Postecoglou’s bold trophy boast takes significant step forward

With his recent claim that he “always” wins a trophy in his second year in charge, Ange Postecoglou bravely put pressure on himself and Tottenham.

The manager of a club without a trophy since the 2008 League Cup triumph under the forgotten Juande Ramos sparked controversy with the pronouncement. Postecoglou was merely stating a fact, though.

With a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Manchester City, the Australians were able to advance significantly in fulfilling that promise, earning Spurs a Carabao Cup quarter-final match at home to Manchester United.

In his second or third full season, Postecoglou won the Australian title with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar, as well as the Japanese League with Yokohama F Marinos.

In addition, he won the Scottish Premiership twice during his time at Celtic and helped Australia win the Asian Cup in 2015, two years after taking over as manager.

He did not win any awards, but he did not manage the Greek side Panachaiki, Whittlesea Zebras, and Melbourne Victory for two seasons.

As a result of his dismissal days before the 2021 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, Jose Mourinho had no chance of bringing the trophy back to his Spurs predecessors, Andre Villas-Boas, Tim Sherwood, and Antonio Conte, who were not allowed the luxury of a second season in charge. Within four months, Nuno Espirito Santo was fired.

Achievements and their support, especially at Spurs, are two entirely different things. Even though Manchester United will have similar aspirations, presumably under new head coach Ruben Amorim, the Carabao Cup now offers a very appealing chance of that long-overdue and long-awaited success.

After one of those displays that exposed the madding inconsistency of his team, even from one half to the next, when they lost a 2-0 lead at Brighton, were then tamely defeated by Crystal Palace last weekend, Postecoglou was in desperate need of showing his acceptable face.

Postecoglou’s methods and unwavering belief in his all-out attacking strategy could be the success he insists it will bring, if City were to lose, would have drawn more scrutiny from him, not in relation to his future at the club.

Instead, this was the Spurs that has provided such entertaining fare throughout Postecoglou’s time in charge.

Erling Haaland was kept on the bench even when Manchester City was chasing an equaliser, but the hosts still had plenty of talent on display, making this a fully-merited win.

After five minutes, the enigmatic Timo Werner delivered a thumping finish that, unlike this striker, had no time to think about. This is a significant development for this striker.

Although Werner’s goal was his third of the season, he only made 33 appearances for the club, he still has a following after being overshadowed by excited team-mates and the home crowd’s cheery reaction. It was the same at Chelsea, amid similar finishing travails, for his sheer boundless endeavour alone.

The “Timo Werner – he scores when he wants” chant that followed was heavily ironic, even if it was good-natured.

Pape Matar Sarr’s crisp finish increased Spurs ‘ dominance and, even when nerves jangled after Matheus Nunes gave City hope seconds before half-time, Postecoglou’s side maintained their progressive approach.

With two minutes left, substitute Yves Bissouma cleared off the line from Nico O’Reilly, giving them a better chance, only to have one real worry.

It was no more than Spurs deserved. The hosts had their number once more in this magnificent stadium, this being their sixth win in eight games here, so a late City leveller would have been unfair.

Postecoglou. Who has cliched to a dissatisfaction with his team’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester United and their disappointing defeat at Brighton and Palace, willingly made a rod for his own back and those of his players with his own special “second season syndrome”?

But if Spurs plays like this, and they already have the Europa League and the FA Cup in hand, he could easily fulfill his potential.

Instead of producing the Spurs version against Brighton or Crystal Palace, Postecoglou should create the Spurs version against Manchester United and Manchester City.