Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged that his side winning Europa League will “upset a lot of people.”
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Tottenham win in Europa League will “upset” people
Postecoglou took aim at Tottenham’s critics after the team reached the Europa League final.
Spurs cruised to a 2-0 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the second leg of their semi-final, completing a 5-1 aggregate win on Thursday.
Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro’s goals sent Spurs to the final, where they will face Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21.
Tottenham are currently 16th in the Premier League after a disappointing domestic season and are chasing their first major trophy since 2008.
Postecoglou has come under huge criticism for Tottenham’s form, despite losing a number of players to injury.
Nonetheless, the Australian coach said that winning a trophy would be far more successful than just finishing high in the table.
“That [result] is going to upset a lot of people,” Postecoglou said.
“There’ll be debates now raging and neither of us [United and Tottenham] will be able to get a trophy. If we win, we’re just going to take a team photo because we’re not worthy.
“Who cares if we’re struggling in the league? Why is that important? If it’s so easy to get to a final, then why doesn’t everyone who finishes in the top three do it? I mean, it’s a separate thing. It’s got nothing to do with league form.
“We understand our league form hasn’t been great. We understand the struggles we’ve had. A lot of them are because of the situation we’ve been in, but how does that diminish the achievement of getting to a final?
“Like I said, this club and others have finished in first, second or third in the Premier League and haven’t made finals. So why should that be diminished? I couldn’t care less about who’s struggling, and who’s not.
“I think both us and Man United have earned the right to be there, and I think we’re probably beating teams that will be in the Champions League next year on our road to getting there. So looking forward to it, it should be about game.”
People fear that Tottenham will win
This is Tottenham’s sixth European final, with their last appearance coming in 2019 when they lost to Liverpool in the Champions League.
Since winning the 2008 Carabao Cup, Spurs have lost three finals and been eliminated in three semi-finals.
They’ve also reached four FA Cup semi-finals without advancing.
“What’s happening right now is that people are fearing that it actually might happen because it might happen. ‘Let’s see how we can tear it down’ … somehow diminish it somehow by saying that it’s been a poor season and we don’t deserve this or we don’t deserve that. Or somehow comparing us to Manchester United,” Postecoglou said.
“If we had United’s success, maybe I’d have a different view. I could have been sitting here exactly in fifth position [in the Premier League] and I guarantee you that the commentary around me would be, well, that’s a great achievement, but this club needs to win something.
“That’s exactly what everyone would be saying. Of course this [making a European final] is massive.”
