At a pre-match press conference, a nerve-wracking question was posed to Ange Postecoglou (60), manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
United Kingdom 'Sky Sports' reported on the 13th (Korean time) that 'Ange Postecoglou, manager of Tottenham Hotspur, emphasized that it is true he had lifted a trophy in his second year.'
Tottenham will face AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) on the 14th at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, for the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg. Having lost the first leg away match 0-1, Tottenham must win by at least two goals to advance to the quarterfinals.
Manager Postecoglou shared news of a player injury at the press conference ahead of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg, saying, 'Center-back Kevin Danso will not be able to play due to a hamstring injury. However, Ben Davies has returned. The situation of our starting defenders has not changed significantly.'
Tottenham's defense has been shaky this season due to a series of injuries. Cristian Romero, Mickey van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, and Radu Dragusin are among those on the injury list, and now losing Danso has made it difficult to manage the defense.
As the round of 16 second leg represents the last remaining opportunity for a 'trophy escape,' questions about the importance of this match were directed at Manager Postecoglou. He responded, 'Honestly, how many jobs are there where you have to be asked such questions? There are hardly any. But I will politely answer.'
He emphasized, 'We are focused solely on winning the match. The performance in the first leg was far from the level we wanted. There were positive elements in the weekend match, but there were also shortcomings. However, if we maintain strong pressure and a fast tempo, we can definitely have opportunities to win.'
At the press conference, a question arose asking if Postecoglou regretted his past interview remark, 'I have always won in my second season.'
In response, Postecoglou displayed a firm attitude. According to reports, he said, 'I believe I always have to answer honestly when asked questions. I didn't make it up; someone asked a question, and I just answered it.'
He continued, 'People think I made a bold statement, but I was stating facts. If I do not win this year, I will not be able to say the same when the same question comes next year.'
Then he posed a counter-question to the reporters. He asked, 'What should I have said? Is the answer you wanted to hear, 'I have always won in my second season, but this time I won't'?'
Postecoglou said, 'If we win, people will say, 'He made a bold statement but ultimately achieved it,' and conversely, if we do not win, they will say, 'It was just bravado.' People interpret my words in the way they want based on the situation.'
He concluded, 'I always speak in a way that I can respond comfortably. No matter which team I take on, I take pride in the fact that I have always won. If that weren't the case, I wouldn't be here.'
He added, 'Whether we can win in the second year will be known with time.'
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