“Often in my second season I win one thing.”
Angie Postecoglou’s phrases shall be music to the ears of Tottenham Hotspur followers who’ve been hungry for trophies for greater than 16 years.
The Aussie’s hopes of successful Tottenham’s first trophy since 2008 seem to have grown considerably following the club-record signing of Dominic Solanke.
Becoming a member of from Bournemouth for £65m, he lastly fills the void left by Harry Kane and offers Postkoglu the No.9 shirt he needs to take ahead within the facet he needs to take ahead.
Unique assertion sky sports activities Two days earlier than Solanke’s signing, Postkoglu was already in a temper of optimism forward of his second season in cost as he mentioned how his facet can enhance from a fifth-place end. , James Maddison’s kind and the summer season switch window…
What did you get from this preseason?
“The gamers are positively rising. Their understanding and acceptance of the way in which we practice and the way in which we do issues. To be truthful, it was all very new to them final yr. It’s totally totally different to how they assume.” Get used to it.
“At any time when you have got a change like this, there’s at all times a bit little bit of uncertainty. This yr they appear extra receptive to what we’ll do and what we have been doing. Once more, it is good for me and the opposite coaches, As a result of it permits us to say, we now must problem them and ourselves to make it possible for the service we ship is larger than it was final yr.
How do you are feeling about your second season teaching?
“I assume I am not the shiny new factor anymore, so there are different new managers. Folks can go and uncover them and their childhoods with out having to speak about mine anymore.”
“Often in my second season I win one thing. That is the entire concept. The primary yr is about establishing rules and laying the muse. Hopefully the second yr I am going to win one thing. In fact, that is simpler mentioned than accomplished, particularly It is the Premier League and the competitors we’re in.
“We had some actually good moments final yr and clearly we had some robust moments. I believe we realized as a lot from the robust moments as we did from the great things, and hopefully meaning we’re in place. A superb place. We’re positively a greater ready staff than we have been final yr.
What’s subsequent for this staff?
“What we actually discovered final yr, not surprisingly, was that every time we had disruption, whether or not it was accidents or suspensions, we lacked some self-discipline and we actually struggled to maintain what we have been doing when everybody was on their ft. Established degree of soccer.
“In any yr you are going to have some challenges. It is about getting higher at coping with these challenges. Hopefully having a greater staff that may deal with these challenges. Having a greater understanding of what we have to give attention to throughout that point .
“It doesn’t matter what staff you’re on or how you probably did final yr, each staff goes into this season understanding it may be a difficult time for them. Hopefully what we went by way of final yr and what we realized, And participant growth… as a result of we’re nonetheless a really younger group, lots of them are of their first yr within the Premier League, or their first yr at Tottenham Hotspur, when Whenever you have a look at a benchmark, I believe most of them are gone.
What particular facets do you assume want enchancment?
“I give it some thought from all sides. The very first thing is, do I’ve a gaggle of gamers who consider in what we’re making an attempt to do? I actually consider that. That is the primary a part of any course of. We have purchased into what we wish to do. The best way we play, as a result of it is difficult and you’ve got to have the ability to do issues in a different way or the way in which we method the sport.
“In all probability as a result of we had begin there wasn’t lots of resistance. The gamers embraced it, they cherished it and so they wished extra. However now it is a matter of doing it on a extra constant foundation, Reasonably than permitting, whether or not it is the opposition or exterior influences, to deviate from the trail that we’re on, I believe that occurred rather a lot final yr, the place there was opposition ways, or issues that have been of our personal making – whether or not it was a scarcity of self-discipline on our half. There have been accidents and we needed to make changes to the staff, however I believe for essentially the most half the gamers have been nonetheless making an attempt to do what we wished them to do.
Did you have got an opportunity to speak to James Maddison about it following his absence from the England squad for Euro 2024?
“I have not had an in depth dialog with him. However, I believe that is a part of the journey of a soccer participant. I usually say, I believe generally we have a look at issues in a linear means and we predict it is all about being nice. particular person, but it surely’s by no means going to be nice, however there’s at all times going to be challenges and there is going to be setbacks alongside the way in which and it is as much as you ways you take care of them and the way you method the subsequent problem.
“For Mads, I am certain he is very disenchanted to overlook out as a result of he was a part of that staff and went by way of that journey. However he nonetheless has sufficient soccer expertise and he nonetheless has challenges forward of him. .That is the way you do it. I am nonetheless on the appropriate path, however it’s essential do it and preserve going.
“He is been nice since we have been again. His season final yr form of mirrored our season. When he bought up and stored going, he was unbelievable, after which he bought injured. When he got here again, it was a bit bit grinding. , it’s form of unbelievable, man.
How a lot do you depend on signings to think about the brand new season?
“That is an necessary a part of the method and I believe it goes again to what I at all times say – a part of recruiting is knowing you are not recruiting soccer gamers, you are recruiting folks. What are they like? Why are they? The place to do that?
“Hopefully they stroll right into a dressing room of like-minded individuals who all have that mentality. It helps them visualize what we’re making an attempt to construct. It is in all probability going to be a neater time for the brand new guys coming on this yr. The method, as they stroll into the locker room, the gamers could have a really clear concept of what they’re making an attempt to do, whereas final yr it was extra about me making an attempt to create that surroundings, and I used to be making an attempt to color these footage to everybody, not simply the gamers and The employees, and everybody on the soccer membership.
“Hopefully this yr, with the blokes we’ve introduced in to this point, once they stroll into the locker room they really feel precisely what we’re making an attempt to do.”
From a technical perspective, what facets of an offensive participant do you notably worth?
“Whether or not it is an attacking participant or any participant, I believe what folks wish to perceive is that now we have an actual id with the way in which we play soccer. You recognize when Tottenham play we could have two wingers and we are going to Very, excellent at taking over gamers and making their sport very aggressive and having the ability to apply stress.
“If I am searching for a left winger, their qualities are very apparent and we have to see them in them as a result of on the finish of the day there are nice footballers all around the world. You may decide any one in all them and they are going to be superb. It is unbelievable, however I’ve to see them in my staff the way in which we would like them to have these qualities.
“In a means, it makes the method simpler, but it surely’s additionally difficult since you’re specializing in a a lot smaller space. In right this moment’s market, when there’s a lot competitors, it is arduous to get one thing like that. It is not simple with the roster, the method, have they got these qualities that I see in our staff.
Do you have got something to say to anxious followers through the summer season switch window? (Talking forward of Spurs asserting the signings of Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert)
“I perceive the anxiousness as a result of each switch window is your solely probability to enhance your gamers and your staff.
“I prefer to assume that now we have strengthened in each window to this point. In fact, final yr we introduced in some nice footballers. In January we introduced in Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner. We have introduced in two younger guys – Archie Grey, who’s a unbelievable participant – however we nonetheless have work to do and that is the character of the switch market.
“For me, I’ve the identical anxiousness as a result of that is the a part of the yr that I’ve the least management over. It will be nice if I might have whole management over all the things, together with what different golf equipment do, however this case Did not occur.
“I perceive how the followers really feel. My function is to attempt to keep calm, keep disciplined and make it possible for when the tip of the window comes, that is an important second and we have had one other constructive window and we have our squad and The staff turns into stronger.