Ange Postecoglou Exclusive Interview: Tottenham boss aims for silverware in second season | Football News

“Usually in the second season we win the championship.”

Angers Postecoglou's words will be a joy to Tottenham fans who have been starving for silverware for more than 16 years.

The Australian's hopes of lifting a trophy for Spurs for the first time since 2008 appear to have been significantly boosted following the club-record fee for Dominic Solanke.

Monday, August 19th at 6:30pm

Starts at 8pm

The £65m signing from Bournemouth finally fills the void left by Harry Kane and gives Postecoglou the No. 9 he has been seeking to push the team forward.

Speaking exclusively Sky Sports Two days before the arrival of Solanke, Postecoglou was already sounding optimistic ahead of his second season, discussing how the team could improve from fifth place, James Maddison's performances and the summer transfer window.

What did you take away from this preseason?

“It's definitely the growth of the players. They understand and accept our training methods and what we do. Last year was very new to them. It was quite a difference from what they were used to.

“There's always a little bit of uncertainty when you make that change. They seem more comfortable with what we're going to do and what we've done this year. Again, that's a good thing for me and the other coaches because it tells them we have to challenge them and ourselves to see what we can deliver at a bigger level than we did last year.”

How do you feel about being given the go-ahead for a second season?

“I'm not the shiny new guy anymore. So there are other new managers. People can go and find them and their childhoods, and I don't have to talk about my manager anymore.

“Usually in the second season you win the title. That's it. The first year is about laying the groundwork and building the foundations. In the second year, hopefully you win the title. Of course, it's easy to say, but especially in the Premier League and the competition we're in. I always think that. In the second year, depending on how the first year went, you should be in a position to continue.

“We had some really good moments last year, and of course we had some tough moments. I think we learned as much from the tough moments as we learned from the good ones. Hopefully that means we're in a good place. We're definitely a better prepared team than we were last year.”

What's next for this team?

“What we actually found last year, not surprisingly, was that whenever there was an interruption, whether it was an injury or a suspension, there was a lack of discipline and it really struggled to maintain the level of football that we achieved when everyone was up and running.

“There will always be some challenges in any year. It's important to be better at overcoming them. Having a better squad will help us overcome them. Through that time we will understand better what we need to focus on. I think that means we will be better prepared for the challenges that will always be there.

“No matter how any team did last year, every team will start this season knowing it's going to be a challenging one. And with what we've been through last year, the learnings, the development of the players… we're still a very young group, a lot of them in their first year in the Premier League or their first year at Tottenham. When you look at the benchmark, I think most of them left a pretty good benchmark last year. So if we can improve on that, we'll be in a pretty good position.”

What specific aspects do you think need to be improved?

“I think in all aspects, the most important thing is, do we have players who believe in what we're trying to do? I really do. That's the first part of any kind of process. We've embraced the way we want to play because it's challenging. You have to be brave. You have to be able to do things a little bit differently, in terms of positions or how you approach the game. You have to be open to it. The first year is all about getting people to believe in it.

“Maybe because we had such a good start there wasn't much resistance. The players accepted it, enjoyed it and wanted more. But now it's about doing it more consistently and not letting the opposition or outside influences get us off track. I thought last year there were too many instances where there was opposition tactics or we did things ourselves. We lacked discipline or we had injuries and had to change teams. We were not consistent in our approach. But for the most part I think the players still tried to do what we wanted. Hopefully we can execute better.”

Have you had a chance to speak to James Maddison since he was left out of the England squad for Euro 2024?

“I haven't talked to him extensively, but again, I think that's part of the journey of a footballer. I've often said that we look at things in a linear way, thinking that everything is going to be great. But that's never the case. You can be the best in something, but there are going to be challenges, there are going to be downs along the way, and it's how you react to that, how you deal with that. It's how you take on the next challenge that comes.

“Mathers was part of the team that went on that journey so he's going to be massively disappointed to miss it. But he's still got a lot of football to play and there's still a challenge for him. It's about how you deal with it. Do you just ignore it? Or do you use it as motivation to move forward? Maybe use it as a time to reflect on yourself and say, could I have done better? If you're honest with yourself, you'll realise, no, I'm still on the right path. But you have to do it and use it to move forward.

“He's been great since we got back. I think his season last year mirrored ours. He was unbelievable when he got up and moving and he had injuries. When he came back it was a little bit tough and that was kind of our thing as a team. So hopefully he'll learn as an individual the way we've learned as a team because he's a big part of our team. We've got a very young team and he's a guy with that experience and that quality and we'll be looking to guide that.”

How much do you rely on recruiting to visualize the new season?

“That’s a big part of the process and I think it comes back to what I’ve often said. Part of recruitment is not about recruiting footballers, it’s about recruiting people. Who are they? Why do they want to come to Tottenham? Are they ambitious? Are they open-minded? Are they ready to take on the huge challenge of building something special at a club that’s had success? All those kinds of things and hopefully they’ve figured that out already, so that when they come here they feel like this is the right place for them.

“Hopefully they walk into the changing room with a like-minded group of people who all have that mindset. That helps them visualise what we're trying to build. It's probably easier for the new players this year because when they walk into the changing room the players have absolute clarity and they have absolute clarity about what they're trying to do. Whereas last year I tried to create that environment and paint that picture for everyone – not just the players and the staff but everyone at the football club.

“I hope that the players we've brought in so far this year can come into the locker room and feel exactly what we're trying to do.”

What specifically do you consider when selecting a striker from a technical standpoint?

“What I want people to understand, whether they're attacking players or whatever, is that we have a real identity in the way we play football. When Tottenham play, we'll put two wingers out and we know that we can deal with them very, very well, be very aggressive in their play and press them.

“If I'm looking for a left winger, those are the kinds of attributes that we need to see in them, because ultimately, there are fantastic footballers all over the world. You pick any one of them and they're going to be unbelievable. But I need to see them playing the way we want them to play in my team. They've got to have those attributes.

“In one way it makes the process easier, but it’s also challenging because it’s a much smaller field. It’s not easy to get players in today’s competitive market. For me, whether it’s a striker or another player, do we see them in our team tomorrow with the attributes they have? Obviously we have to coach them and help them through that process. Do they have those qualities that we see playing for our team? If they tick those boxes, that’s a big part of us saying, ‘Okay, I think you’d be a good fit.’”

What can you say to fans who are anxious about the summer transfer window? (Speaking before Spurs announced the signings of Dominic Solanke and Wilson O'Dobert)

“I understand the anxiety, because the transfer window is the only opportunity to improve the squad and the players.

“I would like to think we have strengthened ourselves in every transfer market so far. Last year, for sure, we brought in fantastic footballers. In January, we brought in Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner. We brought in two young players. Archie Gray and Lucas (Bergvall) are fantastic young talents. We brought in January, but there is still work to be done. There is no doubt about it. That is the nature of the transfer market.

“I feel very anxious because it's the part of the year where I have the least control. I wish I could have complete control over everything, including what other clubs are doing, but that doesn't happen.

“I understand where the fans are going. My role in that is to stay calm, to maintain discipline and, most importantly, to make sure that when the transfer window ends, we have another positive transfer window that will make our squad and the team stronger.”