‘A mixture of fight and frustration’

Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte looked brow-beaten at the end of their tenures at Tottenham, but Ange Postecoglou is fighting for himself and his players.

The Australian got knocked out of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in the same week, culminating in a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday night.

After staying long after the final whistle to acknowledge the supporters, and being the last on the pitch along with goalscorer Mathys Tel, he began his defence in a series of media interviews.

After talking to broadcasters, Postecoglou sat down with the written media at his post-match press conference, where he said criticism that doesn’t include the mention of injuries is “agenda-driven”.

The 59-year-old defended his players, saying that he had “admiration and respect” for them and highlighting that teenagers Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore have been playing significant minutes in their three-month injury crisis.

He also insisted that he is thinking long-term, which was proven by his unwillingness to bring back any injury returnees for these two cup ties, giving them an extra week to prepare for Manchester United.

He then added that Tottenham have “plenty to look forward to” and that they will be an “outstanding team” when players return.

A mixture of fight and frustration appeared to fuel Postecoglou’s press conference, as he battles to buy time while pressure mounts on not only him but also chairman Daniel Levy, who faces widespread criticism from supporters.

There are also questions around what kind of manager Tottenham could attract in their current predicament and whether they would make a major impact.

Incidentally, Daniel Levy and owners ENIC must be careful about any step they take, as they face what will likely be the biggest protest against their ownership in years when they host Manchester United at home on Sunday.

It remains to be seen whether Postecoglou’s approach will work amid this complex backdrop.