Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham will be in familiar territory for Sunday’s visit to fifth-tier Tamworth, insisting they are used to everyone rooting against them.
Spurs visit the 4,000-seater Lamb Ground to take on National League side Tamworth in the pick of the ties on FA Cup third round weekend.
Postecoglou’s men will be overwhelming favourites to make it through to the fourth round.
The Aussie said he will make sure he enjoys the novel aspects of the tie, including the stark difference in facilities Tamworth boast when compared to Tottenham, but he told reporters that his side must deliver a performance befitting of a side who believe they are one of the Premier League’s best.
“I enjoy every football match, irrespective,” Postecoglou said. “I'm big on telling the players that you don't dismiss any game of football. I'll enjoy Sunday.
“We probably could have played another game and there’d maybe be a lot less focus on us, but I think that's a positive thing. Everyone likes a good story, and everyone will be rooting against us — but we're kind of used to that space.
“Whenever you play in these kind of games, you understand and respect how passionate they are about their football club, their community, and you've got to be respectful of that.
“Our job is to go there and also put on a performance reflective of our standing in the game. We have a responsibility to do that too, to say “Yeah, we are a Premier League team.’ We believe we're one of the best sides and we want to go and show that, irrespective of the opponent. I think that's what everyone would expect.”
Tamworth play on an artificial 3G pitch, but Postecoglou maintained it cannot be the worst surface he has managed a team on during his long career.
When managing South Melbourne in September 1999, Postecoglou’s side came up against Fijian outfit Nadi on a pitch with a pond in the middle, which proved a hit with the local toad population.
“It was the first qualifying for the first-ever World Club Championships in Brazil which famously Manchester United pulled out of the FA Cup for, which they hadn’t before or since,” Postecoglou said.
“A fair bit of prize money at stake I remember, for a club like ours, and in the final of that we had to play in Fiji, because we were an Oceania team, against a team from the Solomon Islands [called Malaita Eagles].
“Warming up, there were toads we had to remove which kept jumping on the pitch.
“At the time, you’re kind of going ‘Really?’ But when you realise what was at stake, a fair bit of money and the opportunity to play at the Maracana against some of the best teams in the world, we ended up playing Man United, Vasco de Gama and Necaxa of Mexico, it was quite extraordinary.
“Our president at the time, George Vasilopoulos, who is still around, had these worry beads. They got a working out that day, let me tell you. He kept thinking about our bank balance and seeing frogs and toads on the field. It’s an experience.”
The Spurs manager added: “Tamworth have had a couple of defeats recently, and it’s probably because their mind has been on this game.
“What we’re going to face on Sunday is probably players hoping to play the best game of their lives on that day. That’s why you’ve always got to be respectful of what they face.”
