Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has suggested there is a “national campaign” to protect Liverpool in refereeing decisions, while insisting he’s left to defend Spurs on his own.
The Australian boss is under pressure as Tottenham languish in 14th place in the Premier League. Their recent 1-0 defeat to Chelsea marked their 14th league loss of the season. With domestic hopes fading, Spurs now look to the Europa League for redemption, where they face Bundesliga contenders Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.
Controversy surrounded their defeat at Stamford Bridge when Pape Matar Sarr’s apparent equaliser was ruled out following a six-minute VAR check. Postecoglou, who had cupped his ears towards the fans in celebration, was left visibly frustrated by the decision.
Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Southampton, Postecoglou expressed concern over the lack of vocal support for the club in the media — especially from former Spurs players now working as pundits, such as Jamie Redknapp, Jamie O’Hara, Michael Dawson, and Darren Bent.
“In the time I’ve been here, we’ve had two decisions go our way against Liverpool and there’s been a national campaign, almost,” he told The Telegraph. “Every fight here seems to be an internal one. There’s no real defense of the club, or even from within. That’s a unique challenge — but one I accepted.”
When asked how the club could better protect its interests, he replied: “By being more vocal. I hope it’s not just down to the manager. You probably hear too much from me already.”
He added: “I hear people defend other clubs all the time. But with Tottenham, whenever there’s a sore spot, there’s a pile-on — and we seem to accept it. I don’t hear any strong voices backing us. With the bigger clubs, there’s always more voices. Not always defending, but offering balance. We only seem to get the criticism.”
Postecoglou also questioned the media’s focus on his reaction to fans, rather than the VAR decision itself.
“The big story wasn’t the six-minute VAR check for something ‘clear and obvious’, it was my interaction with the supporters,” he said. “That’s telling. It’s another example of the challenges we face — and I’ve got to find a way through it.”
Tottenham travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday, April 27.