult.
07:11 Having watched their games, Paul's got them really well set up, really well organised.
07:16 They're fighting for everything and you know that's what they're going to do here tomorrow.
07:20 They're not going to give us anything or allow us any sort of comfort during the game.
07:25 We've got to be really disciplined tomorrow in not veering away from our principles
07:31 and not getting drawn away from the kind of team and the kind of football we want to play.
07:35 It's not easy because, like I said, they're going to make it difficult for us.
07:38 They're going to try and frustrate us.
07:40 We're going to have to be really at our best in terms of our focus on what's important for the game tomorrow.
07:47 It'll be a good challenge.
07:48 How do you think you've personally managed to support Kip Isuma so far?
07:51 Because what we're seeing from this year is very different than what he showed last season.
07:56 I think I said during the week.
07:58 I haven't done that much.
07:59 It's him.
08:00 I keep saying it.
08:02 Players have their kind of destiny sometimes in their own hands.
08:08 If Piss had come in here this year and sort of felt sorry for himself about what happened last year
08:13 and sort of was thinking about that too much, then if he was waiting for me to snap him out of it,
08:18 I think he wouldn't have been at the place he is now.
08:21 He's done it by himself.
08:22 He came in from the first day of pre-season with great energy.
08:25 I knew he was a quality player.
08:27 I think the way we play suits him, and the rest has been down to him.
08:30 He works hard every day.
08:32 He's been outstanding in the games, and he deserves the credit for that.
08:36 He just needs to keep doing that and keep pushing himself
08:38 and not sort of get to a place where, again, maybe he feels comfortable that things are going well
08:45 because I still think there's another level in him.
08:47 I think certainly he can take his game to another level, and that helps us to get to another level.
08:53 George.
08:54 Angelo, I just wondered just in general on the transfer window, now it's shut,
08:58 are you happy with everything?
09:00 It's quite a high turnover of real players coming in and out.
09:03 I just wondered, are you happy with what you and the club have done?
09:06 Yes, I am because obviously the first thing you look at is, well, the guys who brought in,
09:11 are they making a contribution?
09:12 I think it's fair to say that apart from Brendan, who obviously we brought in fairly late,
09:17 and young Alejo Villars, who had his first training session with us yesterday,
09:23 the rest have been really significant contributors for us,
09:26 which is the main thing you're looking for.
09:28 There has been significant turnover.
09:30 A lot of players moved out in the end.
09:34 I reckon that's about the maximum you can do in one window without it being really disruptive,
09:39 particularly with me and your manager coming in, your staff.
09:42 There's so many new dynamics that I always felt this window was about making that first steps
09:47 to rebuilding the squad, and I think they've been so far positive first steps,
09:53 but it was never all going to get done in this first window.
09:55 I didn't expect it to.
09:56 So we've still got some work to do in terms of creating a squad and an environment
10:01 where we can be challenging for things, but I think as an overall,
10:07 with everything that happened ins and outs, I think we're in a pretty good space.
10:12 I've read tomorrow that if you win, it will be Tottenham's best start to a season since 1965.
10:17 So just in terms of you winning manager of the month, James Madison getting player of the month,
10:22 if you do do that, and this has been a pretty good start to the season,
10:27 did you expect it to go well or did you anticipate more problems since you arrived?
10:32 If. The beautiful word if. And what if we don't?
10:37 Does it mean everything's been a disaster?
10:39 Do you think you've had a good start?
10:40 I think we've had a promising start. I think I've said that.
10:43 I didn't go into it with any kind of expectations about where we needed to be.
10:48 What I wanted to see was have we started embedding a style of play into the group?
10:55 That was the key thing for me because that's where you know that if we have done that,
11:00 then I've got staff who are practically putting that into place.
11:06 I've got players who are embracing that, and then you know from that we'll grow
11:11 and we'll get to where we want to.
11:12 So in terms of points, tally and wins and that, whatever it was going to be,
11:17 that was still going to be the key component because we could be sitting on 10 points
11:20 and if we hadn't played the kind of foot we are, trust me,
11:23 I wouldn't be sitting here feeling comfortable even if we had another win tomorrow
11:27 because that's not what we're looking for in the long term.
11:30 We're looking to play a certain way.
11:32 So I think, you know, as I said, it's been promising, it's been encouraging,
11:37 but we're a month into a long season, so a long way to go.
11:41 Just on Hugo and Eric, they're obviously two senior players.
11:46 Are they both back into your squad full pelt now and you could pick them tomorrow going forward?
