Ange Postecoglou has said Tottenham‘s progression this season shouldn’t be judged solely on where they finish on the table and added that he wants to build a team that is looked at and talked about differently in 12 months’ time.
The 58-year-old has transformed the mood and fortunes of the club since his arrival last summer from Celtic. The attacking brand of football he has implemented has Spurs firmly in the hunt for a Champions League spot, just one season on from a lowly eighth-place finish.
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Their 2-1 win over Luton Town on Saturday saw them move to within three points of fourth-place Aston Villa with a game in hand.
But the Australian manager, who has previously said Champions League qualification isn’t a “Willy Wonka golden ticket” to success, remains focused on his longer-term vision for the club.
“We want to finish the season strong and keep building on the foundation of being a team that hopefully in 12 months’ time people are looking at us differently and talking about us differently,” Postecoglou said in a news conference on Monday.
“To do that it can’t just be about where you finish and how many points you get, it’s got to be more than that. Obviously if we finish strong then we’ll finish in a decent position and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Saturday’s win over Luton came courtesy of a late Son Heung-Min winner — his 15th goal of the season — and Postecoglou heaped praise on the South Korean’s leadership qualities since taking the armband at the start of the season.
“It wasn’t a big decision. With Hugo [Lloris] being a huge influence and Harry [Kane] as well, Eric Dier too — there are others who have been at the club a long time,” Postecoglou said.
“Part of it all along was that I felt like we needed to make a change to show we are going in a new direction.
“I felt Son was a natural and he has been a leader within his national team. I had no hesitation putting him in that position.
“Sometimes when you get the official title it can be a burden, but his performances have been outstanding.”
Tottenham travel to seventh-placed West Ham on Tuesday.