Terry Gibson has admitted that he is not completely convinced about one Tottenham Hotspur man who arrived at the club last summer, insisting what happened against Fulham before the international break has hardly been a one-off this season.
It definitely has the potential to be a really encouraging season for Spurs. Tottenham went into the break fifth in the table, three points behind Aston Villa with a game in hand.
There looks to be a very good chance of Tottenham playing in the Champions League next season. And that is a remarkable achievement given that the club appeared to be in a mess when Antonio Conte left last season.
They also had to deal with selling arguably their greatest ever player on the eve of the season, with Harry Kane moving to Bayern Munich.
So it was outstanding that Ange Postecoglou led Tottenham to the top of the table in the opening weeks of the season, playing a brand of football which everyone was raving about.
Terry Gibson not yet fully convinced by Tottenham man
Gradually, Spurs have fallen away from the title conversation. Injuries have certainly played their part. But it does appear that some teams have found a way to try and play against Tottenham. And Fulham certainly made it a painful trip to Craven Cottage for Postecoglou’s side before the international break.
Speaking on the Premier League All Access podcast, Terry Gibson admitted that he is not yet sure whether Postecoglou is going to be the man to take Tottenham far enough – even if he deserves credit for how well he has done this season.
“It would be a fine achievement. I think there’s a big positive turnaround at Spurs this season, because the form and the style of play Spurs had under the previous manager, the supporters weren’t enjoying going to the games. And Postecoglou’s arrived and transformed that. And he’s made a huge difference. I still am not 100 percent convinced I have to be honest, because the Fulham game isn’t a standout match. Spurs have had those disasters during the season. And I do see similar mistakes. Tottenham have a really good set of players now. I think that helps any manager as well. I think it’s the best squad they’ve had for some time. And Harry Kane leaving was a massive blow to Spurs so if there were to finish in the top-four after Harry Kane departing and leaving the club, yes, it would be a fantastic achievement,” he said.
“I revert to being a fan of Spurs rather than a pundit. And I’m just desperate for them to do well and finish in the top-four. So I share that frustration with all the supporters; it was disastrous against Fulham. And if you genuinely think you want to challenge, not just top four, but teams at the top, Spurs were better than Arsenal two or three years ago. Suddenly, Arsenal have gone right past Spurs, so we need to make up ground again. It needs to be, not just about top-four, but challenging, getting closer to the teams at the top. Arsenal have shown it can be done, because no-one was getting close to City and Liverpool. Arsenal have done that over the last couple of years, and I hope Spurs are on a similar trend.”
Criticism is fair despite Spurs’ excellent season
It is fair to say that there is likely to be more pressure on Postecoglou next season. All of the supporters knew that he was going to need time after what happened under Conte.
In fact, it was almost a surprise that the Australian did so well so quickly. And clearly, the players love playing for him. James Maddison is one of those who has spoken about how impressive Postecoglou is.
The potential has been clear this season. And thus, some fans will want to see the team move forward again next year.
That will perhaps be the time to judge Postecoglou. But right now, there is absolutely no doubt that his first year in the Premier League has been a successful one.
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