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Ange Postecoglou: Tottenham boss thinks managers deserve 'more respect'

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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou says he and other Premier League managers deserve "a little more respect".

The 59-year-old has been critcised for his tactics during an inconsistent campaign where he has stuck to his principles of high intensity attacking football.

Spurs were on a winless run of five matches in all competitions until back-to-back victories over Southampton in the Premier League and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.

They were 3-0 up against United with less than half an hour to play in the quarter-final before having to come through a chaotic finale to seal a 4-3 win.

"You kind of feel that 26 years of hard graft [as a manager] should get you a little more respect and I'm not the only one," said Postecoglou.

"I have seen it happen to [Aston Villa's former Arsenal manager] Unai [Emery] and Nuno [Espirito Santo] when he was here [as Tottenham boss]."

Postecoglou previously said being Spurs manager was harder than being the Prime Minister because of the short-term thinking involved.

Tottenham are 10th in the Premier League, despite only the top two sides, Liverpool and Chelsea, having a better goal difference.

Postecoglou added: "I get that not everyone will be a fan of the way I do things and even the way I play people will have different opinions.

"That's normal, that's healthy but some of it has been pretty dismissive."

Spurs host Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday and will face them in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot defends Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglu's attacking tactics

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he hopes Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou wins a trophy as reward for his attacking brand of football.

Spurs are 10th in the Premier League after an inconsistent campaign and, although Postecoglou has been criticised for his team's tactics this season, he recently said "in tough times you double down on your principles".

Slot was heavily linked with taking over as Tottenham manager in 2023 before staying at Feyenoord, and takes his side to play the London club on Sunday (16:30 GMT).

Liverpool have also been drawn against Spurs in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, with Tottenham progressing after a rollercoaster 4-3 win against Manchester United.

"It's great work that Ange is doing. I hope, hope, hope that he (Postecoglou) wins a trophy - not the League Cup but I am completely a fan of his team for the Europa League," said Slot.

"People talk about trophies, trophies, trophies and that is so important. For me, his brand of football is so much more important.

"If he can combine it with winning something that would be so good for football in general because then people can stop talking about 'is it too attacking?' How on earth can you play too much attacking football?"

Slot added: "I think it is a privilege to be a season ticket holder at Tottenham and to be a fan of them at the moment because they play such a great style."

Tottenham are the second highest goal scorers in the Premier League this season with 36 - just one behind Chelsea - having won seven and lost seven of their 16 top-flight games.

"I really have to give them credit," said Slot. "They have always been a certain brand of football for me and a certain identity and Ange Postecoglou gives them that identity back completely.

"Every time, it is a joy to watch them. Once in a while results go against them but I think they are one of the teams to beat Manchester City like us."

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Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Manchester United: Ange Postecoglou on League Cup win

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League Cup win 'tighter than it should have been' - Postecoglou. Video, 00:00:31League Cup win 'tighter than it should have been' - Postecoglou

Up Next. Winning a trophy has to be priority at Tottenham - Cahill. Video, 00:02:51Winning a trophy has to be priority at Tottenham - Cahill

Was Postecoglou right to criticise Werner? Video, 00:01:43Was Postecoglou right to criticise Werner?

We are in trouble with injuries - Guardiola. Video, 00:00:39We are in trouble with injuries - Guardiola

'Keep Rashford at the club and give him a cuddle' - Dublin. Video, 00:03:28'Keep Rashford at the club and give him a cuddle' - Dublin

From gym to SPOTY red carpet - behind the scenes with Hodgkinson. Video, 00:03:06From gym to SPOTY red carpet - behind the scenes with Hodgkinson

Better than the Bernabeu? How a new Man Utd stadium could take shape. Video, 00:06:59Better than the Bernabeu? How a new Man Utd stadium could take shape

Live your life, people will talk regardless - Saka. Video, 00:02:33Live your life, people will talk regardless - Saka

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Tottenham 4-3 Man Utd: Fraser Forster & Altay Bayindir questioned after mistakes

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"Has there been a worse performance from two goalkeepers in the same game ever?"

That was the question posed by former Liverpool defender and Sky pundit Jamie Carragher after Tottenham's Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United.

