Postecoglou insists Spurs targeting European success despite first leg loss

Spurs have been handed a huge task to overturn the shocking 1-0 defeat suffered at AZ Alkmaar if they want to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League and fulfill head coach Postecoglou's streak of winning a trophy in his second season.

During his pre-match press conference, the Australian launched a passionate rant after being asked whether he sees Thursday's second leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a win-or-bust for Spurs' season as well as his own project at the north London side.

He said: “There are not many professions in the world where you have to come in and answer questions like that, is there? No, there isn’t, but I am going to be polite and say we’re focused on winning the game tomorrow night and need to put in a better performance than we did last Thursday.

“Obviously that wasn’t anywhere near the standard we want to play, but if we can play with the intensity and tempo we showed at the weekend, we’ll give ourselves a good chance to progress.”

Speaking on his statement that he alwasy wins silverware in his second season at a club, he added: "I wasn’t making anything up - I was asked a question, I answered that question. People have sort of used it for their own purposes in suggesting I was making a bold claim, but I wasn’t. I was stating a fact.

"If it doesn’t happen this year, then I cannot say that any more if I’m asked next year, can I? What was I supposed to say - that I always win in the second year, but, well, I have in the past everywhere I’ve been, here it won’t happen? Is that what people want to hear?

"People can twist these things and use them (to fit an agenda). Maybe we will defy the odds and I do win something. You know what people will say? ‘Isn’t it great that he made such a bold claim.’ I’m really comfortable and proud of the fact that everywhere I have been I have won things.

"I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t. Whether I win something in my second year here, time will tell. Postecoglou concluded as he insisted that while Tottenham will fight to earn the win, there is no extra pressure to the game. 

"We were disappointed with our performance in the first leg and I guess the important thing is we didn’t make the tie impossible for us to get back into. It is still very tight. Right now the key focus is to put in a really strong performance at home tomorrow night and we’ll go from there," he concluded.