Tottenham Hotspur coach Ange Postecoglu previews their UEFA Europa League quarter-final with Eintracht Frankfurt
Courtesy of UEFA
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Courtesy of UEFA
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
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00:00Hi everybody, welcome to our Matchday Minus 1 press conference ahead of tomorrow's fixture
00:16against Eintracht Frankfurt. Please use the microphone provided, one or two questions each
00:20to get through as many as we can in the time we have. Translation is available via the headsets,
00:24Channel 1 for English, Channel 2 for German. Looking at training, it looks like the vast
00:31majority are available tomorrow. How excited are you and the players ahead of such a huge
00:36quarterfinal? Everyone's good from the weekend from a physical standpoint. It's a good place
00:47to be for us. There hasn't been many occasions when that's happened this year. From that
00:52point of view, it's good. Yeah, we're all excited about it. It's a quarterfinal European
00:56competition. You're one of eight. Home game as well, which adds to that excitement, so looking
01:03forward to it. Watched another team in North London last night, another quarterfinal. They
01:08were singing at the end, are you Tottenham in disguise? Is that a kind of mentality, whipping
01:12boys element, you sort of want to lose here or am I looking too much into it?
01:16Mate, I don't know. Yeah, probably looking too much into it. We're kind of trying to concentrate
01:26on what's important to us right now and that is a big game tomorrow night.
01:29Sorry to look backwards, but we've got Brennan coming in after you. He seemed quite frustrated
01:36after the game on Sunday about not taking the penalty at the end. He kind of said he didn't
01:41want to distract Matthias but he'd love to have taken it. Did you have a view on that situation?
01:45Is there a kind of pecking order and were you happy with the way it worked out?
01:49Yeah, clear of you. We scored. We won. Delighted. It's incredible. It's just, it's the one bit
01:57that, you know, literally turning gold into crap when it's Tottenham. Seriously. We're
02:062-1 up. If we're 2-1 up tomorrow night and we get a penalty in the last minute, I want the
02:11best penalty taker to take it. I mean, the one slight against this club is apparently
02:19that, you know, hasn't been a winner. Well, the winner's mentality in the last minute of
02:24a game is to score a goal. We scored a goal and yet somehow in this ultimate universe of
02:30where everything that Tottenham does is wrong, that's come out as a negative. But as you
02:38may, like I said, from my point of view, I was delighted because like I said, if that's
02:42tomorrow night and we get a penalty in the last minute and we get a third goal, which could
02:47be really, really decisive, really pleased with the way the players handled it.
02:52Has Brennan given you...
02:53Mate, it doesn't matter what...
02:55Sorry, I was going to move on to something.
02:56Okay, go on.
02:57Did something different. I was going to say, obviously, Wilson scored twice in the last
03:02leg. Has Brennan's performance on Sunday, you know, given you a really tough decision
03:08in that position?
03:09No, not from the point of view. I mean, I think it's, you know, again, with Brennan, I think
03:13part of the strategy leading into this was we had quite a few players who were coming
03:20back from long-term injuries, including Wilson and Destiny and Mickey Van Devin and Romero
03:26and mate, I can keep going on. And we had to use games where we needed those guys to play
03:32because otherwise, if I just kept playing Brennan, we'd be at a point now where someone like Wilson
03:36or even Destiny or these guys would have had no game time and we may need them. So it wasn't
03:42about just leaving Brennan out because, you know, he wasn't performing. Part of the strategy
03:48was we needed to give Wilson some game time. So pleased that, you know, both of them have
03:55got game time. We've got, you know, most of our guys now, we're able to sort of give Mickey
04:00and Destiny a rest on the weekend. So most of our guys are in a position where, you know,
04:08they're not fatigued because they haven't been overplayed, but also they've played enough.
04:11You know, I think that's been really important for us. So we're in a good position from that
04:15point of view.
04:16Ange, some of your very best nights have come in Europe at White Hart Lane when it's been
04:21an incredible atmosphere and positivity. Just how important is, will that kind of feeling
04:26within the stadium be tomorrow night with such a big game?
04:29Yeah, hugely important. I think with every European game, I think, you know, whether you're
04:34watching last night or you'll watch tonight and, you know, whoever's playing at home, the
04:40atmosphere makes a big impact. Absolutely it does. I think it's a big part of European
04:44football. I think a lot of teams that have success in European football is on the back of
04:48really strong home atmospheres. And, you know, we hope it's the same tomorrow night for us.
