Ange Postecoglou reflects on the validation of his assertion about winning a trophy in his second season following Tottenham’s success in the UEFA Europa League, stating, “I wasn’t bragging.”

Angé Postecoglou has made it clear that he is far from finished as he reflected on Tottenham Hotspur’s triumphant UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United.

Brennan Johnson’s solitary goal in Bilbao secured a 1-0 victory for the north London side, providing a moment of euphoria for their manager after what has been a challenging season. Spurs currently find themselves languishing in 17th place in the Premier League, with a game still to play, and a finish there would mark their lowest in the league’s history.

However, Postecoglou insists that the primary focus this year was to end a trophy drought that has stretched back to 2008. “I’m still trying to take it all in,” he told TNT Sports. “I know what it means for this football club. Unfortunately, the longer it goes on, it’s harder to break that cycle sometimes.”

He noted the nervousness around the club, acknowledging that many have been in this situation before. “Until you take that monkey off your back, you’ll never understand what it feels like,” he added.

Postecoglou expressed hope that this victory would instill confidence in his young squad. “We’ve got a really young group, but I’m hoping them tasting this now, and the success they’ve had, it feeds into itself. They’ll feel differently about themselves.”

He also highlighted the significance of the win for the supporters, many of whom have followed the club for the 41 years since their last European triumph. “Just what it means to them, it’s incredible,” he said.

While Tottenham have endured a 17-year wait for silverware, Postecoglou’s own history tells a different story. The Australian has previously lifted trophies with Celtic in Scotland, Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, and as the manager of his national team. Interestingly, he has often found success in his second season at a club, and this Europa League victory follows that trend.

“People misinterpreted it,” he explained. “It wasn’t me boasting. It was me just making a declaration. I believed it. At the time I said it, we were still in the Carabao Cup. I just had this thing inside of me.”

Despite acknowledging the team’s poor league form, he maintained that winning a trophy was the only way to change the club’s fortunes. “The only thing that was going to change this football club was us winning something,” he stated.

Postecoglou’s confidence was evident as he reflected on the journey to the trophy. “The beauty is people kept reminding me of it. The reason they kept reminding me of it was because we still had a chance to do it. I was comfortable with it.”

He also addressed the criticism the club has faced, suggesting that it hasn’t defended itself as strongly as it should. “But I’m hoping this does. There’s no reason why they can’t go into next year believing they can win again, another trophy, and building a team that consistently strives to win things.”

The contrast between Spurs’ European success and their domestic struggles is stark, with the team having lost 21 of their 37 league matches. They are currently without a win in six top-flight games, including defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa.

Postecoglou explained the difference between knockout football and league play. “When you’re in that situation, it comes down to good organisation, having a clear game plan and then moments,” he said. He expressed confidence in his team’s defensive capabilities, particularly with key players like Christian Romero and Micky van der Ven.

Looking ahead, there have been calls for Postecoglou to leave his position, and even the Europa League success may not satisfy some fans. However, the manager believes there is much more to come from his side.

“I’ve had such a laser focus on winning this thing,” he concluded. “Whatever happens, happens. We’re still building this team. It’s still a very young team. We need to add some experience to it. We’re in the Champions League.”

Postecoglou’s ambition remains clear: “I don’t feel like I’ve completed the job here. We’re still building. The moment I accepted the role, I had one thing in my head, and that was to win something, more than anything else. We’ve done that now and I want to build on it.”

He believes there is a significant opportunity ahead. “Those players in there, they’ll want this again. Until you feel it, you can’t describe it to people. They’ve got it now. They’re not going to want to let it go but we need to build on that for sure.”