Ange Postecoglou responds to criticism from pundits after Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi final exit to Liverpool on Thursday.
The Spurs boss reacted to the damning views of the Sky Sports pundits’ assessment of Spurs’ performance during the 4-1 aggregate defeat to Liverpool, saying he doesn’t care and is not bothered about people’s views.
Asked whether he though Redknapp’s criticism was ‘fair’ at his post-match press conference, Postecoglou replied: ‘You asking me? Ask Jamie. He’s obviously made the comment.
‘Look, I know people get really excited about things like that but there are people on TV to give opinions. That’s what they do, that’s their job.
‘My job is not to scan the TV or the commentary on our games. My job is to manage this football club.
‘Whatever people think or don’t think is kind of irrelevant. It doesn’t really matter, it doesn’t really put any sort of emphasis on who we are and what we’re trying to do.’
He added: ‘At the end of the day, everyone is allowed to have an opinion, everyone is allowed to express that opinion.
‘My view is I don’t really need to respond to that or be affected by that because I don’t care.
‘Whether it’s Jamie Redknapp or anyone else, I don’t care and it doesn’t bother me.’
Ange Postecoglou doesn’t care what people on TV say about him 🤷♂️#THFC pic.twitter.com/IaXkP67iSb
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 7, 2025
“They were the far better team” 😕
Ange Postecoglou reflects on Spurs’ Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/W8IYtzUvT5
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 6, 2025
Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp:
“I cannot remember a team in my lifetime go down with less of a fight with what Spurs did today. Not having one shot on target in the semi-final of a second leg when you’re trying to change the course of your history?
“I feel sorry for those players. I think Djed Spence played 14 different positions tonight. I’ve never seen anything like it. You have young players, you’re meant to protect them.
“Archie Gray and Bergvall, they’re young men and trying their best. But I’m looking at the experienced players today to lead and try and set the tempo. They didn’t do that one bit.
“There’s been some lows – Palace, Ipswich and Everton this season. But when you look at that today, the scoreline? Just horrendous.
“Liverpool set such a high tempo and suffocated Spurs.
“Arne Slot got the tactics spot on.
“We expected more from Tottenham tonight.
“I cannot get my head around them not having one shot on target in a semi final.
“I know it is difficult because you have a one-goal lead and you are coming to Anfield, but in the first half they are trying to play it out from the back, the goalkeeper is edgy and the midfield never showed any courage to get on the ball and make things happen.
“They were so abject and it wasn’t the inexperienced players, it was the experienced ones.
“Yes, they have had injuries but there are still enough players there to cause Liverpool some problems.
“There’s been defeats to Ipswich, Leicester, Crystal Palace and Everton. Everyone seems to find a way of beating this Tottenham side.
“The manager baffles me with his tactics. I think he’s completely lost in what he’s trying to do. This is what I do.
“You have to adapt and you have to change. if you haven’t got the personnel you want then you have to make sure your tactics are spot on.
“Look at Newcastle, Eddie Howe showed how you beat an Arsenal side by going man-to-man and being aggressive.
“Newcastle will not give Liverpool the respect Tottenham gave them. Spurs showed them far too much respect.
“I’ve counted eight internationals for Tottenham today. That’s not an inexperienced team.
“There are a lot of players who know what it’s like to come to Anfield and have to suffer and make sure you compete. That was just shocking.”
“He baffles me with his tactics sometimes”
Jamie Redknapp says Ange Postecoglou is lost in what he is trying to do 😬 pic.twitter.com/c4Oj20OIT7
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 6, 2025
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher:
“It was never in doubt before the game. It’s Tottenham! When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise, win against the odds?
“The odds were massively in favour against Liverpool, they’re at Anfield, they’re the best team in the country, possibly the best team in Europe right now.
“But it’s not just this Spurs team. They never shock you, never do something out of the ordinary.
“I’m trying to remember the last big game they won: it was probably that semi-final against Ajax in the Champions League. I was in the stadium that night and I don’t want to take it away from Tottenham, but they were very lucky! They were battered for most of the game, it was a freak and they got two goals in the last minute.
“Whenever they go into a big game as a club, nobody ever believes they’re going to win. That’s not me as a Liverpool fan, those Tottenham fans there tonight – not one of them believed they were going to win and to go Wembley! They just won’t.
“He’s a manager who is just trying to find something and what he’s trying is not working.
“But this is not just this run. This goes back to last season. I think they’ve lost 20 out of the last 45 games. It’s an awful lot.
“We’re talking almost 50 per cent of the Premier League games he’s lost going back.
“This is not just this season. Tottenham had such a brilliant start to his first season – top of the league after 10 games. He continued to go with idea even with nine men, since then the record is horrendous for Tottenham.
“I’m not just saying this to try and make a headline but I think of an FA Cup tie Liverpool played at home a few weeks ago. Accrington Stanley gave more than Tottenham and caused Liverpool more of a problem in that game. That’s not right.
“You’re playing against the best team in Europe, no one expects you to go through but it’s the manner of the defeat. Those three midfield players are big, strong, powerful lads who can run but if I’m playing in a semi-final, I’m hitting Curtis Jones early on.
“We saw it from Newcastle (against Arsenal). Newcastle were ready and were going to make it as tough as possible. Tottenham didn’t make that tough for Liverpool. It was one of the easiest games they’ve had this season.
“Even when promoted teams come to Anfield, they don’t play with that fear. They came with a one-goal lead as well. It just foes back to that stereotype we all have with Tottenham.
“I loved the Pochettino team, it had steel about it, probably the best Tottenham team since the early 80s, and that team still couldn’t get over the line. There’s definitely a mental block with the club. It goes back a long time.”
Twitter users reacted as Ange Postecoglou responds to criticism from pundits after Tottenham’s cup exit to Liverpool…
@rushworth_peter: Tottenham issues are that most of the first teams are injured, hence why they are playing with inexperienced young players. The question should be, why and how are these first team players being injured in training or matches because it shouldn’t be happening
@barrysweetman: Your job is to manage the football club and win games. But that’s not happening consistently enough.
@in2thesurf: I have a genuine sympathy for #Ange. Playing his way he gets criticised for being too open and free flowing. So he changes & with 10+ injuries he goes to Anfield and tries to defend a one nil lead. He now gets criticised for his team not being attacking enough. 🤷🏼♂️
@MarkStevenWoods: Redknapp and Carragher blaming the mentality is just lazy. Yes we were awful in the second half, if they analysed, this team has run out of gas, tanks are empty and in midfield it showed. Ange can’t even play his football at the moment because the players can’t do 90 minutes.
@HarryHotspurFC: Maybe he SHOULD listen to what others in football are saying. He might learn something. Arrogance is fine if you are very good at your job. He isn’t.
@WhiteHartMart: Well Ange, it’s about time you did care because your arrogance will be your downfall. You can be arrogant when successful – when your clinging to survive you’d better listen.
@dustymiller63: I’m with Ange on this – I don’t care what Redknapp says either – opinions are like ****holes – and he is one
@AndyAlderson_1: This guys a dead man walking now and his whole demeanour says he knows it. Shocking performance from a prem team and made worse by the fact that Accrington Stanley had better output and intent. His “I don’t care response won’t land well with the spurs fans who travelled to Anfield or the club heirachy. He’s gone from being very likeable at the start to an even worse version of the dour and negative Spurs era Mourinho
@blthfc: Ange has got many things wrong. However it’s so obvious Redknapp is desperate for him to lose his job after Ange showed him up last year. Was saying he was too naive and needed to be pragmatic, now saying he’s lost his principles. Stop giving him Spurs games. Utter clown
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