Why Postecoglou's relationship with some Spurs fans is wobbling

The temper astatine Tottenham Hotspur has changed dramatically wrong a year.

At the commencement of his tenure past season, caller manager Ange Postecoglou started his reign by going connected a 10-game unbeaten tally built astir his progressive benignant of play aft the troubled spells of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.

Twelve months on, discontent is bubbling to the aboveground successful northbound London arsenic sections of the instrumentality basal progressively suffer patience with the Australian.

Just 1 triumph successful the archetypal 4 league games, including a 1-0 decision to rivals Arsenal, has seen Postecoglou person disapproval from immoderate supporters earlier Saturday's location crippled against Brentford (15:00 BST).

In midweek determination were boos astatine the manager's determination to substitute teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall successful a fortunate 2-1 triumph astatine Coventry City successful the Carabao Cup amid an progressively antagonistic speech astir the nine connected societal media.

At Friday's quality conference, Postecoglou joked ironically astir having a barroom made for him erstwhile asked astir becoming the archetypal manager to last a afloat 38-game play astatine Spurs since Mauricio Pochettino successful the 2018-19 campaign.

"It [the negativity] doesn't seep into my environment. The fans are escaped to consciousness however they privation to consciousness and it doesn't interaction maine oregon what we are trying to achieve.

"If you're swimming against the tide, that's alright, that makes you stronger. I deliberation a large portion of it [is change], erstwhile determination is existent alteration it unsettles radical and they privation comfortableness and security, but I came successful present to effort to bash thing that hasn't been done for a while.

"You can't conscionable deliberation maine walking successful volition alteration things, you've got to alteration things and it tin beryllium unsettling but it is indispensable for america to execute what we privation to."

After Wednesday's lucifer astatine Coventry, Postecoglou's effect was "I don't marque substitutions by poll" successful effect to a question astir the absorption to Bergvall's withdrawal.

After a play erstwhile fans warmed to Postecoglou's frank and comic responses successful media duties, caller exchanges with journalists person been much fractious.

In May, the 59-year-old could not comprehend the thought of a Spurs instrumentality hoping to suffer to Manchester City due to the fact that denying their opponents a triumph could person handed Arsenal the title.

He said "100 per cent of Spurs fans" wanted his squad to triumph and helium would "never understand" those who did not.

During the 2-0 decision which followed, immoderate supporters successful the crushed appeared blessed to spot their squad suffer amid a unusual atmosphere. Postecoglou called it "the worst experience" of his 26-year absorption career.

He besides had to support past week's speech of "always" winning trophies successful his 2nd season, saying it was "fact" and not "me boasting".

On Thursday, BBC Sport askedTottenham fans for their views connected the situation:

Edward: It was a triumph [against Coventry]. Now springiness Ange a interruption and fto him get connected with his occupation successful peace. He is lone successful his 2nd play successful charge, truthful helium has got to beryllium fixed plentifulness of time. Mikel Arteta has been successful complaint of Arsenal for years and lone present is helium truly reaping his rewards. Ange is the champion manager we person had since Mauricio Pochettino. Let Ange make and present our results!

Charlie: This play is already looking similar a transcript of past season. We look similar an implicit mess. We were flattered astatine Everton but we are getting recovered retired now. Ange seems retired of his extent and, from his comments astir winning things successful his 2nd season, I tin lone deliberation helium knows helium is not going to past until May.

Postecoglou inherited a squad built by 4 managers successful 4 years arsenic the nine struggled for stableness pursuing Pochettino's sacking successful 2019.

Harry Kane's declaration was moving down and the striker was expected to leave, yet joining Bayern Munich successful a woody worthy up to £100m.

No alternate was signed and his lawman Richarlison suffered an wounded deed season.

Despite the signing of Dominic Solanke for £65m this summer, Spurs person been importantly outspent by rivals specified arsenic Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City connected transfers implicit a 10-year period, according to a caller CIES Football Observatory report.

BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Chris Sutton - who admired Postecoglou's enactment astatine his erstwhile nine Celtic - said: "Postecoglou has been successful for conscionable implicit a play - truthful to deliberation helium took them from eighth to 5th is an improvement, portion selling Harry Kane.

"We are [only] 4 games successful and immoderate of the nonsense I person heard aft the crippled has been ridiculous."

Postecoglou is focused connected what helium believes is close - whether it is fashionable with sections of the supporters oregon not.

His nonstop and unfastened connection is refreshing but his single-minded content frustrates immoderate supporters, who wonderment if helium lacks the quality to alteration erstwhile his ideas are not working.

Yet, determination has to beryllium immoderate appreciation that Postecoglou is simply a manager making decisions that are designed to beryllium of semipermanent benefit, including making 8 changes successful the Carabao Cup to springiness minutes to the wider squad and young players contempt risking decision astatine Coventry.

It could besides beryllium argued choler towards Postecoglou is portion of a wider vexation with the enactment of president Daniel Levy.

Postecoglou's tally astatine the opening of past play took unit disconnected the ownership earlier past season's instrumentality forum, which is simply a uncommon accidental to perceive from Levy, but sentiment has since nose-dived earlier the aforesaid lawsuit connected Monday for the 2024-25 season.

The hiring and firing of managers, a mixed transportation grounds and rising summons prices are each portion of the representation for match-going fans.

Levy's prime to bring successful the erstwhile Celtic brag was with a semipermanent rebuild successful caput astir young players - akin to the task embarked upon astatine Arsenal nether Arteta - which took 3 years to triumph implicit the bulk of the instrumentality base.

Rocks successful the roadworthy were inevitable. Levy and Postecoglou indispensable anticipation the squad tin debar further setbacks that could marque the ambiance much gloomy astir a task that 12 months agone looked thing but positive.