Ange Postecoglou's spell at Tottenham Hotspur continues to come under scrutiny as the former Celtic boss faces mounting pressure following another disappointing weekend.
A 4-2 defeat to Wolves has left Spurs languishing in 15th place in the English Premier League, far below the expectations that came with Postecoglou's appointment.
With Spurs now heading into a crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg in Frankfurt, the pressure is on to deliver a performance that could not only secure a place in the competition’s semi-finals but also offer a pathway to the UEFA Champions League.
A run to lift the trophy would fulfil the promise made by Postecoglou—of always achieving success in his second season—but right now, things aren’t looking rosy for the 59-year-old.
After a disappointing loss to rivals Arsenal in September, Postecoglou was asked about a pre-season interview where he had boldly claimed: "Usually in my second season I win things."
With the pressure already mounting at that early stage in the campaign, he responded confidently, telling Sky Sports: "I'll correct myself — I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing's changed. I've said it now. I don't say things unless I believe them."
Popular pundit Micah Richards, who has previously spoken highly of Postecoglou, believes the one-time Celtic hero's handling of the media is becoming a significant issue.
Richards, while still backing Postecoglou’s credentials as a manager, has warned him to stop letting external noise get the better of him.
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On The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said: "These performances are just not good enough. I bought into what Ange was doing. I think he is a very good manager, but he has let the media get the better of him."
Richards went on to explain that Postecoglou’s recent comments are starting to show signs of self-doubt, which could be detrimental at this critical point in the season.
"He’s so experienced, yes, maybe not in the Premier League. But some of the things he is saying now, he is almost doubting himself. He doesn’t need to doubt himself because he is a good manager, and he just needs to get it right," the ex-Manchester City defender pointed out.
With Spurs struggling to find consistency, Richards believes Postecoglou must focus on steadying the ship.
"When you have bad result after bad result, you just have to take your medicine," he said. "I feel like there is a story every single week with Ange biting back at the media, and that’s making it a bigger thing than it needs to be. Sometimes, you just have to take it, haven’t you?"
The pundit’s comments extend beyond Postecoglou himself, pointing the finger at the players who, in his opinion, are not performing to their potential.
"It’s not just Ange at this moment; the players need to do better," Richards stressed. "The players are way better than they are showing. They need to do a lot better, because it’s looking bleak for the future of Ange and the club. It’s sad to see, because I genuinely believe he is a very good manager; he’s just going through a really bad time right now."
With the future of both Postecoglou and Spurs hanging in the balance, the coming weeks will be crucial.
The focus now shifts to the Europa League clash in Frankfurt, where Tottenham must show they have the resilience to turn their season around following a 1-1 first leg stalemate last Thursday.
Whether Postecoglou can overcome a challenging period, which he rarely experienced at Celtic, as Richards suggests, may depend on how well he can navigate the storm—both on and off the pitch.
