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The reasons for Ange Postecoglou’s fiery outburst after Spurs’ defeat to Manchester City have finally been revealed.
On Tuesday night, the Australian watched on as his side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Pep Guardiola’s visitors after a brace from Norwegian talisman Erling Haaland.
During the match, Postecoglou was seen arguing with a home supporter behind the dugout before critiquing the club’s ‘fragile foundations’ in his post-match interview.
Though Postecoglou was evidently irked by something, he refused to disclose what exactly it was, however, the reasons for his frustration have now been revealed.
According to The Athletic, the Spurs boss was frustrated by the fact ‘a few club staff members’ were relaxed about losing to City, given the context of the title race.
Spurs knew that if they drew or beat City, they would put bitter rivals Arsenal in the driving seat to clinch the league title and, in turn, end their 20-year wait to do so.
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The report goes on to claim that the prospect of losing to City became a theme of jokes among a minority of staff at the north London club during the week.
One support staff member reportedly joked that Postecoglou should field a youth team against City, to which the Australian responded furiously.
The club have since denied that this happened.
In his post-match interview, Postecoglou suggested that Spurs require a major mentality shift if they are to close the gap between themselves and the country’s elite teams.
‘The last 48 hours have revealed that the foundations are fairly fragile,’ Postecoglou said.
‘It just means I’ve got to go back to the drawing board with some things. It’s outside (the club), inside, everywhere. It’s been an interesting exercise.’
In the build-up to City’s visit, the rivalry with Arsenal dominated thoughts around the club – with many fans hoping that their side would actually lose the match.
Asked if his grievances were tied up with the Arsenal rivalry, he said: ‘I’m just not interested mate. Maybe I’m out of step, but I just don’t care, I just want to win.
‘I want to be successful at this football club, it’s why I was brought in. So what other people, how they want to feel, and what their priorities are, are of zero interest to me.
‘I know what’s important to build a winning team, that’s what I need to concentrate on.
‘I can’t dictate what people do. They [the fans] are allowed to express themselves any way they want. But yeah, when we’ve got late winners in games it’s because the crowd’s helped us.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
