Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou hits back at a reporter’s ‘plastic fans’ comment amid the club’s season ticket price hike.
Ange Postecoglou said when speaking with the media on Friday that those who label supporters of clubs living outside of the UK as “plastic fans” are being “really harsh” and “disrespectful.”
Last Wednesday, Spurs announced a 6% rise in the price of season tickets from next season, with the removal of concessions for new season ticket holders aged 65 or over.
This led to a backlash from fan groups such as the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust who said in a statement that they were “dismayed” by the move.
Ange Postecoglou is just sound as a pound isn’t he?pic.twitter.com/iwiRIeghSI
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) March 16, 2024
🗣️ “I’m probably plastic and touristy because I was coming from the other side of the world really passionate about football”
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou hits out at accusations the club are pricing out local fans in place of so-called “plastic fans” from abroad ⚪🏟️ pic.twitter.com/5HJmcillid
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 16, 2024
Asked whether Premier League clubs are prioritising attracting “tourists” or “plastic fans” who are willing to pay the most to attend a game, he said: “See that’s really harsh.
“I’ll tell you why: Because I’m probably plastic and tourist because I was coming from the other side of the world really passionate about football and if I could get access to see a Premier League game, that was the world to me.
“So, to label people plastic or tourist, I don’t think that’s fair just because people live on the other side of the world. This football club has supporters all over the world, has supporters all over the UK that don’t always get access to the games of people who live here.
“And I think we should always have the ability to accommodate them and give them that feeling. It doesn’t make them any less passionate.
“I think it’s really disrespectful to call fans who are willing to go to the expense of coming halfway around the world [as plastic fans]. You don’t know how passionate they are about their football club.
“Maybe they’ve only started supporting it in the last two years, who knows? I don’t know. But that doesn’t diminish who they are, I don’t think.”
When questioned if he felt clubs are being faced with a “balancing act” over whether to prioritise fans based in the UK or those living abroad, Postecoglou said: “Well it’s a balancing act only if your end means isn’t about growing your football club and I’m talking about in every aspect.
“It’s why we do tours around the world is to take this team to places in the world where I know people are passionate.
“I know there are passionate Spurs supporters in Australia, just as passionate as they are here.
“They don’t live here, they can’t come to the games, they can’t buy a season ticket. In fact, I’ve had friends in Australia who do buy season tickets and can only get here a couple of times a year because that’s how passionate they are.
“As long as your overall objective is to grow your football club, then I think you’ll find the balance you need.”
This is how fans reacted on Twitter as Ange Postecoglou hits back at a reporter’s “plastic fans” comment amid the Spurs ticket price hike…
@djchrisvibes: I’ve said this for ages when people complain about ‘tourists’. We want and possibly have the best league in the world and some complain when people want to travel distances to experience it. It’s basic xenophobia.
@ShaunPonsonby: He is, I can’t see me ever not thinking this way but the back lash will come just like a lot of people turned on Klopp (who is still sound). Top guy. Many just can’t give credit for anything to do with other teams. Understandable I guess as football is so tribal
@fittall1987: He’s absolutely bang on too. I’d fall into plastic category as a Wednesday fan down South. The performances/results shape my weekend much like any other fan and I obsessively squeeze in every bit of Owls content I can find when the opportunity arises.
@AshtonVilla6: I do like Ange shame Spurs are a rival to Villa at this moment in time cause i want him to do well. Hopefully top 5 happens and we can all be happy 😂
@NelsPalmerur: Season ticket holder alone won’t pay for that stadium, or those new players. All clubs need the ‘tourist’ fans, buying beer and burgers half time. That shirt from the megastore.
@djs2706: I had a video call with a colleague in Tokyo this week. As soon as he saw my spurs hoodie his eyes lit up. He’s a massive Spurs fan. The excitement he had talking about us. He’ll be waking up at 230am to watch us away to Fulham. Going to WHL will be magical for him
@PhilR2023: If it doesn’t work out for him I may just quit football altogether.
@simondyer10: The difference to Conte slagging spurs off at every opportunity last season is like night and day
@sdrake40: Nails it every time
@tweetingnav: So glad he’s said this and vocalised it in this way. The way PL fans from abroad are labelled and spoken about is unnecessarily derogatory
@jonlane86: And this is a fair argument. You’re not less of a fan because of where you are but there does need to be an appropriate balance as to what those ratios look like #nufc
@DanJerrim: This guy has been an absolute breath of fresh air to a dull repetitive group of coaches in the premier league
@KrisWall92: Gonna have to disagree with Ange though. Football clubs wouldn’t exist without their core fan base. The term “plastic” comes from clubs pandering towards their global fanbase. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you etc. I guess the anger should be at the clubs not the tourists though
@pafctrick: I think the negativity around tourist fans etc. is just old man shouting at cloud nonsense. Even if someone comes to the game for a tourist experience there’s every chance they leave a dyed in the wool gooner.
@Dee_NYS: Yeup, only in the UK do they have an issue with ‘tourist fans’ and simply put, it’s because they’re xenophobic
@efc_cain: Handled that question really well.
@FootballSpot__: You just can’t hate Ange Postecoglou.
@glennhodl: What an awful question. Who asked that?
@Ken8500gt: Respect for Ange. Football is a global game. If someone thinks that outsiders are plastic, then might as well ban all foriegn players, foriegn coaches and management
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