Ange Postecoglou: Tottenham to Maintain Pressure Against Man City, Regardless of Arsenal's Title Hopes

A victory or draw against Pep Guardiola's team next Tuesday could essentially gift the title to Spurs' counterparts from North London.

By: Anna Ciao

05/11/2024 02:49

Ange Postecoglou has rejected any suggestion of his Tottenham team easing off against Manchester City next week, despite the possibility of inadvertently aiding their rivals Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Postecoglou, the head coach of Spurs, has emphasized his desire for three consecutive wins in Tottenham's final three matches, starting with Burnley on Saturday. He cautioned that merely securing qualification for the Champions League would not transform Spurs into a genuine Champions League club.

However, Postecoglou has faced another setback with the news of a fresh injury to Brazil's Richarlison, ruling him out of the Copa America due to a calf injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season.

Trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by seven points with two games in hand, Tottenham cannot afford to drop points in any of their remaining matches if they hope to challenge for a top-four finish.

Postecoglou remains unwavering in his determination, despite the possibility of Tottenham inadvertently aiding Arsenal in the title race by beating or drawing against City next Tuesday night. Despite suffering four consecutive defeats, Postecoglou is resolute in his commitment to the club's cause.

"I'm here fighting tooth and nail every single day for everything I can get for this football club because that's my responsibility," Postecoglou affirmed. "I would not give up on any cause, even the most lost of causes, because then I'd be abstaining from my responsibilities. I want us to finish the season strong. I want us to try and win three games of football and see where that takes us."

Ahead of their clash with relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday, Postecoglou made it clear that Spurs would not be offering any favors. When questioned if he and his players had resigned to the current season, Postecoglou dismissed the notion, stating, "That's a harsh term, give up. What does that mean? I come in here at 12 o'clock, have a latte, go home, and just let the guys train? I don't give up on anything."

He emphasized his stance, adding, "I never said I didn't care about finishing top four. What I said was finishing top four does not mean we're going to be the team I want us to be next year. That's not what will define us. I don't give up, and I'd be surprised if anyone in my position at this level will go in with anything other than 100 per cent commitment to fight for everything because if you don't, invariably you fail."

Postecoglou was confronted with the notion that Tottenham might be better off qualifying for the Europa League, a competition in which the club could potentially have a greater chance of success next season. In response, he acknowledged the sentiment but emphasized the importance of aiming for the highest possible finish and gaining entry into the most prestigious competition available.

“Finishing fourth and getting into the Champions League does not make you a Champions League club, in my opinion. It just gives you an opportunity to be in there. To me, to be a Champions League club and to be at that level requires more than finishing fourth in one year.

“Do I believe right now we’re a Champions League club? No we’re not. That’s my belief.

“We’ve still got work to do. That doesn’t mean I don’t want us to reach that Champions League. That’s self-defeating in terms of what I’m trying to create. Should we finish fourth and make the Champions League, it isn’t going to change my view of where we’re at and what we need to do in the summer. That’s still really clear in my head.”

Click star to rate

5 (1 rating)

Written by: Anna Ciao

Anna Ciao is a sports content contributor at Betimate. Born and raised in a rural village in China, I have had a passion for football and various sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, from a young age. Along with diligent studies, I achieved an IELTS score of 8.0 in the English language, and I have become a content contributor specializing in sports, particularly football, as I am today. I hope that my articles are helpful to readers.