DEFIANT SPURS BOSS ANGE POSTECOGLOU SUGGESTS THERE'S AN 'AGENDA' TO GET HIM SACKED AS HE RALLIES AGAINST CRITICS AFTER FA CUP DEFEAT BY ASTON VILLA
- Ange Postecoglou launched a passionate defence of his Tottenham players
- Postecoglou is under increasing pressure following his side's FA Cup exit
- LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Does the Premier League REALLY need to look at goal celebrations?
Under-fire Ange Postecoglou hinted at an ‘agenda’ to have him sacked as Tottenham boss after his side were knocked out of a second cup competition inside four days.
As Spurs lost at Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round following their defeat last Thursday at Liverpool in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, there were chants throughout from Spurs fans calling for chairman Daniel Levy to walk away.
Postecoglou is also under severe pressure but launched a passionate defence of his players, claiming every club would struggle as Spurs have done with 12 first-teamers missing.
‘I don’t care how people judge me but don’t judge this group of players,’ Postecoglou said. ‘People can say I have done a bad job or that I’m not up to it and that’s fine.
‘Look at what this group have been doing for two-and-a-half months. It can’t be that people think (the injury situation) is an excuse.
‘That's just not anywhere near close to objective analysis. That's just agenda driven stuff. If it's to get rid of me that's fine. Good on you. Go for it a million times. But what this group has given is outstanding. Credit to them.’
Postecoglou referred to Liverpool’s shock defeat at Plymouth, as Arne Slot made wholesale changes to his squad, to bolster his argument.
The Australian insists that while other Premier League bosses can rotate like this, he has no option because he has so many key men missing. He hopes to have at least four back within the next week.
‘How did Liverpool do today?’ he said. ‘And they made those choices for one game. We have been asking teenagers to play in Europe on Thursdays and the Premier League on Sundays since November. I think this group of players will be an outstanding team. I have no doubt about that.’
Villa also have their injury issues. Ezri Konsa started as the club’s only available centre-back and went off injured after 26 minutes. Boss Unai Emery is also without six other potential starters but handed second-half debuts to on-loan duo Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
He added: ‘We saw the skill of Rashford and Asensio and how they helped us. They will help us again in the coming months and the different competitions we face.’
Read more 2025-02-09T22:05:36Z