It was a match in which United's expected goals (xG) was 2.38 and actual goals were three - and Tottenham scored four goals from just 0.67 xG.

The keepers in question were second-choices Altay Bayindir of Manchester United and Fraser Forster of Tottenham.

They were each directly responsible for two goals, while one shot which didn't actually end up in the net was kept out by a save which had commentators literally laughing out loud.

So what happened?

It felt like the story of the game was going to be something else entirely after Tottenham took a 3-0 lead.

The first goal saw Bayindir, given a chance in the cup over usual number one Andre Onana, parry Pedro Porro's 25-yard shot straight to Dominic Solanke to slot in.

"The goalkeeper has to push that wide, he cannot push that back into the danger zone," said ex-United captain Gary Neville on Sky Sports.

"You could argue the United defenders are sleeping, but as a keeper you have got to make sure that goes out."

Dejan Kulusevski and Solanke again seemingly put Tottenham in control.

But 36-year-old Forster, deputising in recent weeks for the injured Guglielmo Vicario, took centre stage.

Moments after making an outstanding save to keep out Joshua Zirkzee's header, he was caught out by the United striker.

Forster received a pass from Archie Gray and under some pressure from Zirkzee, passed the ball straight to United captain Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes picked out Zirkzee via a deflection and it was an easy finish for 3-1.

"He is not amazing with the ball at his feet, Fraser Forster, but he hasn't even looked where Bruno Fernandes is," said Neville.

"He is not aware at all."

Former Tottenham midfielder Michael Brown, watching for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "He gets given a difficult ball but then he tries to be too calm and cool.

"He plays it right to Fernandes, it's an awful mistake from the goalkeeper. Just take a touch, clear it away."

It got worse seven minutes later. Forster again received a backpass from Gray, took too long on the ball and as Amad Diallo slid in Forster's attempted clearance ricocheted back into the goal.

That was 3-2.

"Ange Postecoglou is looking down to the ground in shock and disbelief," said Brown.

"Forster takes far too long. Diallo just slides in and takes a risk, and because of the poor tempo of the goalkeeper he gets in front of it and the ball flies into the net. You can't make mistakes like that at this level."

Neville added: "This is one of the most Tottenham things you will see. Oh Fraser, he thinks he has time and an age.

"But Amad closes down with unbelievable tenacity and he goes for it."

Those two United goals sparked a panicky spell from both Spurs and Forster.

As the visitors piled forward in search of an equaliser, Diallo took aim with a speculative shot from distance that was heading straight at the ex-England keeper.

Instead of getting down to keep the ball out with his hands, however, Forster booted it away with his feet like a defender clearing off his own line.

In Forster's defence, Carragher said afterwards it was a good save because the 6ft 7in keeper would not have been able to get down in time.

"We all burst out laughing, but there's no way he could've got his hands down so quickly," he said.

At the time, Neville was less forgiving.

"It's like when an outfield player goes in net at the end of training," he said on co-commentary. "They don't want to break their hands so they just whack it clear."

The chaotic series of events led to United's players standing on the edge of the Spurs box ready to charge in if Forster took it short - which he did once - while home fans cheered when he went long another time.

After the game Bayindir continued to argue with the officials with Onana next to him. The Cameroonian will not be worried about losing his place on the back of this performance.

Likewise, usual Spurs number one Vicario, on crutches, spoke to Forster, who has started the past seven games.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou told Sky Sports: "The first one affected Fraser and then the second one came as a result of that."

Later, speaking generally, he said: "It's part of football, mistakes will happen.

"You're asking for perfection in human beings and that doesn't exist. Sometimes they stuff up just like I do and you do."

The Australian was asked again about the goalkeeper in his post-match news conference.

"He is disappointed because he was outstanding for us. Even with his feet, he found some great solutions," he said.

Amorim, meanwhile, did not attribute any blame to Bayindir, who was making only his fourth appearance in 18 months for the club.

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Tottenham 4-3 Man Utd: Ange Postecoglou sees Spurs keep trophy dream alive

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Ange Postecoglou's claim that his job is harder than the Prime Minister's may have been laced with exaggeration - but his own players did their best to support his case on another chaotic night out with Tottenham's great entertainers.

