Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have weighed in on Ange Postecoglou’s issues at Tottenham Hotspur following their recent defeat to Wolves. After a disappointing 4-2 loss at Molineux on Sunday, Spurs are 15th in the Premier League table, just two points clear of West Ham in 17th.
Despite initially aiming for a top-four finish, Postecoglou’s team still has a shot at Champions League qualification and ending their trophy drought by winning the Europa League. With their Premier League season set to end with a whimper, Postecoglou rotated heavily ahead of the crucial Europa League tie on Thursday.
Making six changes from the team that drew with Eintracht Frankfurt in their first leg at home, Spurs’ primary focus is the return fixture of their quarter-final clash in Germany. However, Richards insists there’s no excuse for their domestic slump, even considering their European commitments, and questioned how well Postecoglou has handled Spurs’ difficult season.
“We’ve sort of defended Spurs a lot this season and that’s because they’ve had a lot of injuries,” Richards explained on The Rest Is Football podcast. “But in recent weeks, the only real excuse I’ve got is that they’re in Europe as well and seem to be favouring that a little bit more. But these performances are just not good enough.
“I bought into what Ange was doing, I think he’s a very good manager. I believe he’s let the media get the better of him. I think he’s so experienced, maybe not in the Premier League. Some of the things he’s saying now, he’s almost doubting himself when he doesn’t need to doubt himself because he’s a good manager. He just needs to get it right.
“I think when you have bad result after result, you’ve just got to take your medicine. I feel like there’s a story every single week with Ange biting back to the media that’s making it a bigger thing than it needs to be.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to take it, haven’t you? At the moment, it’s seeping on to the pitch and it’s not just Ange at this moment, the players need to do better.”
Despite some positive moments, Spurs’ recent track record has been less than stellar, with four losses in their last six league games. Match of the Day presenter and ex-Spurs striker Lineker has shared his suspicion that the season has overwhelmed Postecoglou.
“I’ve obviously stuck up for the football because I enjoy watching Spurs play, but it’s almost like it a got a bit too much for him,” Lineker suggested. “The way things have gone, obviously it’s not easy dealing with defeat after defeat or struggling performances.
“But I think, and I echo [Richards’] sentiment in terms of the press conferences, sometimes saying things like the footballing gods are going against us, even if you do get a bit of bad luck and constantly the world’s against us, whining a little bit.
“I think it’s probably the first time he’s had a really had an awful patch as a coach. The Premier League, it’s a sterner test than he’s had before, I think it’s fair to say. There is still a possibility that he could end up winning a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League, but I think it’s a long shot now.”
“When you’re in a side struggling and results are not going your way, you’re bereft of confidence and you need a little bit of something,” Lineker added. “But [Postecoglou’s] body language at present almost suggests that he’s downbeat and I think that’s not what you need.
“As a player you need your manager to lift you up when things are not going that well. It’s a shame. It’s tough for Tottenham, but hopefully they can do something in Europe.”
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