NEWS UPDATE :
Ange Postercoglou has Issued a brutal warning to his players ahead of the coming season telling them they cannot live the āsensational lifeā if they want to cope with the gruelling nature of elite football.
In an interview with Men in Blazers, Ange sat down to talk about the upcoming season.
The interviewer began by saying āDestiny Udogie said your system is by far the hardest heās ever played in. I mean looking at your team right now, itās younger than ever. There are only three players above the age of 30. Does that change your approach ā your methods?ā.
Ange said: āNo not necessarily, I took over a team that had come to the end of a natural cycle. A team that was very very close to being very very successful ā a team that had come within touching distance of a Champions League, second in the Premier League.
That group of players, I think like all things in life was coming to natural end, so it wasnāt just about coming in and changing the way they played their football, but changing the whole squad.
Iāve always felt when youāve made a transformation, the more open and willing minds you have, the easier it is to do that. And young people just tend to have that. They have less fear, they have less scars, less trepidation about trying something different.
[Itās] not that you donāt need experience, I was pretty fortunate, that, particularly in Sonny, I had an experienced player who was very much young in mind and heart, willing to embrace something new.
But I love the fact that Iāve got these really fertile minds that I can shape the way I want to, and itās up to me, then, to take them on that journey and show them the way forward, because theyāre willing participants and Iāve not had to convince them too much, and I guess thatās the beauty of it.ā
Ange Postecoglou outlays intentions for next season
Ange was asked āWhat can you tell us that will be different about this Spurs this team this season?ā
He replied ā āI think weāll have grown a lot from last year, understanding about ourselves. When we we were good, we were exciting and we had everyone talking about us. When we had to grind, we found a way to get there, but there was obviously a space in there when we didnāt really cope too well with disruptions, which I think is only natural.
You know, when things are going well itās a lot easier to stay on board. We had some disruptions in terms of injuries, suspensions, you know some lack of discipline for sure which happens with young players. We didnāt cope well with that, but we learned a lot from that. I think saying weāve become a more mature squad [is maybe not the right way to phrase it], I think weāre a better-prepared squad this year than we were last year.ā
After being asked āAs you sit here Ange, whatās your number one concern, except having to be interviewed by me?ā to which the Spurs manager replied āNah this is very enjoyable. The concern I have is always the stuff you canāt control, Iām concerned about the opposition mate, because I donāt know how good theyāre gonna be, I canāt control that.
Iām concerned about the things that arenāt in this building, thatās what keeps me going to say letās not put a limit on how good weāre gonna be because we just donāt know about the opposition and what challenges weāre gonna have through the years.
And the Premier League is the elite competition, and you know, we came fifth but I donāt look at that, I look at that we came 20 odd points behind the top team and thatās a big gap, and weāve got to chip away and bridge that gap. Itās not gonna happen because the teams there that Man City and Arsenal gonna stand still, theyāre gonna get better, so we have to improve at a better rate than them, and thatās our challenge.ā
āSo last season you did finish fifth, Europa League ā you were linked, fleetingly, with the England job, and you put that down, you said āWeāve not achieved anything at Tottenham yet. Until we achieve something, my work is not done.ā Ange looking ahead, what can this team achieve, what are your expectations for the season?ā
The Spurs boss replied āIām not putting a limit on it. What I do want to achieve, is that we are able to play the football we want to play on a consistent basis ā because I think that gives the identity of this football club what [it] really wants, and craves, and has always had as its backdrop.
When you walk around this place, āTo Dare Is To Doā is everywhere, and I think thatās a reference point, not just a mindset but also actions, and for us, thatās playing the game a certain way. So thatās what I want to do, and I think if we do that, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
I came here to bring success to the club, as you said Iāve had success pretty much everywhere Iāve been. Success means trophies, and thatās got to be our aim. But, underpinning that is to play football that everyone talks about, and our supporters love.ā
āSo what is your message to supporters around the world? Supporters have dreams, we are on seasons eve. You have realities and dreams ā between that, what should the fans carry in their head and their heart?
Ange answered āThe role of the fan is to be the dreamer, my role is to be the realist, and let me handle the stuff thatās going to be hard ā and for them to truly enjoy what being a fan of a football club really means. What it means is community shared experiences, extreme emotions, there is nothing wrong with getting frustrated and angry, thatās part of being a human being.
Hopefully, at the end of it, a memory that lasts generations, that we can pass onto others.ā