Spurs eventually overcame Manchester United with a 4-3 win to reach the last four, but that scoreline barely touches the sides of an extraordinary night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - or some might say just an ordinary one given their previous form for mayhem.

In the build-up to the Carabao Cup quarter-final, Spurs boss Postecoglou said: "This job is the hardest in any walk of life. How many times does Keir Starmer have an election? I have one every weekend and I either get voted in or out."

In election terms, Postecoglou was heading for a landslide at 3-0 up after 54 minutes but ended up having to gratefully settle for a narrow majority.

This was after goalkeeper Fraser Forster gifted United two goals, Son Heung-min's fourth providing some relief in a panic-stricken stadium before Jonny Evans' third for United restored the tension for the final seconds.

The big ticket in Postecoglou's manifesto is all-out, full-throttle entertainment - and by that measure he is delivering on every word of his promises.

"Are you not entertained?" he asked after a night that was pure theatre, a mixture of high quality and farce, but also which actually put Spurs in sight of Wembley and still in the running for their first silverware since their 2008 win in this competition.

Entertaining? Most certainly. And the Spurs fans who drifted away looking on the brink of exhaustion will probably agree once blood pressures return to normal levels.

The outstanding Dominic Solanke, proving once more what a fine signing he has been since his £65m arrival from Bournemouth, scored twice with a Dejan Kulusevski goal sandwiched in between to put Spurs in total control.

This being Spurs, however, if something is worth doing it is worth over-doing. And so it proved.

Forster only found Bruno Fernandes with a pass from his goalline, the Manchester United captain setting up substitute Joshua Zirkzee after 63 minutes.

The keeper then made matters worse seven minutes later when hesitation and a poor touch saw him crash a clearance off Amad Diallo into the net.

Cue chaos. Cue the old "Spursy" jibes being dusted off.

The latest sideswipe is the label "Dr. Spurs" - providing a cure for teams who have not won before in the Premier League season, as applied to Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

Spurs can make themselves an easy target at times but they are still one of the hottest tickets around when it comes to putting on a show - for good and bad - under Postecoglou.

They eventually pulled themselves around here, leaving Postecoglou still with the chance to fulfil his boast that he always wins a trophy in his second season.

Postecoglou's commitment to attack and entertainment is laudable and it will be a personal triumph if he finally ends the long wait for Spurs to win a trophy, although they face a tough two-leg semi-final against Liverpool, especially with the second game at Anfield.

In recent weeks, Postecoglou has faced down the anger of his own fans after the loss at Bournemouth, while serious questions were asked after the 4-3 defeat at home to Chelsea, when Spurs once again showed the same self-destructive streak that almost cost them dear here.

The manager, however, will point out that Manchester City and Manchester United have both been beaten in the Carabao Cup. It has been no easy passage to the last four.

Spurs' 4-0 Premier League win at Etihad Stadium was one of the results and performances of the season. They were also magnificent in winning 3-0 at Old Trafford and when demolishing Aston Villa 4-1 at home.

It is the other side of the character that begs the questions of whether Postecoglou's principles can survive the harsh realities the Premier League can inflict.

If Postecoglou ends the barren sequence of silverware at Spurs, it will be a glorious vindication for a manager who lives by the principle that football is an entertainment business and sends his players out to prove it, as he did during his successful two seasons at Celtic.

And such a success will ensure Postecoglou a lengthy term in office in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

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Premier League LIVE: Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool - previews, live text and radio commentary

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Tottenham won this exact fixture 2-1 last season, last winning consecutive home league games against Liverpool between 2008 and 2012 (a run of five).

Liverpool have lost just two of their last 23 Premier League games against Tottenham (W15 D6) and have scored at least once in each of their last 17 against Spurs.

Tottenham won this exact fixture 2-1 last season thanks to a 90th minute Joel Matip own goal. Indeed, this fixture has seen more 90th minute winning goals than any other in Premier League history (6).

Tottenham have lost nine of their last 11 Premier League games against sides starting the day top of the table, with both exceptions coming away against Manchester City (2-2 in August 2019, 3-2 in February 2022). They’ve lost all five home games in this run.

