PA Media/dpa
London
Coach Ange Postecoglou has told Tottenham Hotspur to embrace the pressure of Thursday’s crunch Europa League last-16 tie at home to AZ Alkmaar and doubled down on his second-season trophy remark.
Spurs host AZ in desperate need of a result to keep alive a difficult campaign, which will threaten to spiral out of control if they are unable to overturn the 1-0 loss they suffered in Alkmaar after a tepid display last Thursday.
Postecoglou memorably declared back in September that he “always wins things” in his second year of a job, but brushed off suggestions that was a comment he may now regret.
“No, no extra pressure,” Postecoglou insisted.
“There’s always pressure there and yes, it’s a big game, but, if we’re successful tomorrow night, it’ll be the same in the next round.
“When you’re in the later stages of European or any cup competition, you kind of know every game is meaningful because it either means the end of the road or you progress, so we understand that, we need to embrace that.
“My view has always been when you’re asked a question, you answer it.
I wasn’t making anything up.
“I will always answer things the way I feel comfortable answering them. I’m really comfortable and proud of the fact that everywhere I have been, I have won things. I think it’s something where I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t.”
