Ange Postecoglou will bring up a half century of Premier League games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with the jury still very much out on the Australian’s impact at the club.
His side is in 10th place in the table ahead of its trip to champion Manchester City and defeat would provoke further debate about Postecoglou’s progress.
The 59-year-old led Tottenham to fifth place in his first season at the helm -- a solid improvement on its eighth-placed finish the season before.
But after a spectacular start to his Tottenham reign when it bagged 26 points from its first 10 Premier League games, the subsequent period has been mired in inconsistency.
This season it has won five and lost five of its first 11 games with the latest setback coming before the international break when it was beaten 2-1 at home by Ipswich Town.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the former Celtic manager said his team had progressed from last season and that judging it so early in the campaign was unfair, although he admits he faces a crucial period with nine games in 29 days.
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“I think it’s going to be a real pivotal part of the season. If we’re still 10th at Christmas obviously people won’t be happy, but we might not be 10th,” he told reporters.
“If we had beaten Ipswich we’d be third and I reckon this press conference would be a lot different, wouldn’t it? I’m not going to let my life be dictated by one result.
“I take a sort of wider perspective on these things, because I know how fickle it can be. But we need to address our position for sure. If we’re 10th at Christmas, yeah, it won’t be great, for sure, absolutely and rightly so there would be a lot of scrutiny around me.”
Postecoglou insists there has been progress in his first 50 Premier League games in charge after inheriting a squad in need of a major rebuild. His side has produced some scintillating football at times this season in wins against the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa and beat Manchester City to reach the quarterfinal of the League Cup.
But there have been too many slip-ups such as losses to Ipswich and Crystal Palace and critics say he is reluctant to bend on his attacking principles.
“I think I said I am steadfast and I am clear on some really strong principles that I just won’t budge on. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel at times I need to adapt in the way I deliver things,” he said.
Asked for his assessment on his half century, Postecoglou said: “Where did I think we’d be after 50 games? God knows. Could have been a whole lot worse now, but when you look at it in the current prism of 10th, you kind of go, doesn’t look good. I understand that, and we have to improve that.
“But over the 50 games, I think there’s enough there that shows where we are progressing as a team, and we are developing into the team we want. The key is the next 50 games, if they can be better than the first 50, firstly that means I’m still here. But secondly, I think we’ll be in a good space.”
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