11:51 How do they feel about everything that's happened over the last six weeks?
11:54 They were never out, mate.
11:55 They were training with us from the first day, they were involved in everything from the first day.
12:00 Nothing's changed, you know, from our perspective.
12:03 I mean, Eric had an injury, so he wasn't even available for the last two games.
12:09 So he's only just got back into training this week since we've been on international break.
12:15 Hugo's been training with a goalkeeping group, so nothing's really changed from that perspective.
12:20 Thank you. Alec.
12:21 Hi, Nige. With you, obviously, being at the club 11 years, real conservative to the club,
12:27 where is he now going to sit in the pecking order?
12:29 Obviously, you've got number one, Fraser's very much been the back-up.
12:32 Does he have to now work his way back up there if he can?
12:36 Well, I mean, you're assuming there's a pecking order, mate.
12:38 I don't know, I just, like, he's a player. He's a Tottenham player.
12:41 He's training every day and he's available like everyone else.
12:44 Nothing's changed. Nothing's changed from now to last week to the week before.
12:49 You know, the reason people play is because I believe that they're going to get us to where we want to get to.
12:54 The ones who are part of the squad are there because their work's got them to that position.
12:59 The ones who aren't in the squad need to work hard to get it and wait for their opportunity.
13:03 There's no pecking order, mate. There's no chicken coop. There's no farm animals.
13:09 We're just working away.
13:11 Obviously, you let Davison Sanchez go. Were there any concerns at all about the cover, the centre-back position?
13:18 Yeah, look, it's fair to say we are a little bit light there, but at the same time, I thought, you know,
13:24 I think for Davison it was a good opportunity where he could get a long-term contract.
13:29 We needed to rebuild and change the squad. There was no point in us just sort of tinkering around the edges.
13:36 We need to do meaningful work and, as I said, it was never going to get done in one window.
13:41 So just as important was to create the opportunity for us now to go into January or the subsequent windows and bolster up that area.
13:51 It's fair to say we still need probably another centre-back within the squad.
13:56 Although we've got players who are fairly functional and have been able to do a job for us in there,
14:01 we've got young Ash in who is working really hard and improving all the time.
14:07 But I think for us to just hold onto something for some sort of security, I just think it would have been a missed opportunity.
14:13 We need to change the squad. We need to rebuild this team.
14:16 And that was the reason we allowed Davison to go.
14:19 How important is it to feel part of the squad?
14:27 Yes, it is. I think I mentioned a couple of weeks ago he came barging into my room wanting to start with the team.
14:33 It's a tough rehab. You talk to any player and that's the toughest bit.
14:41 It's not that you have to do the work. It's the solitary element of it where you're not with the group.
14:47 Just having him do the warm-ups and him being involved.
14:50 He was buzzing yesterday and he was fairly dejected when we pulled him out after the warm-up.
14:56 But it's good. He'll build himself away. It's fair to say he's still got a fair bit of work to do.
15:02 Great to have him involved. I guess that just encourages him a little bit more. It's great for the group to see.
15:09 Do you want to ask Barry about his first impressions of Brennan Johnson?
15:15 Yes, great to get him in. He's got a great profile for us.
15:21 Very similar to the other guys we've brought in. He's young but he's had some good experience already.
15:27 Footballing qualities he brings fit really well with what we want to do in terms of energy and pace.
15:35 He presses really well. He's a wide player but can score goals.
15:42 From that perspective he ticks all the boxes. When I look at his career, he's been at Forest since he was a kid.
15:49 That's his football club but he's taken the decision to go now and challenge himself.
15:54 I just think he was a really good fit for us as a club. He's had a couple of sessions with the boys.
16:00 The group's been really good in embracing all the new players who have come in.
16:04 I think he feels comfortable and I'm looking forward to getting him into action.
16:09 You and Koncepci are quite different players in some ways. Is that good for you?
16:13 Hopefully there won't be too many players being overloaded with too many games.
16:17 Does it give you that option that you can pick different options?
16:21 Yes, I've stated that before. I've never been one who likes to double up in positions.
16:27 I like players to bring different qualities to that.
16:30 You're right, Deckie and Brennan are different players.
16:34 They can both play more than one position in that front half, which is what we're looking for.
16:40 You look at Manor and Ivan, they're different kind of wingers.
16:45 Sonny's a different kind of winger. Sonny and Richie are different kind of strikers.
16:49 Even our midfielders have different qualities.
16:52 But basic elements of it fit in with our football.
16:56 I like the fact that sometimes you've got to change it within the game.
