Dejan Kulusevski on Postecoglou being ‘right man’ for Spurs, fan unrest and becoming a father | OneFootball

Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski has defended his manager, Ange Postecoglou, and insists he is the “right man” for the Spurs job amid pressure over poor results.

One win in 11 Premier League matches has placed extra scrutiny on Postecoglou.

But Kulusevski has dismissed suggestions that Postecoglou may not be the right man for the job. When asked why he believes he is, the Swede replied: “Because we had games where we showed perfect football, football that not many teams can play in the world.

“So we played beautiful games against United, City away 4-0. So you know, I think he’s the right man. We play for him, we want to win for him and to be honest, we have a little bit the same ideas because I’m very positive as a guy.

“I always want to play that football that he wants, so I have to fight for him because I believe in that football too. So yeah, I think he’s the right man.”

Hunt for trophies

Progressing in the FA Cup, holding a first-leg advantage against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, and in sixth spot in the Europa League ahead of the final group game against Elfsborg is a stark contrast to Tottenham’s league form.

Postecoglou insists that despite the Premier League form, something special can still be achieved in the cup competitions, and Kulusevski agrees.

“I agree with him. We’re doing really well in the [three] cups, so it’s easy to focus on the league, but we’re doing really well in the cups, tomorrow’s an important game, and if we win, we pass to the next round, so I think we can do big things this last four months.

“I don’t listen to no one, because I know the truth, I see the truth from my side. It’s not important what people say, it has never been, actually.

“But like you said, the league is very bad, and also the game on Sunday was tough to lose. But I think you have to stay clear-minded and focus on the goals. And we have done mistakes, don’t get me wrong, we have done a lot of mistakes.”

“So that’s what I can tell you, like you can look at the manager, you can look at the players, but I think it’s bigger than that. It’s everything involved.”

Becoming a father

“I felt that this year I’m taking huge steps, especially in that type of way. I’m thinking much more than I should think about. I don’t give energy to what is written or who’s talking. That doesn’t remind me anymore like it used to before and that took energy from me.

“And then, like you said, being a father, it just changes everything. Like all of this is nothing. I do my best. I do 6-7 hours, 8 hours of work every day and the rest is just my daughter I’m thinking about. So she helps me and she’s wonderful and yeah, she helped me a lot growing as a guy.”

On fellow Swede and team-mate Lucas Bergvall

“It’s great that he plays a lot. It’s fantastic that he’s at that age and can play so much and go through this. This is the best thing that could have happened to him, to get to play week in and week out.

“He’s done great performances, especially against Liverpool, he’s taking the lead and he’s learning every day. I’m trying to teach him everything I can and he’s doing a great job. It’s fantastic for him to be able to play and play so much.

“He had some great performances, especially against Liverpool. I’m very proud of him and I’m trying to teach him. He’s learning and developing every day.

On Tottenham’s injuries

“We play three games a week with nine, ten players. That’s all I need to say. It’s nothing more than that.”

Fan mood in the stadium

“You feel the energy, you feel a vibe on the pitch. I understand that they are frustrated, and of course it’s even more frustrating for us players. But yeah, I understand it. And you can feel, of course, when the energy is not the best, you know, but that’s life. You’ve got to deal with it. You’ve got to find ways to win, because that’s what winners do in the end.”