Tottenham's Postecoglu on Chris Davies potentially leaving, threat of Newcastle and Son injury (Full Presser)
Tottenham's Ange Postecoglu on Chris Davies potentially leaving to become Swansea manager, the threat posed by Newcastle and the injury to Heung Min Son
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00:00 Hi Ange, I know players are coming in a bit late, is there any update on Son in particular
00:10 or any more information?
00:12 No, nothing really.
00:13 Sort of the last update I got was late last night and he was a bit sore after the game
00:19 obviously.
00:20 The extent of it, we kind of need to see how he recovers today.
00:24 There were a couple of others with some knocks but I don't think anything else significant.
00:30 It was obviously a tough night last night but it's been a brilliant start.
00:34 Is there a message that there's going to be difficult periods?
00:42 You've only had one transfer window, this is just the beginning for you here.
00:45 Yeah, but I think I've been consistent in saying that when things were going well.
00:51 I don't think it was a brilliant start and a brilliant start would have been last night
00:55 like I said in other games, to take advantage of the dominance we have in games and we're
01:01 not and it's keeping the oppositions in the game.
01:04 Especially in the second half, we had a couple of defensive lapses which a team like West
01:10 Ham will always punish you.
01:13 The football, for it to be brilliant, it's got to be there in its entirety.
01:16 I don't know how many times I've said to you, I still think our front third, we've
01:21 got a lot of work to do and unfortunately that's costing us at the moment in terms
01:26 of results.
01:28 But that's the challenge for us, we've got to keep pushing on and trying to become
01:33 better in those areas.
01:34 Can I just get confirmation that the club have rejected an approach from Swansea for
01:40 Chris Davis?
01:41 Obviously, it's a potentially exciting role but it looks like he might be staying here
01:44 then?
01:45 No, look, I've just had a brief discussion with Chris and he knows we've got a busy
01:51 week so we're all focused on that.
01:55 Look, he's an outstanding individual, he's done some great work with us, he's done
02:00 great work in the past and it's not surprising to me that whether it's Swansea or other
02:04 clubs who look at him, it's what you want to be honest.
02:08 You want good people and when you've got good people, they're going to attract attention
02:12 and from my perspective, whatever that transpires to, it's very much in Chris' hands in
02:21 terms of his decision and what he wants to do moving forward and then obviously the club
02:25 will deal with it from there.
02:31 Obviously the last five games might not have gone as you would have wanted but overall
02:34 after 15 games, where do you think things are at?
02:37 Where do you feel?
02:38 I guess where I've said all along, we're at the beginning to trying to build something
02:44 and a lot of it is, I think there's been progress made for sure in many areas, other
02:53 areas we still need to do a lot of work in.
02:57 We've obviously had some challenges within that time frame of injuries which have disrupted
03:03 our ability to have a consistent line-up out there and players out there who had started
03:10 the season well and were very influential.
03:13 So with all that context, but that happens to every football club and we've just got
03:17 to work our way through this difficult period.
03:20 But as I said, we're still at the beginning to what we're trying to build.
03:23 Cristian Romero returned last night, almost looked like he hadn't been away.
03:27 How did you view his performance and also as part of that leadership group as well?
03:31 I thought Cristian was good last night.
03:35 He obviously tied towards the end a bit but he gave everything.
03:38 It was good to get him back in the line-up.
03:40 He gives us a certain security back there and also he is one of these, as I said, a
03:49 leader strong figure out there which we're going to need through this period because
03:53 we've obviously still got some tough times ahead and guys like him will help steer us
04:00 through that.
04:01 Just last week, Newcastle obviously on Sunday, they've struggled a lot away from home this
04:05 season, certainly more than they did last season.
04:07 Is there anything that you've seen in their performances as to why they might be performing
04:10 differently away from home?
04:11 No, but it's fair to say Newcastle are probably the only other club that have gone through
04:15 anything like we have from an injury perspective and that's going to affect every club.
04:23 I think they've actually battled through reasonably well, very well actually, considering the
04:27 amount of disruptions they've had to their first-team squad and the challenges they've
04:31 had.
04:32 I think any club in the Premier League that goes through that sort of period will find
04:38 it hard to get a consistency in results.
04:40 But it'll be a tough game on Sunday for us because, again, they've got a team that
04:47 do have goal threats and they work hard as a unit and we've got to be able to match
04:52 that.
04:53 You mentioned about the front players and that's an area that's got to work on.
05:01 Obviously you've mentioned previously about Kuznetski and Johnson, you want to get more
05:05 goals out of them.
05:06 How is that something you coach into players?
05:07 Is it about movement, positioning or I guess all of the above?
05:08 It's all of it, yeah.
05:09 Look, Brennan's 22, he's still sort of learning the game in many respects and it's
05:22 a big move for him.
05:25 Kulosevsky, similar, he needs to sort of develop that side of the game but it's like anything
05:30 else, you've just got to keep working at it.
05:33 It's not just them, it's us as a team.
05:37 The opportunity just didn't fall for them last night, it was other players in those
05:41 areas.
05:42 Like I said, we lack some real conviction as we have in previous games.
05:47 I think from the start of the season, I don't think we've rewarded our dominance with goals
05:54 even in the games we've won.
05:56 We haven't really converted the opportunities or created the chances that our play should
06:03 have.
06:04 So as I said, that's still the area where we've got a hell of a lot of work to do.
06:09 Obviously with that conviction and creativity as well, would that be an area maybe in January
06:13 to look to bring in someone with that kind of those attributes?
06:16 Well, it's not easy because again, when you're talking about the finished product, you know
06:21 what that's going to cost in the market and there aren't that many there.
06:24 So it's about developing our players here and giving them more information and more
06:33 room for them to continue to grow and understand the different options they have in those kind
06:41 of areas.
06:42 So it's just, like I said, experience of them being in those positions and us giving
06:46 them the information to execute better next time.
06:49 Just on Chris Davies briefly, obviously he's done fantastic work for you so far this season,
06:55 but with your experience of going into clubs, bringing in new coaches each time, does it
07:00 make it easier to absorb a departure or not?
07:03 Yeah, I've always been relaxed.
07:05 I mean, I've said in the past, I think it's part of my role to develop staff.
07:10 I mean, I'm really proud of the fact that a lot of the guys I've worked with, the reason
07:14 they're not with me as assistants are because they're senior managers in their own right.
07:18 So I don't, I never say, you know, look, if you're looking for things that are going to
07:23 be disruptive and you can use that as a clutch and excuse for anything, you know, we lost
07:28 Harry Kane the day before the season started.
07:32 You know, there's a disruption.
07:33 We've lost half a squad after one game.
07:36 There's a disruption.
07:37 But with these things, there's always going to be, you can't, you know, you can't work
07:40 in a vacuum where everything is perfect.
07:42 And for me, I've been relaxed in these kinds of situations because I always believe that
07:46 the environment will cover whatever sort of challenges we have if we get it right.
07:52 Very quickly, Lascelles though, when he came off last night, was that just tiredness or
07:55 down the knock or anything or just tactical?
07:57 No, no, just sort of tactical.
07:59 I just thought we needed some more legs in the midfield and try to change things up a
08:02 little bit.
08:03 And in terms of returning players, is this pretty much it until the new year now or are
08:13 there some coming back?
08:14 No, I think that's it.
08:15 I mean, we obviously, we got Pepe a few minutes last night and my understanding is he and
08:20 Richie both sort of reported they were OK, but there won't be anyone else coming back
08:26 between sort of now and the new year.
08:29 You mentioned a few weeks ago how good training was and how fringe players were really pushing
08:33 the post-eleven.
08:34 With the amount of players you've got out, does that naturally suffer in training or
08:37 are the levels still as you would like?
08:38 No, we're still sort of maintaining those levels.
08:41 I still think our training's been good.
08:44 It's had to get supplemented by younger guys coming in, so that sort of changes the dynamic
08:48 a little bit.
08:49 But in terms of what we've seen, the quality and tempo of our training is still being at
08:54 the levels we need it to be.
08:56 Hi, Ange. You're obviously short of creative options and the last few home games in particular
09:05 you've sort of turned to the bench and brought on Valise.
09:07 I wonder, has there been a temptation looking at Jamie Dunleave, even though he's only 17,
09:12 18, to sort of throw him on and see what he can do?
09:15 Because I guess the one thing he's shown for the under-21s is that creativity this season.
09:20 Look, he's in the squad and all these kind of decisions are made within the context of
09:25 all the information I have.
09:27 Players have an opportunity every day to show what they can do and give me food for thought
09:34 in terms of selecting.
09:35 So if I'm not doing it, there's a reason why I'm not doing it, but that doesn't mean it
09:39 doesn't change for next week or the week after.
09:42 It's not just about the games they play, it's about what they do on a daily basis.
09:45 But certainly, Jamie, I think he's developing.
09:48 I think it's benefited him sort of training with us regularly now.
09:52 He's pretty much a permanent feature in here.
09:57 Within that context, I think over the next few games, if he keeps developing the way
10:01 he is, he'll get an opportunity in a game as well.
10:04 Obviously, results are important, but it feels like everyone knows you're at the beginning
10:07 of this journey, what you hope to be a long-term project.
10:11 Does the four defeats in five bring extra pressure or do you have to focus on the long-term
10:17 job?
10:19 I guess neither on both.
10:23 The pressure is the pressure.
10:25 It's always there.
10:28 It's how you kind of treat it.
10:30 I've never let it sort of guide my path or my way forward.
10:35 I just think I've got a clear idea about what I'm trying to do and will keep methodically
10:40 working against that and being really disciplined about that.
10:45 But that doesn't mean long-term.
10:46 For me, like I said, I don't have a three or five-year plan up my sleeve that's guaranteed
10:54 success.
10:55 What I do have is a plan that I think will get us to where we need to be.
10:57 How long that takes, I don't know.
10:59 It depends on sort of how we keep sort of, like I said, disciplined in sticking the path
11:07 because ultimately, whether it's this challenge, there'll be another challenge in six months'
11:11 time.
11:12 There'll be another one.
11:13 Even if you have success, there's a challenge there.
11:15 So it's how really focused you are and how committed you are to go on the path that you've
11:21 started.
11:22 I'm unwavering with that.
11:24 I just will not budge in terms of - because I just think - I just think that's what I
11:29 believe is the best way forward.
11:30 You faced Eddie Howe this weekend, who was obviously in the running for the Celtic job,
11:31 but before you got it - I mean, that's a four defeats and five now, but you are a Premier
11:32 League manager.
11:33 Do you ever kind of have the chance to sit back and think what could have happened if
11:34 you hadn't?
11:35 Oh, absolutely.
11:48 Sliding doors moment, but yeah, there's probably been no bigger decision than me being here
11:54 today than Eddie knocking back the Celtic job.
11:56 Yeah, so I haven't thanked him.
11:59 I probably should.
11:59 [LAUGHTER]
12:01 OK, we'll end the broadcast section there.