Tottenham manager, Ange Postecoglou, has blasted those who are trying to downplay his team’s achievement of reaching the UEFA Europa Legue final.
He recently revealed that Spurs beating Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate to book a place in the UEL final would upset a lot of people.
Speaking to the press after the game, Postecoglou revealed that, in the coming weeks, he is expecting a lot of debates about whether Tottenham or MUFC will be worthy champions of the Europa League title.
According to him, he does not care if Spurs are struggling in the league, because if reaching the final of any competition is super easy, then clubs who regularly finish in the Top 3 would do it every season.
“That [result] is going to upset a lot of people.
There’ll be debates now raging and neither of us [United and Tottenham] will be able to get a trophy. If we win, we’re just going to take a team photo because we’re not worthy.
Who cares if we’re struggling in the league? Why is that important? If it’s so easy to get to a final, then why doesn’t everyone who finishes in the top three do it? I mean, it’s a separate thing. It’s got nothing to do with league form,” he said.
Ange further said that even if he understands that the club’s domestic form has been very underwhelming this season, that sad reality should not diminish the fact that his boys have done well in Europe.
He believes both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have earned the right to play in the final in Bilbao, and he is certain that the two clubs will be capable of beating teams that qualified for the UCL via their domestic league.
“We understand our league form hasn’t been great. We understand the struggles we’ve had. A lot of them are because of the situation we’ve been in, but how does that diminish the achievement of getting to a final?
Like I said, this club and others have finished in first, second or third in the Premier League and haven’t made finals. So why should that be diminished? I couldn’t care less about who’s struggling, and who’s not.
I think both us and Man United have earned the right to be there. I think we’re probably beating teams that will be in the Champions League next year on our road to getting there. So looking forward to it, it should be about game,” Postecoglou said.
He maintained that some staunch critics of the club are obviously scared that Spurs could actually win a major trophy after several years, so they are currently working overtime to try to downplay their season.
“What’s happening right now is that people are fearing that it actually might happen because it might happen. ‘Let’s see how we can tear it down’ … somehow diminish it somehow by saying that it’s been a poor season and we don’t deserve this or we don’t deserve that. Or somehow comparing us to Manchester United,” Postecoglou said.
If we had United’s success, maybe I’d have a different view. I could have been sitting here exactly in fifth position [in the Premier League] and I guarantee you that the commentary around me would be, well, that’s a great achievement, but this club needs to win something.
That’s exactly what everyone would be saying. Of course this [making a European final] is massive,” he added.
