Several Tottenham players are reportedly complaining about Ange Postecoglou’s demands in private as the Aussie head coach faces big questions over his future.
Sat 15th in the Premier League table and winless in six games in the competition, renewed calls to sack Postecoglou have been made in the hope of salvaging Spurs’ season.
They are still in three cup competitions and avoiding defeat at Anfield would see them through to the final of the Carabao Cup, but a lengthy injury list has not helped Postecoglou’s chances of turning their form around.
Whether the head coach can be blamed for the amount of absentees is unclear, but the Daily Mail claim that a number of players are complaining behind closed doors about Postecoglou’s training demands.
Their concerns are given more weight by the sizable, and growing, injury list. Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson became the latest to miss out against Everton and the pair are likely to spend weeks out of the side.
They join Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Timo Werner, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Fraser Forster and Wilson Odobert on the treatment table.
Members of the squad are also frustrated at having to spend the night in a hotel before each game, regardless of where or when they are playing. Postecoglou’s refusal to adapt his tactics at a time of crisis is not thought to be helping his cause, but players have noted that he has softened his all-out attacking approach recently.
But a lack of available replacements is a significant factor in Daniel Levy avoiding a swing of the axe. Sporting director Johan Lange is an admirer of Brentford boss Thomas Frank, but whether he would leave in the middle of a campaign for a London rival remains to be seen.
Strong performers this season Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva would likely be targets, but similar concerns over their willingness to leave Bournemouth and Fulham respectively mid-season, point towards Postecoglou staying.
Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna still has admirers after working in the Spurs academy previously, but he is unlikely to leave in the middle of a relegation battle and has a considerable compensation fee.
There is no understanding in north London that another defeat to Leicester would signify a change in plan and result in Postecoglou losing his job, with the Aussie confident that he can turn their fortunes around.
When asked if his confidence had wavered following a dismal defeat away to Everton last time out, he replied: “No it doesn’t. If you look at the situation we’re in, it will eventually dissipate. I certainly hope and believe it will.
“I certainly haven’t lost belief or determination to turn it around and the players showed in the second half that they haven’t either.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk