Ange Postecoglou Dismisses Relegation Talk as ‘Hysteria’
Feb 22, 2025, 02:17 PM ET
In a recent press conference, Tottenham Hotspur’s manager, Ange Postecoglou, didn’t hold back when addressing the swirling rumors about his team’s potential relegation this season. He labeled the speculation as nothing more than “hysteria” and suggested it was a narrative designed to put undue pressure on him and the club.
For those who have been following Spurs’ journey this season, it’s been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. The team found themselves in a precarious position over the festive period, plummeting to 15th in the Premier League standings. An unfortunate injury crisis seemed to derail their campaign, leaving fans and pundits alike questioning their fate. However, a recent 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town marked their third consecutive win, sparking hope for a strong finish to the season.
Despite the team’s recent resurgence, whispers of relegation had been circulating. Postecoglou, however, was quick to dismiss these claims when asked if his side was now safe from the drop following their latest triumph. “It goes to show you how ridiculous a notion it was to start with,” he remarked. “People saying we’re safe with 12 games to go, and people are actually talking about it. That’s the hysteria. And that’s all framed around putting pressure on me and the club. I get that, when you’re in that position you’ve got to accept that.”
Postecoglou went on to explain his focus during the challenging period. “For me, it was always about trying … We always had the [Aston] Villa FA Cup game as a marker for us. We’ve got to get to that space as best we could. We obviously didn’t get the outcomes we wanted during that time. But not through a lack of will or effort from the players. That was always my primary concern, to protect them and support them. Because they gave everything during that period. Now they’ve got some help, they’ve got some rest.”
He acknowledged the team’s current standing, saying, “Like I said, we’re not happy where we are in the league, obviously, it’s unacceptable. But we’ve got an opportunity to address that.”
The match against Ipswich Town saw a standout performance from winger Brennan Johnson, who netted a first-half brace. Johnson, who had been sidelined with a calf injury sustained against Arsenal in mid-January, made a triumphant return to the starting lineup.
Despite setbacks in other competitions, such as their loss in the Carabao Cup semifinals to Liverpool and the FA Cup fourth round at Villa, Spurs still have much to play for. A place in the quarterfinals of the Europa League is within reach if they can overcome AZ Alkmaar next month.
Johnson expressed the team’s determination, stating, “We have always tried to believe. When we have all the players back, we won the last two Premier League games and that’s something we wanted to keep in mind. We played good football [against Ipswich] but also defended well.”
Reflecting on a previous defeat, he added, “When we have these experienced players back we know how to get on to the ball. They beat us last time and that was in our heads because we didn’t want to lose today,” referring to Spurs’ 2-1 home loss to Ipswich earlier this season.
Postecoglou was particularly pleased to have the Wales international’s scoring prowess back, especially with the club’s main striker Dominic Solanke still out injured. “We were always a threat. Sonny [Son Heung-Min] was unplayable in that first half [and] so great to get Brennan back. He scores so many goals for us in those areas.”
He continued, “He knows when to arrive at the right time. He’s really clinical. He has missed a lot of football. From our perspective, these last two weeks have given us a breather and reset our football. I’m pleased the boys have embraced it.”
Information from Reuters contributed to this report
Originally Written by: ESPN
