Tottenham Winger Dejan Kulusevski has supported the struggling Tottenham manager by stating that he is the “right man” for the job, dismissing growing rumors about his future. Spurs are currently in 15th place in the Premier League after losing 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Leicester City on Sunday, their 13th loss of the season.
The squad was booed off, with several fans venting their anger on Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy.
Speaking on Wednesday before their Europa League group stage finale against IF Elfsborg, Postecoglou said: “My message to all Spurs supporters, because I represent them all, not just the furious ones that you’re referring to and perhaps talking to, is that we’re working hard to turn things around.
We are aware of the circumstances. Although we still have a great deal of control over the prospects and possibilities in the second half of the season, we can still take advantage of them and make it a successful one.”
As Spurs prepare to defend a first-leg advantage in their Carabao Cup semifinal against Liverpool and travel to Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round next week, the 59-year-old continued to emphasize that the team is still fighting on four fronts, with a victory over Elfsborg ensuring automatic qualification to the Europa League knockout stages.
Although it was reported on Monday that Spurs will give Postecoglou another opportunity to save his job, a reevaluation could be necessary if things continue to deteriorate over the following ten days.
“[The speculation] doesn’t affect me,” Postecoglou, who can remember Micky van de Ven following his recovery from a hamstring injury, stated.
“It never has, and never will. My perspective on my position has never been about self-preservation or security. I am still in a position to attain our goals.You say there is a running commentary on me, which is understandable considering our league place. I don’t have to answer or get engaged in it; it doesn’t interest or influence me.
“What matters to me is that I have a responsibility… As I have stated, individuals can choose to ignore it, but we are still in a strong position to do something very remarkable this year. I’m going to encourage this group of players and everyone at the club to remember that while we’re in a difficult situation, the opportunity to accomplish something extraordinary is still there if we work our way through it.”
With seven goals in his previous 14 games, Kulusevski’s play has been one of the few bright spots. He also made a strong case for Postecoglou, who was hired as Spurs’ manager in the summer of 2023.
“We had games where we showed perfect football, football that not many teams can play in the world,” he explained. He is the correct man, in my opinion, since we had fantastic games against United and City away 4-0. We want to win for him, and that is why we play. To be honest, we share some ideas since I am a positive guy and always want to play the football he likes.
“So I have to fight for him because I also believe in football. So, I believe he is the proper man. Opinions vary. It’s not for me. I don’t listen to anyone because I know the truth; I see it from my perspective. It does not matter what others say; it never has. The league is really poor, and the game on Sunday was tough to lose, but I think you have to keep calm and focused on the goals.
“We have made mistakes, Don’t get me wrong, we have committed several errors. We have nearly ten healthy players across four tournaments, which is unacceptable and the reason the squad is suffering in the league in particular. That’s all I have to say. You may look at the players and the management, but I believe it goes beyond that. Everything is involved.
James Maddison will miss “two or three weeks” due to a calf issue, although Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are eligible to play against Elfsborg.