04:56You know, we think if we can get the crowd going tomorrow night. And we've had nights like
05:01that this year. European nights have been good. You know, the semi-final of the Carabao Cup,
05:08the first league against Liverpool is really good. So we need that tomorrow night because
05:13it is. I think in European football, it's a big part of sort of helping what are always
05:20tight ties, you know, for clubs to get an advantage.
05:23And this competition generally offers you such a brilliant opportunity, doesn't it? I mean,
05:28you know, it must be one against this huge opponent like this that you want to save,
05:33that the players want to save.
05:35Yeah, like I said, I mean, I'm not sure how many times a club's been in quarterfinals of a
05:42European competition. So I think every time you get in there, you don't take it for granted.
05:45And you want to make the most of it for sure. And, you know, it's going to be a tough game
05:49tomorrow, Frank, for a good side. Going well in the Bundesliga, they're, you know, they've
05:54got a mixture of some real exciting young players, but also some experience in there. And it'll
05:59be a good challenge for us. But I think when you get to the last state of a European competition,
06:03I think, you know, that's what you expect to face. And I'm looking forward to it.
06:07You mentioned how long it's been since Tottenham won something. There's so much at stake for
06:12this competition in the Champions League. Now you're in the last stages. How do you go
06:16about changing the mentality of the club that winning something becomes normal, particularly
06:22this season?
06:23Well, you know, we're still a little bit away from that. You know, it's only the quarterfinals
06:27stage, but you've got yourself to a position where, you know, you have an opportunity to
06:32progress, you know, to the final stages. So it's just one step at a time. And the most
06:39important thing is that tomorrow night, like I said, we focus on having a strong performance
06:43at home. You know, make sure that, you know, we play the football that we want to play and
06:50we've tried to play. You know, I think we're slowly getting ourselves back into that sort
06:56of ability to maintain the levels we need to in a more consistent basis with the players
07:03we've got available. So that's got to be the focus.
07:05How do you think the team's done since you've had more players back? Have you been having
07:08what you've seen over the last six or seven weeks?
07:12Oh, I can assure you it hasn't been six, seven weeks. But anyway, I think we've been okay.
07:18But again, it's been disruptive because obviously we've had to juggle getting players game time
07:23with, you know, also resting some players at different times so that we can get to this
07:29position where, you know, we've got a fairly, you know, fit and strong squad to tackle what's
07:36ahead. I thought first half on the weekend was really good. I thought there was some real
07:41good signs both with and without the ball that, you know, the lads are getting stronger in
07:46the areas we need them to.
07:49Tom?
07:51You were asking Dan earlier, talking about how many people turn the goal and the crack at
07:57the moment. There's a sort of sense of frustration at the moment in the last few weeks that you
08:01were saying the other day about being on the loan, Royce speaking up for Spurs. How much is
08:04there an anger in the dressing room of wanting to prove to people this season, at this particular
08:10game, that, you know, the team still is strong, still is fighting and, I don't know,
08:16what is the side of you?
08:19Look, I think that feeling exists but not because of that. I don't think they want to
08:22sort of prove, I mean, like, and I don't think that's kind of a healthy motivation to have
08:29because ultimately you can't win that contest. I think, I just think we're in that position
08:34now where, as I said, even the good stuff we may do is going to be turned into some sort
08:39of, you know, half glass full kind of rhetoric. So, from that perspective, I don't think we
08:47can, am I interrupting somebody at the back there? You know, from our perspective, I don't
08:55think that can be a driver in what we want to do. The lads are really keen to, as I said,
09:01get ourselves to be in a position where we can bring success to the club, keep sort of
09:07driving the principles of, you know, why we started this whole sort of journey in terms
09:13of the kind of football we want to play, really stick together as they have through the toughest
09:18periods. And now hopefully, you know, we've worked our way into a position where we can
09:25make an impact for our season, a real disappointing season for us. I just think there's a real determination
09:31to, to take the opportunity that they've earned up until this point rather than, like I said,
09:36I just don't think you can win that argument of convincing people. I think even if we, well,
09:41I think, I think John wrote, you know, even if we win it, I'm gone anyway. So, you know,
09:47that's, and that's almost how it would go at you. That's just, I think, the general sentiment
09:50of people. So, if you're trying to use that as a motivation, you're not going to win that
09:53anyway. So, there's got to be something more in it for us. And for us, what the most important
09:59thing as a group is that, obviously, we've been through a really tough time, but we're still
10:03in a position where we can make an impact. And you don't know how often you'll get in those
10:07opportunities. Obviously, we're in a quarterfinal. I don't know how many times the club's been
10:11in a quarterfinal of a European competition. Well, you don't want to let that sort of slip
10:16you by or have the wrong sort of mindset going into it. So, you know, I think the players
10:22are handling it well in terms of how they're trying to embrace this challenge of, you know,
10:29what's, you're going to face a top team, but, you know, we have the capabilities to overcome
10:34that.
10:35Yeah, hugely so. And, you know, the point I was trying to make with Wilson was he was a
10:51key contributor to us winning the penalty at the end. So, he makes a big impact. So,
10:56it's about all the players, not just them, not just Wilson. It's just an example I use.
11:01But, again, you kind of know that in European competition, it's over two leagues. And more
11:08than likely, the dying stages of both leagues are going to be hugely important in the way
11:12you sort of handle that. And usually, that's going to be handled by guys who are coming on.
11:17You know, no one starts and finishes the game with the same 11 players. So, it's about having
11:21a readiness for that. And I said, at the moment, like, we've got some really good options off
11:27the bench. And I want the guys to be ready to not just come on and sort of play their minutes,
11:31but come on and really make an impact. Because, like I said, he's the one that won the ball
11:34for us for Brennan's penalty. And, you know, that's the kind of impact we need from the whole
11:41group now. Because it's going to take the challenge of the whole group to overcome.
11:46If you could pass it down to Ali, please. Thank you.
11:50You're always very proud of the coaches you work with going on to become managers.
11:55What did you make of Chris Davies and winning promotions?
11:58Yeah, delighted for him. Really enjoyed working with Chris. I mean, he was only with me for a short
12:02time last year, but really enjoyed working with him. He was a big part of sort of what we built
12:08last year from, you know, we had to sort of, it was almost, well it was, it was ground zero
12:13in terms of, you know, building a whole sort of football program in a different direction.
12:17And he was a big part of that. And delighted for him. It's always, you know, your first job
12:23is pretty important when you're kind of trying to embark on a career as a senior manager.
12:29And he's done brilliantly well, which is not surprising. And, yeah, I'm sure there's more to come from him.
12:35You're used to chopping and changing staff and going in with a whole new staff.
12:38How did you mitigate kind of losing, I guess, the consistency you would have brought you
12:42as a system manager in the second season?
12:45Well, I think, you know, there were still other people within the, you know, Wellesie
12:50and Maso and Millet who were with us, Birchie. So, it wasn't, it wasn't that disruptive.
12:55And like I said, we were still very much, it wasn't like, I think it'd be more difficult if Chris
12:59was with me for 10 years and then he moves on. But, I mean, the reason I kind of haven't
13:03had sort of a group of people is that, you know, that's an easy one for us to sort of travail.
13:09Because, like I said, there's a consistency in message with all the sort of staff I have.
13:13And, you know, like I said, he was great with us last year.
13:16And I was more than pleased for him to sort of take his opportunity and he's done well with it.
13:20Last one, please, George.
13:21It's obviously a tough season, tough time for the club and for yourself.
13:26You mentioned the speculation around your job.
13:28How much has this competition kind of kept you going as a chance to, no matter what happens,
13:33leave your mark on this club?
13:35Yeah, look, I, again, I, you know, like I said, the only reason I mentioned John's article
13:41is not because I think that's a general sentiment that, you know, that I've said before,
13:48that's not what drives me.
13:49I came to this club with a clear sort of purpose and vision of what the club needed
13:56and what I could offer and that is change the way the game, you know, the team plays
14:01to obviously rejuvenate the squad because it was a squad that was coming to the end of a cycle
14:07and bring success.
14:09And as long as I'm in this position, that's always my focus.
14:13And irrespective of whatever noise there is or whatever there may or may not be in the future,
14:18I don't see that that should diminish my sort of burning ambition and desire and my determination
14:28to make that happen.
14:29I mean, you know, that's, anything you achieve in life, you know, usually comes with a struggle.
14:35Certainly everything I've achieved in my life has come with a struggle from a professional perspective.
14:40So this is just another struggle, but never through this struggle have I thought,
14:44oh, you know, I've lost the will to fight for what I think is the right thing to do
14:52and we'll continue to do that.
14:55MR.
14:56Thanks.