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“Unai Emery Breaks Silence on Ange Postecoglou’s Future After Explosive Outburst
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was asked about Ange Postecoglou as the pressure mounts on the Tottenham Hotspur boss, following their 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday evening.
Emery defended Postecoglou, who has faced increasing calls for his dismissal after Tottenham were eliminated from two domestic cup competitions within four days.
On Thursday, Spurs were defeated 4-0 by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final, and just 72 hours later, Villa handed them another loss, with goals from Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park.
Although Tottenham remain in the UEFA Europa League, having advanced to the last 16, their 14th-place position in the Premier League leaves them without any other competitions to focus on.
Postecoglou, clearly frustrated by his team’s struggles, entered the press room ready to express his anger. Acknowledging the team’s poor performance, the Australian vented his frustrations.
“People can judge me and say I’m not good enough, but they can’t criticize the players during this time,” Postecoglou began. “They’ve given everything since mid-November, and you can’t judge them now.
We need a better appreciation for what this small group of players has done over two and a half months. This isn’t an excuse—this is objective analysis, and anything else is agenda-driven.”
He went on to highlight the challenges his squad has faced, with 11 first-team players unavailable and several teenagers in the starting lineup.
He pointed out that this was after a difficult run of matches, including a heavy loss to Liverpool and no squad rotation.
He emphasized the grueling schedule of playing Thursday-Sunday for over two months, with minimal rest, and urged people to recognize the toll this has taken on his players.
Emery responded to questions about Postecoglou’s situation right after the Australian’s press conference, shaking his hand as a gesture of respect.
Understanding the pressure Postecoglou is under, Emery—who himself was sacked by Arsenal in 2019—acknowledged the difficulties facing Tottenham’s manager.
Despite Spurs’ struggles and their cup exits, Emery praised their tactical approach and the challenge they presented in their defeat to Villa.
When asked if Postecoglou should be given more leniency, Emery said, “I can evaluate his work from last year and the first half of this season, and I really appreciate how Tottenham have played with their style. They performed very well last season.
Every team has injuries, and they have more than usual. The potential they have with a full squad is higher, but they will improve once their players are fit. Today, we played very well to stop them, but they played well, too, just not enough to beat us.”
