Europa League

ANGE POSTECOGLOU claims Tottenham’s critics love turning “gold into c**p” when talking down his team’s feats.Now is his chance to turn a c**p season into gold by going all the way in the Europa League and achieving something the club have not  managed in 17 years — winning silverware.Ange Postecoglou was amazed the penalty drama was spotlightedCredit: PAMathys Tel ended up taking the spot-kick to round off victoryCredit: Instagram / talkingtottenham1882Aussie Ange had another pop over the narrative surrounding Spurs when asked about a penalty flashpoint involving Brennan Johnson at the end of Sunday’s 3-1 home win over Southampton.Winger Johnson was hoping to take a spot-kick he had won in injury time to give himself a chance of a first Premier League hat-trick for the club.But, instead, substitute Mathys Tel converted it to make it 3-1 and leave Johnson disappointed.Postecoglou, who was facing the press ahead of Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Germans Eintracht Frankfurt, bristled at the way the incident was reported and said: “We scored, we won. Delighted.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“It’s incredible, it’s just … literally turning gold into c**p when it’s Tottenham.”Seriously. If we’re 2-1 up [against Frankfurt] and get a penalty in the last minute, I want the best penalty taker to take it.“The one slight against this club is apparently it hasn’t been a winner.“Well, the winner’s mentality in the last minute of the game is to score a goal. We scored a goal.Most read in Europa LeagueTel tucked home as Spurs confirmed Southampton’s relegationCredit: GettyBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK“And yet, somehow, in this ultimate universe where everything Tottenham does is wrong, that’s come out as a negative.“I was delighted because as I said, if we get a penalty in the last minute and get a third goal, which could be really decisive, I’m really pleased with the way the players handled it.”Ange Postecoglou gives bleak update on Tottenham future even if he wins Europa League It is not the first time under-pressure Ange has taken aim at how the club is viewed by the wider footballing world.Last week he criticised the lack of other voices speaking up for the club, specifically TV pundits.Those talking heads may claim it  has been tough to be positive about Tottenham this term, given how poorly they have fared in the Prem, where  16 defeats from 31 matches have left them down in 14th.It’s incredible, it’s just … literally turning gold into c**p when it’s Tottenham.Ange PostecoglouStill, there is a huge chance to turn things around with glory in Europe — and clinch the club a first trophy since their 2008 League Cup victory.It would be the perfect way to stick two fingers up to Spurs’ critics who have twisted the knife during this painful season.Supporters of arch-rivals Arsenal did just that with chants of ‘Are you Tottenham in disguise?’ towards Real Madrid during their outstanding 3-0 win over the Spanish giants on Tuesday.Yet Welshman Johnson, 23, insisted: “I just want to win the Europa League for the group of players and the staff.Brennan Johnson says Spurs are a ‘real tight-knit group’Credit: PA“I don’t really care about what other people sing and the critics. I switched off from all that  a long time ago.“I love the lads, all the players in the squad, all the staff, the management team.“We’ve created a real tight-knit group and we’ve all been under a lot of  criticism at different points.“So it’s something we can all kind of relate to, so we all have that understanding with each other.Read More on The Sun“When it comes to competitions like this and being able to progress, it’s something we just want to do for each other because at the end of the day, we’ve had some tough times.“There would be no better joy than to  celebrate with the people that have had to go through it like I have as well.” More

