Ange Postecoglou has fumed over questions on whether Europa League success would be enough to save Tottenham’s season, accusing people of trying to “diminish” their achievements.
Spurs booked their place in the Europa League final on Thursday night with a 2-0 win at Bodo/Glimt, taking their aggregate score to 5-1.
It gives Postecoglou’s side a shot at salvation after what has been a dismal domestic season, with Spurs now within one game of ending their 17-year trophy drought.
Standing in their way will be fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United, who dispatched Athletic Bilbao over two legs to seal their place in the final.
And while Ruben Amorim has repeatedly said that lifting the Europa League would not be enough to make this season a success for Man United, Postecoglou has snapped back at anyone trying to “tear down” what Tottenham are building.
He said in his post-match press conference: “Why do I care what Man United think? Why is that relevant to me? Ask the Man United manager why he says that. I’ve said all along that this is important.
“What do you think a trophy would do for this club? The question answers itself, but what’s happening right now is that people are fearing that it actually might happen.
“Because it might happen, let’s see how we can tear it down or diminish it somehow by saying it’s been a poor season, or that we don’t deserve this or we don’t deserve that, or somehow comparing us to Man United.”
This comes after Postecoglou hit back at Arsene Wenger for arguing the winner of the Europa League shouldn’t qualify for the Champions League, joking that Spurs does “crazy things” to people.
Despite being on course for their worst Premier League finish of 16th, Tottenham put on a clinic in game management in Norway to put their Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt to bed and book their place in a European final.
After keeping the hosts quiet during the first half, Postecoglou’s side gave themselves clear daylight in the tie after the restart, with Dominic Solanke prodding home before Pedro Porro caught out Nikita Haikin from wide to bend into the top corner.
Spurs will now face United, who sit one place above them in the Premier League, in an all-English final, with the two Premier League rivals set to lock horns over continental silverware in Bilbao on May 21.
