ANGE POSTECOGLOU fired back at critics after guiding Spurs to a Europa League Final against Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21.
The former Celtic boss led the London club to a 2-0 second leg win over Bodø/Glimt in Norway for an emphatic 5-1 aggregate victory.
At the same time, United thrashed Rangers’ conquerors Athletic Bilbao 4-1 at Old Trafford for a runaway 7-1 scoreline over their two semi-final encounters against the Spaniards.
Now the English sides, who have both struggled in the Premier League this season, will clash for the silverware in 12 days’ time.
THE LAST HURRAH…Ange Postecoglou looks at the newly-won Scottish Cup after the 3-1 triumph over Inverness Caley Thistle on June 3 at Hampden – three days before he left for Spurs.
Postecoglou, who won five honours – including back-to-back titles – in his two years at Celtic, has come under huge criticism with Spurs languishing 16th in the top flight, curiously just one place below United who are a point better off.
The club are now within 90 minutes of their first major trophy since 2008 and the Greek-Australian bristled at his inquisitors at the media conference after the crucial victory in the Arctic Circle.
Postecoglou snapped: “It’s going to upset a lot of people isn’t it?
“The debate’s now raging. The latest one is that neither of us will be able to get a trophy if we win, they’re just going to take a team photo because we’re not worthy.
“I mean, who cares if we’re struggling in the league? It’s a separate thing. It’s got nothing to do with league form.
“I couldn’t care less who’s struggling and who’s not. I think both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there.”
Postecoglou, as reported by the BBC, added: “I’ve said all along that this is important.
“What’s happening now is people are fearing that – that it actually might happen, and let’s see how we can tear it down somehow and diminish it somehow by saying it’s been a poor season and we don’t deserve this or we don’t deserve that, or somehow comparing us to Man United.
RAGING…Ange Postecoglou gets a point across as Spurs criticism mounts.
“Maybe if we had Man United’s success then maybe I’d have a different view. It’s massive. Of course it is, because you have to frame it against what this club has been through over the last 15 or 20 years and what the supporters have been through.
“We’ve given them some real hope and something to dream about that we can do something special this year.”
Since winning the 2008 Carabao Cup, Spurs have lost three finals and been beaten in three semi-finals. They have also reached four FA Cup semi finals without progressing.
The club have not lifted the Europa League in 41 years, since beating Anderlecht to win what was the UEFA Cup at the time.
Postecoglou still has two years to run on the contract he signed when he quit Parkhead in June 2023 just three days after completing the club’s eighth treble in history.
