Ange Postecoglou’s last-ditch effort to save his job at Tottenham involves winning a trophy, and that makes the first leg of Spurs’ Europa League quarter-final at home simply critical.
It started in disastrous fashion with visitors Eintracht Frankfurt scoring just six minutes into the tie after a sloppy Spurs turn over in midfield.
Hugo Ekitike was the goal scorer for the German outfit as he was left all alone and able to charge forward before firing past Tottenham goalkeeper Vicario.
Postecoglou breathed a sigh of relief 20 minutes later when Pedro Porro levelled the scores, and 1-1 is where it remained at half time.
Tottenham will take solace in the second half from the fact they have largely controlled the game, having more of the ball and creating more chances.
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It comes as he says even the “good stuff” Tottenham do is turned into a negative, acknowledging the “general sentiment” is that he will not be in charge next season.
Speculation over the Australian’s future has been rife for months following a tough, injury-hit season for Spurs, who are 14th in the Premier League.
The Europa League is the club’s only chance to salvage a difficult campaign, with Eintracht Frankfurt visiting this morning (5am AEST) for the first leg of their quarter-final.
Postecoglou said it was tough to change the narrative around Tottenham’s campaign.
“I just think we’re in that position now where even good stuff we may do is going to be turned into some sort of a glass half-(empty) rhetoric and from that perspective I don’t think that can be a driver in what we want to do,” he said.
The former Australia and Celtic boss referred to a newspaper opinion piece that suggested even European glory may be too little, too late to save him.
“(Someone) wrote that even if we win it (the Europa League), I’m gone anyway. That’s not having a go at you, that’s just saying the general sentiment of people. So if you’re trying to use that as a motivation, you’re not going to win that anyway.
“There’s got to be something more in it for us.... We’ve been through a really tough time but we’re still in a position where we can make an impact.” Postecoglou said he arrived at Spurs in 2023 with a clear vision of what he could offer.
“As long as I’m in this position, that’s always my focus, irrespective of whatever noise there is or what there may or not be in the future,” he said. “I don’t see that that should diminish my burning ambition, my desire and my determination to make that happen.”