Tottenham have kept just one clean sheet in their last 23 Premier League home games, a 4-0 win against Everton earlier this season. They’re winless in their last three at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (D1 L2), last having a longer run without a home win in November/December 2013 (4).

Spurs have scored more goals in the opening 15 minutes of games than any other side in the Premier League this season (9), with five of those coming in their last two games.

Having conceded just three goals in their first eight Premier League games this season, Liverpool have now conceded 10 in their last seven. Their last two games have been drawn 3-3 with Newcastle and 2-2 with Fulham, with the Reds last drawing three straight league games in the same season back in October 2015.

Victory for Liverpool will see them top of the Premier League table at Christmas for the first time since 2020-21. However, the Reds have only won the title in one of the last seven top-flight campaigns in which they’ve been top at Christmas, doing so in 2019-20.

Son Heung-min’s two assists against Southampton last time out took his total in the Premier League to 68 – the joint-most of any Tottenham player in the competition’s history (level with Darren Anderton).

Mohamed Salah has been involved in 22 of Liverpool’s 31 Premier League goals this season (71%), by far the highest share of any player for a side so far this term. He has 13 goals and nine assists, and could become the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures for both before Christmas in a single campaign.

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Ange Postecoglou: Spurs boss says management is 'harder' than being prime minister

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou says football management is the "hardest job in any walk of life" - including being prime minister.

Postecoglou, whose side ended a run of five games without a win in Sunday's Premier League victory over bottom club Southampton, says he faces an election "every weekend".

Victory at St Mary's lifted Spurs to 10th in the table but cost Saints manager Russell Martin his job, just hours after fellow top-flight club Wolves parted company with boss Gary O'Neil.

"This job is the hardest job now in any walk of life. You can say politics, but this is harder than any job," said Postecoglou on Wednesday.

"The tenure and longevity of this role now means that you go in to it and very few are going to come out of it without any scars."

Postecoglou has faced criticism over his side's inconsistency in recent weeks and chose to confront disgruntled supporters after the defeat by Bournemouth this month.

Asked whether management was harder than being prime minister, the 59-year-old Australian added: "Oh yeah, how many times does he have an election? I have one every weekend.

"We have an election every weekend and either get voted in or out.

"We have lost all sort of modes of respect in our society where guys are in jobs and they are putting up names of who is going to replace them while they are still working.

"As a society, we are so quick to just throw people in the trash and move on really quickly with no thought or any care around it. I don't know if there is a good way or a best way of handling it."

Spurs, who have not won a trophy since 2008, resume their Carabao Cup campaign with a last-eight tie against Manchester United at home on Thursday.

Postecoglou says ending the club's trophy drought could help to change the mood among supporters.

"If I go on the general sentiment since I've been in this job, it feels like a trophy will just make this place transform into something, so let's see," he said.

"Me personally? Like I keep saying, I want more than that. I don't think it's just about getting a trophy.

"I think when you want to build a successful, sustainable club in terms of competing for trophies every year, it's more than that, but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about something while I've been in this job. Maybe a trophy is what it needs, I don't know."

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Russell Martin: Southampton sack manager after Tottenham defeat

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Southampton have sacked manager Russell Martin after a 5-0 thrashing by Tottenham on Sunday left them nine points off Premier League safety.

Martin, 38, guided the Saints to promotion last year in his first season in charge, beating Leeds United in the play-off final at Wembley.

But the loss against Spurs was Southampton's 13th in the league this campaign from 16 games.

Their only win this season was against Everton in November, while the St Mary's club have scored a league-low 11 goals.

"Going into the start of the season, we all knew the challenges that we would face this year as we readjusted to life in the top flight, competing in the best and most competitive league in the world," said a Southampton statement.

"However, the reality of our situation is clear. The board have supported Russell and his staff and been open and transparent regarding our expectations.

"We have all been on the same page in recognising the urgency of needing results to improve.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank Russell and his staff for all the hard work and dedication they have given the club on and off the pitch over the last 18 months.

"Everyone connected with Southampton FC will always have fantastic memories of last season, especially the play-off final win in May."

Southampton Under-21s manager Simon Rusk will take interim charge of the senior side and his first game will be a Carabao Cup quarter-final at home to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday.

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