ANGE POSTECOGLOU believes there is a “general sentiment” in football that he will be sacked by Spurs even if he wins the Europa League.The under-pressure Aussie appears in last-chance saloon territory as Spurs host Eintracht Frankfurt in their quarter-final first leg tomorrow.Ange Postecoglou gave a bleak update on his Spurs futureCredit: ReutersBe dumped out by the Germans and it could be curtains after an awful league campaign – or at least that is Postecoglou thinks the world expects to happen.But he insists proving his critics wrong is not a motivating factor and that he is hell-bent on turning things around, starting by seeing off a team third in the Bundesliga.Postecoglou said: “I think (it was written this week) that even if we win it, I’m gone anyway.“The only reason I mention it is because I think that is the general sentiment. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“I have said before, that is not what drives me. “I came to this club with a clear purpose and vision of what the club needed and what I could offer. “That is to change the way the team plays, to obviously rejuvenate the squad because it was a squad that was coming towards the end of a cycle and to bring success. “As long as I’m in this position, that’s always my focus irrespective of whatever noise there is or what may or may not be in the future. Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK“I don’t see that, that should diminish my burning ambition, my desire and my determination to make that happen. Anything you achieve in life usually comes with a struggle. “Certainly everything I have achieved in my life has come with a struggle from a professional perspective. ‘People like you will be happy’ – Postecoglou snaps at Sky Sports reporter in ‘generational meltdown’ after Chelsea loss“This is just another struggle, but never through this struggle have I lost the will to fight for what I think is the right thing to do and I’ll continue to do that.”Spurs have slumped to 16 defeats in the Premier League this term.They went out of the Carabao Cup at the semi-final stage and early on in the FA Cup, meaning the only way to save their season is in the Europa League.It also remains their last chance to qualify for Europe – and possibly to save Postecoglou’s job.Fulham boss Marco Silva and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola are understood to have admirers at Spurs if a change is made.While German reports identified Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner – who guided Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022 – as a possible target.Postecoglou has had a fractious relationship with Spurs supporters of late.But he hopes the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be rocking tomorrow night to help his team through – like the fans of arch-rivals Arsenal did against Real Madrid on Tuesday.He added: “(That is) hugely important. “With every European game, whether you were watching last night (at Arsenal) or tonight, whoever is playing at home the atmosphere makes a big impact, absolutely it does. Read More on The Sun“We hope it is the same tomorrow night for us. We think if we can get the crowd going tomorrow night, and we have had nights like that this year, European nights have been good, the semi-final of the Carabao Cup first leg against Liverpool was really good. “We need that tomorrow night because in European football it is a big part of helping what are always tight ties for clubs to get an advantage.”Postecoglou has a fractious relationship with Spurs fans and is under mounting pressureCredit: Getty More

ANDRE ONANA has fired back after being savaged by Man Utd cult hero Nemanja Matic ahead of the Red Devils’ Europa League clash with Lyon.The Serb called him “one of the worst Man Utd goalkeepers in history” after Onana claimed the Red Devils are a much better team than Lyon.Matic did not take a jibe from Onana lying downCredit: AFPThe Man Utd goalkeeper was told his opinion might matter more if it came from predecessor David de GeaCredit: ReutersBut Onana was quick to remind Matic that he had won an FA Cup and a League Cup while the Serb hadn’t won a trophy at all with the Red DevilsCredit: GettyMatic, 36, now plays his football for the French side after spending five years with United between 2017 and 2022.And he was left unimpressed by the Man Utd goalkeeper’s comments in the run-up to the match.Cameroon international Onana had said: “I think we are better than them, we just have to go there and show who we are. “If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, stay compact and together and we follow the game plan we will be winning the game.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWS“We know some of them, but I don’t think we have to focus on them. It’s more about us, what we’re going to do,” he said.”Of course it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them.”However, Matic responded with a sensational slapdown.The former Chelsea title winner said: “To say that, you need to have cover.Most read in Europa LeagueBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”Onana? Pfft, I respect everyone but to say that then you need to get the answer.”If you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United history, you need to take care what you are talking.Man Utd’s secret weapon in Treble-winning season revealed as star who played ‘bigger role than people give credit for'”If David de Gea or Peter Schmeichel or Van der Sar said that, I would question myself.”But if you are one of the, statistically, worst goalkeepers in Man Utd’s modern history then, you know, he needs to show that [he is much better] before he says [that].”But Onana did not take the insult lying down.He responded with a post on X, saying: “I would never be disrespectful to another club.”We know that tomorrow will be a difficult game against a strong opponent. “We focus on preparing a performance to make our fans proud. “At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same.”Matic also touched on the differences between his time at Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles and Man Utd, where he failed to win a trophy.The midfielder told The Athletic: “The difference I felt after Chelsea was that, at Chelsea, everything was about the result and winning trophies. “That was the spirit in the whole club, even from the man who cuts the grass. Roman Abramovich would only ask us about results. “At United, it was more commercial-minded. I started to think that after a couple of months in the club. “I arrived at United with the anger to win trophies like I had at Chelsea, but step by step I started to feel that trophies were not the focus.  Read More on The Sun”I understand that our salary needs to be paid, but I felt that the results were not the focus like it was at Chelsea. “I maybe did two commercial jobs at Chelsea, at United it was far more.” More