The Tottenham Hotspur boss has been speaking about the transfer window and the second half of the season to come for the north London side
Ange Postecoglou has provided an update on James Maddison, stated that he thinks Tottenham is in the running for the Premier League championship, and provided further information regarding his pre-arrival talks with prospective recruits.
Despite all of the injury and suspension issues this season, with the number of unavailable players often running into double figures, Postecoglou has got Spurs in fifth place in the Premier League table, a point behind reigning champions Manchester City and title hopefuls Arsenal and just six points off leaders Liverpool.
When asked if he believed Tottenham was still in the running for the championship, the Australian said, grinning, “Well, define to me what a title race is.”
He smiled even more when it was said that he had a serious chance of winning and was only one point behind the championship contenders from the previous year.
Yes, under that logic, you would turn around and say, “Come on, Ange,” if I said no. We are by definition, right? He stated. “Well, we are, and I’ve been saying that for the entire time. Why would you rule out the idea, though, until you’re not? We’re persevering after going through a really trying time.
The Australian smiled and responded, “Well, define to me what a title race is,” when asked if he thought Tottenham was still a contender for the crown.
When it was mentioned that he was only one point behind the competitors for the title from the previous year and had a real chance of winning, he grinned even more.
Yes, by that reasoning, if I told you no, you would turn around and say, “Come on, Ange.” By definition, we are, correct? He said. “Well, we are, and I have been stating that all along. But why would you reject the notion till you are reconsidered? We’re enduring despite going through a really difficult period.
So with a real buzz around the club and the hope that Tottenham might just upset the established order this season, does the Spurs boss believe that hope had a part to play in convincing the powers-that-be to greenlight the two early moves for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin, a rarity in the January window for the north London side?
“It may go the other way, where they decide to give him certain players because, you know, it’s not working. He said, “There are times when it works against you. ‘Really, he’s doing fine, he doesn’t need any players.'” “I believe that saying “ok” requires confidence and trust since there is always an investment involved whenever a player is added or a move is made.Since I accept responsibility for the moves, most clubs feel more comfortable making those decisions if they have faith and trust in me. We’ve been able to move rapidly because, in my opinion, everyone at the club has been extremely aligned with our goals. As a result, there haven’t been many conversations about who the player was or whether we should consider other choices. The response was, “Okay, let’s go try and make it happen. This is what we want.” We’ve moved rather swiftly, I believe, because if it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen.”
One of the most talked-about things about Spurs’ summer and winter window additions is that their conversation with Postecoglou before to joining was the final straw. Both Werner and Dragusin discussed their talks with the Australian, while other players like Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison have waxed poetic about their initial meeting with their future head coach.
Postecoglou is eager to emphasize that his goal is not to convince the players to join, but rather to hear their excitement about what’s coming next.
Since I don’t really try to convince others, I don’t think it’s me. You want to hear some joy in their voice about [coming here], not that they meet me halfway, that’s essential to me,” he stated. And that’s not only at Tottenham; wherever I’ve gone, people have shown a strong desire to come here for themselves because they believe it to be the greatest place for them to further their careers.
“All I attempt to do is try to build a picture for them of what they’re getting into for it to happen. As part of that discussion, I tried to learn as much as I could about that
The fact that I’m speaking with something I’ve taken the effort to learn about rather than just another player provides them comfort, in my opinion, and they can then express what they’re seeking for next. From the interaction, it’s clear that they’ve come to the proper spot because they can get what they want.
“There are other additional factors that are involved. In addition to the players themselves, who undoubtedly have their own beliefs, there is the money component and the network around them. Although I can’t truly rely on my ability to persuade people to go, I do my best to provide them with genuine assurance that I won’t be speaking.
Does Postecoglou believe that players like Maddison and Dragusin turning down transfers to Champions League teams in favor of joining Tottenham indicates that he is creating something unique in N17?
“Hopefully. Hopefully, a large portion of it comes from their observation of us from the outside, including our style of play, the guys we bring in, and how those players support us,” the man said. “The players who came in helped, so our summer window was terrific. It demonstrates the time, attention, and effort we take to make sure the correct athletes and individuals are brought in.
It reassures people who are thinking, “Well, okay, they wouldn’t be talking to me unless they see me [as someone who could fit in],” in my opinion. A lot of that, in my opinion, is the outside world observing us play and approach things.
“We can make a strong case for that. The more we can follow that path and succeed in these domains, especially when discussing younger players, whose trip includes the desire to avoid making a mistake at this juncture in their careers. Thus, it aids us in that endeavor to see people who are in a similar situation as them come here and make an immediate impact.”
