ANGE JUST THE TICKET TO MAKE CHANGES
JUST one year ago, Tottenham’s players were being slammed as “selfish” by a furious Antonio Conte.
But Spurs are a different outfit now under boss Ange Postecoglou, who says he had to block out “a million opinions” when he took over the north Londoners.
Tottenham will climb above Aston Villa into the fourth Champions League spot with a win at Fulham in today’s late kick-off.
And Postecoglou, who was appointed last summer as Conte’s long-term successor, believes the only way is up.
He said: “I don’t think it’s fair for me to comment on anything another manager has gone through.
“But since I’ve got here, it’s been the same experience that I’ve had at every other football club.
“It’s about coming in and judging everything on its merits and changing the environment.
“Most of the time you get appointed because there needs to be change.
“Sometimes it’s hard to embrace change. But when you’re new like me coming in, it’s easier for me to instigate those things.
“What do you reckon the first thing was that happened when I was appointed? I got about a million different opinions about what needed to change here.
“If I put them on a spreadsheet I would probably have had to get rid of all the players and all the staff – just about everyone was great… or not great. It’s
not like people start with a clean slate because that doesn’t exist either. But the club wanted change. Very few people are willing to commit to real change. It’s an ongoing process.”
One thing that is changing at Spurs is ticket prices, with fans complaining to the Premier
League over hikes they fear will price out loyal local fans and replace them with “tourists”.
But Aussie Postecoglou (above) put himself on a potential collision course with some supporters by launching a passionate defence of far-flung fans.
He said: “That’s really harsh and I’ll tell you why. Because I’m probably plastic and touristy!
“If I could get access to see a Premier League game, that was the world to me. So to label people ‘plastic’ or ‘tourists’ I don’t think that’s fair.
“This football club has supporters all over the world. I have friends in Australia who did buy season tickets and could only get here a couple of times a year, that’s how passionate they are.
“As long as your overall objective is to grow your football club then you will find the balance you need.”
With defender Micky van de Ven (above, left) still out injured, January signing Radu Dragusin (above) will get his first start.