‘If you give me time, the story ends the same’ – Defiant Ange Postecoglou fires back at criticism | OneFootball

Amid speculation that his job may already be under threat after just five weeks, Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou delivered a firm reminder of his ability to win silverware when afforded time.

The former Spurs boss has endured a frustrating start to life in the west Midlands, with his side still searching for their first win under his management after seven games and risk falling into the relegation zone this weekend.

“I’m a manager that if you give time the story always ends the same. At all my previous clubs it ends the same, with me and a trophy,” he declared during a five-minute monologue, responding to critics and confronting the rumours around his future.

“Look, I guess from my perspective, I just don’t fit, not here, just in general. If you look at it through the prism of, ‘I’m a failed manager who’s lucky to get this job’, then of course these first five weeks looks like this guy’s under pressure.”

Recalling how his time at Spurs went, he added: “There is an alternative story that you can look at. I came to the Premier League two years ago, I took over Tottenham, Spursy Tottenham.

“I was told by the chairman at the time, this club has to win a trophy. Has to win a trophy. He said we’ve tried to bring winners in. Jose [Mourinho], Antonio [Conte], it hasn’t worked, we need something different. I was slightly offended by that because I see myself as a winner.

“I took over Spurs, I finished eighth, no European football, big club, massive club, no European football. [They] can’t go two years without European football. I finished fifth my first year and every time Harry Kane scored a goal I wished he’d just stayed one more year.

“It would have been handy to have him after finishing fifth. But somehow that year has disappeared from the record books. In fact, it was used as a reason for me losing my job because even Tottenham decided to exclude the first 10 games because they were an anomaly apparently. Although the first 10 games here are very important apparently.

“But anyway, we finished fifth, I got them back into European football, which a club like Tottenham should be.

“We win a trophy, we shed the tag of being Spursy. It’s Champions League football which brings some rewards, the opportunity to bring better players.

“But all I’ve heard since I’ve finished at Tottenham is that we finished 17th last year. So if you look at it from that prism of we finished 17th then yes, I’m a failed manager who was lucky to get another opportunity.”

Postecoglou continued his point: “If people think that’s a reflection of me and my coaching then again I think they’re looking at it through the prism of I just don’t fit.”

Shifting over to his tough start in charge of Forest, he reflected: “You can look at these first five weeks and say he’s under pressure because he was lucky to get this job or you can look at it and say well there’s been a major change. I am trying to change the way we play. The players are adapting but there’s inconsistency in there for sure.

“But some will look at the weeds, I’ll look at what’s growing. So the flip side of that is that I’m really still excited about the opportunity here. So that’s how I’m embracing it.

“I’ve got a group of young players who are willing to change which is the first thing and I’m heading down that road.

“I’m not going to waste my time or my energy worrying about that and whether that’s internal or external I couldn’t care less.

“At the end of the day I will do what I think is the right thing to do to bring success to this football club and that’s what I’m focused on.”