In an interview with Men in Blazers, Ange sat down to talk about the upcoming season.
The interviewer began by saying “Destiny Udogie said your system is by far the hardest he’s ever played in. I mean looking at your team right now, it’s younger than ever. There are only three players above the age of 30. Does that change your approach – your methods?”.
Ange said: “No 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 – 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 wasn’t just about coming in and changing the way they played their football, but changing the whole squad.
I’ve always felt when you’ve 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.
[It’s] not that you don’t 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 I’ve got these really fertile minds that I can shape the way I want to, and it’s up to me, then, to take them on that journey and show them the way forward, because they’re willing participants and I’ve not had to convince them too much, and I guess that’s the beauty of it.”
Ange Postecoglou outlays intentions for next season
Ange was asked “What can you tell us that will be different about this Spurs this team this season?”
He replied – “I think we’ll 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 didn’t really cope too well with disruptions, which I think is only natural.
You know, when things are going well it’s 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 didn’t cope well with that, but we learned a lot from that. I think saying we’ve become a more mature squad [is maybe not the right way to phrase it], I think we’re a better-prepared squad this year than we were last year.”
After being asked “As you sit here Ange, what’s your number one concern, except having to be interviewed by me?” to which the Spurs manager replied “Nah this is very enjoyable. The concern I have is always the stuff you can’t control, I’m concerned about the opposition mate, because I don’t know how good they’re gonna be, I can’t control that.
I’m concerned about the things that aren’t in this building, that’s what keeps me going to say let’s not put a limit on how good we’re gonna be because we just don’t know about the opposition and what challenges we’re gonna have through the years.
And the Premier League is the elite competition, and you know, we came fifth but I don’t look at that, I look at that we came 20 odd points behind the top team and that’s a big gap, and we’ve got to chip away and bridge that gap. It’s not gonna happen because the teams there that Man City and Arsenal gonna stand still, they’re gonna get better, so we have to improve at a better rate than them, and that’s our challenge.”
“So last season you did finish fifth, Europa League – you were linked, fleetingly, with the England job, and you put that down, you said “We’ve not achieved anything at Tottenham yet. Until we achieve something, my work is not done.” Ange looking ahead, what can this team achieve, what are your expectations for the season?”
The Spurs boss replied “I’m 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 – 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, “To Dare Is To Do” is everywhere, and I think that’s a reference point, not just a mindset but also actions, and for us, that’s playing the game a certain way. So that’s 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 I’ve had success pretty much everywhere I’ve been. Success means trophies, and that’s got to be our aim. But, underpinning that is to play football that everyone talks about, and our supporters love.”
“So what is your message to supporters around the world? Supporters have dreams, we are on seasons eve. You have realities and dreams – between that, what should the fans carry in their head and their heart?
Ange answered “The role of the fan is to be the dreamer, my role is to be the realist, and let me handle the stuff that’s going to be hard – 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, that’s part of being a human being.
Hopefully, at the end of it, a memory that lasts generations, that we can pass onto others.”