Ange Postecoglou has laughed off criticism from Arsene Wenger about Tottenham probably qualifying for subsequent season’s Champions League and joked the membership does “loopy issues” to individuals.
Spurs are in Norway for his or her Europa League semi-final second leg with Bodo/Glimt and maintain a two-goal lead after final Thursday’s 3-1 victory put them inside touching distance of the ultimate in Bilbao.
If Tottenham win the competitors, regardless of being on target for their worst Premier League finish of 16th, it could earn them qualification for the Champions League resulting from a Uefa rule in place because the 2014-15 marketing campaign.
Nonetheless, ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger – presently head of global football development at Fifa – this week advised beIN Sport that Spurs or potential finalists Manchester United shouldn’t be capable of get into Europe’s elite competitors through the Europa League and urged Uefa to “overview” the ruling.
Forward of Thursday’s showdown in Bodo, the place Tottenham shall be with out James Maddison and captain Son Heung-min, Postecoglou reduce a relaxed determine as he mirrored on the narrative across the north London membership.
“Properly, I imply that is a debate that is been raging for years, like at the very least the final eight days,” Postecoglou smiled. “I’ve by no means heard that earlier than. I’ve stated it earlier than, mate, Spurs does loopy issues to individuals. It does, it does.
“You place that membership into any sentence or any problem and invariably all of them come out and try to diminish as a lot as they’ll.
“Why wasn’t there a problem earlier than and it is a problem now? What is the distinction? I do not perceive what the distinction is.
“Final yr, fifth did not get you into the Champions League, this yr it does. What does that imply?
“There are competitors guidelines and the foundations say that the winner goes into (Champions League) and it isn’t the primary yr.
“And there is not an asterisk towards it that it’s a must to do one thing else as properly, nevertheless it’s Spurs, mate, they adore it. They adore it.
“I’ve received a fantastic respect for Arsene. He is one of many legends of the sport, nevertheless it does loopy issues to individuals, mate. I adore it, deliver it on. It will upset individuals, in order that makes me blissful.”
Requested if Tottenham had made him loopy throughout a season the place he has battled with an unlimited harm checklist and confronted fixed hypothesis over his future, Postecoglou stated: “It hasn’t made me loopy in any respect.
“I used to be speaking about different individuals, I wasn’t speaking about me. I used to be requested the query about apparently there’s a huge raging debate in regards to the legitimacy of us or Man U probably being within the Champions League subsequent yr.
“They should change the foundations as a result of Spurs are concerned.”
Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario echoed the feelings of Postecoglou when quizzed on Wenger’s latest feedback.
Vicario added: “Everybody can have ideas about every thing in life.
“I do not agree (with Wenger) nevertheless it does not matter. These are the foundations and we need to go to the ultimate.”
PA
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