Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou stands by comments about always winning trophies in second season | OneFootball

Spurs head coach suggests his words have been twisted by his critics ‘for their own purposes’

Postecoglou's Tottenham face AZ Alkmaar on Thursday with their season on the line

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Ange Postecoglou says he stands by his comment about "always" winning a trophy in his second season and suggested his words have been twisted by his critics "for their own purposes".

The former Brisbane Roar, Australia, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic head coach has never failed to win silverware in this second year in a job but that record is under threat with Spurs, who trail 1-0 from last week's first leg against AZ in Holland and are out of both domestic cups.

Thursday’s Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar is being billed as make or break for not just Spurs' season but Postecoglou's entire project

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Asked if he regretted the remark, Postecoglou said: "My view has always been when you’re asked a question you answer it.

"I wasn’t making anything up. I was asked a question, I answered that question.

"What was I supposed to say? ‘I always win in the second year but, well I have in the past everywhere I’ve been, here it won’t happen’ Is that what people want to hear?

"I don’t have an issue with that. People can twist these things and use them. Maybe we will defy the odds and I do win something. You know what people will say? ‘Isn’t it great that he made such a bold claim.’ People just use it the way they want to depending on the circumstances.

"I will always answer things the way I feel comfortable answering them. I’m really comfortable and proud of the fact that everywhere I have been I have won things. I think it’s something where I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t. Whether I win something in my second year here time will tell."

The AZ game is being billed as make or break for not just Spurs' season but Postecoglou's entire project, but the Australian reacted frostily when asked if his job was potentially on the line.

"There are not many professions in the world where you have to come in and answer questions like that is there?" he replied.

"No, there isn’t, but I am going to be polite and say we’re focused on winning the game tomorrow night and need to put in a better performance than we did last Thursday. Obviously that wasn’t anywhere near the standard we want to play.

"We did some good things at the weekend, did some not so good things, but we feel like if we can play with the intensity and tempo we played at the weekend, we’ll give ourselves a good chance to progress."

Spurs were remarkably flat in the first leg, mustering just one shot on target against the Eredivisie side and deservedly losing after Lucas Bergvall's own goal, though they were some reasons for encouragement in Sunday's 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth.

Postecoglou urged his players to "embrace" the pressure of Thursday's decider and called for them to match the intensity they showed against the Cherries.

"There's always pressure there and yes, it's a big game, but, you know, if we're successful tomorrow night, it'll be the same in the next round," he said.

"That's when you're in the later stages of European or any cup competition, you kind of know every game is meaningful because it either means the end of the road or you progress, so we understand that, we need to embrace that, it's good that we're at home.

"It'll be a good challenge for us, but I'm sure it's what we're up for.

"Obviously they have the goal advantage, but being at home and if we can play with the intensity and tempo we played at the weekend, I think we’ll have the opportunity to progress.

"Should we progress then we’ll obviously have another big challenge in the next round but right now the key focus is to put in a really strong performance at home tomorrow night and we’ll go from there."