Tottenham: James Maddison backs 'great man' Ange Postecoglou ahead of Europa League date with destiny | OneFootball

The manager has the backing of his squad despite a likely summer exit

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Tottenham midfielder James Maddison says the squad is "100 per cent behind" head coach Ange Postecoglou and believes everyone at the club must bear "collective responsibility" for an "unacceptable" league season.

Spurs slumped to a 19th Premier League defeat of the season at Liverpool on Sunday and a miserable campaign has left Postecoglou's position at risk in the summer, even if they win the Europa League.

Speaking before Thursday's first leg, Maddison backed "great man" Postecoglou and says he has enormous respect for the Australian.

"We’re behind the manager 100 per cent. He’s a great man," Maddison said. "He’s the first person to tell you,fasf and I’ll tell you myself, we’ve had a poor season in the league.

We can all take a collective responsibility ... he’s my manager, he’s my gaffer, and I respect him an awful amount

James Maddison

"We’ve been very good in Europe but the league season has probably been unacceptable and we can all take a collective responsibility for that, but he’s my manager, he’s my gaffer, and I respect him an awful amount.

"The narrative is something we players try and keep away from because it’s not healthy to read into what you lot are talking about the manager’s position. I just know I come into work every day and see the lads listening, taking on the messages, how he wants to play, and the coaches and trying to do what’s best for this club.

"And, like I said, we’re in a very good position in Europe where we can still have a special season under his management, so I’ll continue to do that until the day he isn’t here. He is my manager and I respect him an awful amount and that will continue."

Maddison described the defeat at Anfield, which confirmed Liverpool as league champions, as "embarrassing" and says everyone at the club should be unhappy with the way their league campaign has unfolded.

"I don’t feel personally responsible because it is collective. It is everyone," he said. "No-one in the whole club - from top to bottom - can be satisfied internally, to be satisfied with where we are. It definitely hurts. It is a tough one.

Inevitable: Ange Postecoglou is expected to be leave

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"I had to do an interview at Liverpool on Sunday and we have lost 5-1. It is a little bit embarrassing, I am a bit embarrassed myself and you have to go and talk. And I know no one actually wants to hear what I have to say because they want to see the reaction. And get the reaction. And that is the chance we have on Thursday night which is the beauty of the quick turnaround, because we can go and put it right on Thursday if we get a good result.

"And then in seven days we have got another massive game and if we get through that, we are in a European final so there are positives there. But we have got to go and do it and we have got to show them we are just as hungry as they are to win something."

Maddison was part of the Leicester squad which lost the Europa Conference League semi-final over two legs to Roma in 2021-22 and says the experience has made him realise the importance of taking these opportunities.

"It's huge," he said. "When you get to the end of your career and look back, there's probably not many times any player's been in a European semi-final. Maybe once, twice, a few times if you're lucky, if you're at the real big clubs. We have to use the fact that we're in the final four of a massive competition in Europe as motivation to have a great tie on Thursday and away in Bodo the following Thursday. Because we've got a really special opportunity.

"There's obviously been a lot of talk about the form and it being quite a poor season but we still have the opportunity to do something very special. But we're in the last four of a European competition but you've earned that, you don't just get placed there.

"We deserve to be here so it's a challenge we're going to relish. It starts on Thursday night.

"I'm very motivated to help the team have success. We got to the semi-final of the Europa Conference League with Leicester and lost to Roma over two legs. Roma went on to win the competition under Jose Mourinho.

"And I remember the two legs very clearly. At the time, it was a few years ago, I probably didn't realise the magnitude of what we were trying to achieve until now. That's what gaining experience is, I guess, right? It's important for myself and the team that we're ready and we don't let any small details get in the way."