TOTTING UP
Ange Postecoglou warns Tottenham players AND staff face axe – so who should stay and who should go?
Manager insists he is prepared to shake up his squad to suit his playing style
ANGE POSTECOGLOU warned players and even staff members could go in his bid to turn Spurs into title challengers.
The Aussie already implemented an overhaul in his first two transfer windows but, after three straight defeats, revealed more change is on its way.
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Postecoglou, whose Tottenham side's Champions League hopes are hanging by the thinnest of threads, said: “We’ve already made tough decisions.
“We let some experienced players leave the club at the beginning of the year, some by choice.
“But I feel like if we’re really going to change, that means change. You have to make decisions.
“Some of those decisions aren’t that tough because, whether it’s a player or a staff member, they realise it themselves.
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“But some of them you have to make just because of change, not necessarily because they don’t fit in the picture.
“I’ve got to change this squad. I’ve got to build a squad I think can play our football. For that to happen, there have to be exits.”
Postecoglou witnessed the early stages of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool revolution up close with a Boxing Day trip to Anfield in 2016.
And just like the Reds board backed the German’s vision then — to great reward — Postecoglou feels he has the support of Spurs’ hierarchy now to continue his own overhaul.
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The Aussie will head to Anfield on Sunday with some fans doubting him after three straight losses — including two painful London derby defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea.
Yet he is further ahead than Klopp was in his first Reds campaign, where he finished eighth, given the Spurs chief is on course to come fifth.
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Postecoglou recalled a visit to take in Liverpool’s 4-1 thrashing of Stoke seven-and-a-half years ago in Klopp’s second season — which ended with the Reds finishing fourth — when discussing his own backing from Spurs bosses.
The 58-year-old, a boyhood Liverpool fan, said: “In 2016 I came over with the family and took my oldest son to Anfield to watch Liverpool.
“It was just at the beginning of that building phase and, to be fair, they hadn’t done anything significant up until that point.
“But there was just a real energy in the stadium around Jurgen.
“The whole club, the supporters, everyone had bought into him, even though they hadn’t quite got to where they wanted to yet.
“But I felt that in the stadium and that’s why I’ve always got drawn to managers like that.
“You could see he could see things that others couldn’t in that time.
“For the most part with the most successful clubs, that’s the formula.
“Part of that responsibility lies on me to make sure I’m leading in a way that allows people to believe in me and support me because . . . it’s the only way I’m going to have success.
“I’m not going to do it on my own, that’s for sure. I never have. Wherever I’ve been, I’ve had great support and right now I’ve all the support I need.
“I really feel like the club has bought into the vision I have and it’s up to me to maintain that.”
Some Spurs supporters questioned Postecoglou’s appointment in June from Celtic, arguing his success in Japan and Scotland was not enough to warrant a top Premier League job.
Those worries soon vanished when he started the season like a house on fire, going unbeaten in his first ten games to send Tottenham top of the league.
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Yet that old narrative has reared its head again after losses to Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea have now left Spurs’ Champions League chances almost in tatters.
Thursday’s display in a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge was particularly concerning.
Some fans are worried that though his open, attacking, uncompromising style won league titles with Yokohama and Celtic, it may not necessarily translate to the Premier League.
And straight-talking Postecoglou understands he will have doubters until he delivers success.
He explained: “What do you reckon they said when I got to Japan? [The same].
“What do you reckon they said when I got to Scotland?
“I get that. I understand that. It’s legitimate until success comes and then it doesn’t become legitimate.
“My role is to navigate us to where I think we’ll be successful.
“It’s not new to me. It’s not something I haven’t been asked before.
“I’ve always just navigated it exactly the same way.
“But that doesn’t mean those questions shouldn’t be there because until you achieve something, obviously people are just going to try and figure out if my ideas are going to work here.
“That’s understandable. Until you have success, of course those questions are going to remain.
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“But do I have any doubts? Absolutely none. I have clarity in terms of building us a club which will become successful.
“I believe what I believe, down to my core. I’ll stand on the highest ground, die a noble death, believing in what I believe.”
With Spurs’ hopes of a top-four finish seemingly wrecked, Ange Postecoglou knows he needs to overhaul his squad next season.
Here, SunSport’s TOM BARCLAY runs the rule over who is likely to survive the cull — and who is in danger of going.
FIVE TO STAY
GUGLIELMO VICARIO: A little shaky from set-pieces but, overall, a big hit for just £16million.
CRISTIAN ROMERO: Postecoglou hailed the World Cup winner as “outstanding”.
MICKY VAN DE VEN: Dutch heir-apparent to Virgil van Dijk and lightning quick.
DESTINY UDOGIE: Sensational in the first half of his maiden campaign and still so young.
JAMES MADDISON: Tailed off recently but when he’s good, he’s perfect for Postecoglou.
FIVE TO GO
PIERRE-EMILE HOJBJERG: Dependable but not a natural Ange fit. One year left on his deal.
BRYAN GIL: Talented but looks too lightweight for the Premier League.
RYAN SESSEGNON: Injury issues mean Spurs may let him go for nothing.
OLIVER SKIPP: A rare home-grown player but Postecoglou has hardly given him a look-in.
TANGUY NDOMBELE: Spurs’ biggest-ever flop will be back this summer — but surely not for long.
FIVE IN DOUBT
YVES BISSOUMA: Form has nosedived since electric start to the season.
GIO LO CELSO: Has shown glimpses but rarely features and has only a year left.
EMERSON ROYAL: Spurs rejected £25m Saudi offer in January but may rethink.
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TIMO WERNER: Club can make his loan permanent for just £15m — but jury is out as to whether it is worth it.
MANOR SOLOMON: Injury has ruined Israeli’s first season, prompting durability concerns.
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