16:58 Bringing on a different type of winger helps you.
17:01 Sometimes game to game you need a different type of personnel to counteract the opposition.
17:07 That's another reason I thought he was a really good fit for us.
17:11 You were talking before about the fact that from the outside we often don't know what's going on with those personnel.
17:16 Where do you think football is with the understanding of mental health and the importance of having psychologists and people who get that sort of game?
17:25 I think we do understand it. It's just that we ignore it.
17:28 Who in their life doesn't have something that's stressful?
17:32 I've lived 58 years now and there's never been a time in my life where everything is perfect.
17:38 I lost my father three years ago and he should have been here for the journey.
17:41 I've got to deal with that.
17:42 That's just me talking personally, but everybody in this room at this moment, one part of your life could be flying.
17:50 There could be something. It could be a family member, it could be a health issue, it could be a financial issue.
17:54 There's always something.
17:55 Footballers are not immune from that.
17:57 Sometimes I think they fall into the trap of thinking they are, and they're not.
18:00 Just because you have money or you're really good at something, life will still find a way to keep a balance in that.
18:11 There'll be stuff in there that's going to be stressful, it's going to be upsetting, and you've got to just deal with that.
18:17 Do you think enough people in the game understand that as well as you do?
18:21 I don't think anyone does understand.
18:22 Like I said, I just think we choose to ignore it.
18:24 We just at times think, "Well, he's a footballer, he's got money, what's he got to complain about?"
18:29 Of course he does, but then the footballer has to also understand that his life is not, perfection doesn't exist in life.
18:36 There are plenty of people who have what we would assume to have all the advantages in life who are fairly unhappy.
18:45 So that doesn't exist.
18:48 I think for the most part people understand that that's the case, and sometimes we just choose to ignore it because it makes a more impactful scenario.
19:04 "Wow, fantastic footballer, has problems."
19:11 They all do, mate.
19:13 They all do.
19:14 Just really quick, it's a self-certified gift.
19:16 Yeah, he's not available for this week. He did train with us yesterday, but we're kind of probably giving him another week.
19:22 But hopefully he should be available for next week.
19:25 George, we'll finish the broadcast section with you, please.
19:27 Hi, Ant. I just wanted to ask you, during this last week since Hugo and Eric were not moving on, have you had any one-on-one chat from them about what their role is?
19:37 Or do you not feel like you need to have that?
19:41 Maybe I should have the pecking order discussion with them.
19:44 No, I don't, because that would mean that I've been treating them different up until now.
19:50 Nothing's changed from my perspective.
19:54 If the players feel the need to seek clarification or something, then my door's always open.
20:00 But I haven't felt the need to speak to them individually about anything.
20:05 As I said, they're top-notch players. They're a valuable selection. They have been from the first day and nothing's really changed.
20:11 You mentioned Eric having injury the last couple of games. I guess that probably opens the door for Ashley Lips to be on the bench.
20:18 If the situation arose itself, would you have any hesitation playing Ashley from an eagle?
20:26 Yeah, that's why he's in the squad.
20:29 Obviously, that's why we signed him. We think he's got some great potential.
20:33 Obviously, it's hard because he hasn't played at all for us yet in terms of he wasn't here for the pre-season and missed all that.
20:41 So, we've just got to be careful. But he has had a couple of under-21 games, which is great.
20:46 We'll try and get him some game time. But I think training with us every day, you can see he's getting closer and closer.
20:52 If we need to use him, we will.
20:55 Nick Montgomery was coached in Australia and now has taken over at Wimberny.
21:05 He mentioned you being an inspiration to him. How nice is it to see someone else following your journey and not being Australian?
21:14 Nick's done brilliantly in Australia. He's done a fantastic job at a club.
21:21 Fair to say in Australia he's not considered one of the big ones.
21:26 He actually won the whole thing last year. He's done it in a great way where he's developed young players as well.
21:34 Great that he gets the opportunity. I'm glad people are looking.
21:37 I think I said a few weeks before, I'm glad they're looking beyond the obvious in terms of candidates, whether they're at their doorstep or on the other side of the world.
21:45 I've got no doubt he'll do well. I think Hibs is a great club.
21:48 I've been up there. It's a big club. When you play against them, you feel like it's a big club.
21:53 Fair to say there's an opportunity there to get them to a decent position in the Premiership and get them European football.
22:02 I'm sure Nick will do that, so pleased for him.
22:05 We'll end the broadcast section there and move on to the embargo section for 10.30pm tonight.
22:09 .

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