It is Ange Postecoglou’s solely remorse since being requested to take over at Tottenham. “For the primary time in, I reckon, it have to be 20 years, I’ve needed to pull out of the Fantasy Premier League,” mentioned the Spurs supervisor. “I’m gutted about that.”
Sadly for his football-obsessed mates again in Melbourne who have been hoping he might a minimum of present some inside data for his or her groups, Postecoglou is taking part in the sport for actual as of late. Affirmation on Thursday that Harry Kane is leaving north London after Daniel Levy accepted a suggestion that could possibly be price greater than £100m was not surprising because the England captain had made no secret of his want for a brand new problem.
However whereas most managers can be determined to splash the money to fill the void left by the person who scored 213 top-flight targets in 320 video games for Spurs and is 47 behind Alan Shearer’s Premier League document as rapidly as attainable, Postecoglou appears decided to not rush into something.
It’s understood that relatively than spending the vast majority of the charge on a single alternative, the 57-year-old is ready to present Richarlison – who had a disappointing first season after his £50m switch final summer season – a chance in a central position, the place he has performed for Brazil. The Australian wish to herald versatile gamers who can play throughout the entrance three such because the Nottingham Forest ahead Brennan Johnson, who would add to the prevailing choices Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski.
“The enterprise now we have finished thus far has been in anticipation of Harry going so we’re not going to be on the market searching for a No 9 to interchange him,” Postecoglou mentioned. “That’s not the technique that’s already in place.
“What now we have been trying to do from day one is have a powerful squad that may play the soccer we wish and develop over a time frame. I have to image them in my workforce. Can they’ve the traits that I would like? The best way we arrange is totally different from different golf equipment and what we ask is totally different to what they’re used to.”
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Spurs supporters shall be relieved it appears sure Postecoglou is not going to comply with the scattergun strategy adopted by his predecessor André Villas-Boas a decade in the past. Having acquired the same sum to the quantity Bayern are paying for Kane after promoting Gareth Bale to Actual Madrid for a then world document switch charge, the Portuguese was instrumental in strikes for seven gamers in the course of the 2013 summer season switch window together with Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Roberto Soldado. Nicknamed “Tottenham’s magnificent seven”, solely Eriksen – who was bought to Internazionale in January 2020 together with his contract attributable to expire in the summertime – who excelled and Villas-Boas was sacked every week earlier than Christmas.
That situation seems unlikely for Postecoglou given the low bar of Tottenham’s performances final season, even with Kane’s 30 Premier League targets. However whereas it stays to be seen whether or not Richarlison – who has been handed match to face Brentford on Sunday – can present the firepower in assault after having to attend 23 matches to attain his first league objective, the acquisition of James Maddison from relegated Leicester for round £40m was a calculated transfer to interchange one other of Kane’s important contributions: assists.
The England captain managed three within the Premier League final season however racked up 23 within the two earlier campaigns, a lot of them for Son, who returned the favour in essentially the most prolific partnership in Premier League historical past. Maddison ought to be certain that Spurs create loads of possibilities, though Postecoglou could also be tempted to see if he can lure Kyogo Furuhashi away from Celtic after the Japan striker’s performances for him final season yielded 27 targets. The 28-year-old has prolonged his deal however will surely take no time to adapt to Postecoglou’s attacking strategy after two years collectively in Scotland.
Spurs have additionally signed the Dutchman Micky van de Ven for about £35m and are available in the market for an additional defender, though their supervisor insisted his focus stays on streamlining his squad earlier than the tip of the month.
“What we don’t wish to do is have all of it occur late within the window, which implies we’re caught brief in any space,” he mentioned. “It’s started working each methods, we are able to’t simply hold accumulating gamers. However there’s nonetheless worth on the market – you don’t all the time have to spend on the prime finish. It’s about getting the correct match to your membership and Maddison is a good instance of that.”
