Ange Postecoglou believes the ‘Spursy’ tag linked to Tottenham’s failure to win silverware should not affect his players.
It has been over 15 years since Spurs last won a trophy, defeating Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup under the guidance of Juande Ramos. There have been near misses for the Lilywhites during this time, with defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool in the League Cup and Champions League finals prominent memories.
With his side winless in their last five games, and the club left in only two competitions to try and end their drought, Postecoglou reiterated this is the start of a new era at the club and that the mindset needed to change.
“I said from day one, change means change. Changing everything. If it means changing mindset because people are carrying scars from the past, let’s get rid of them.
“You can’t just wish upon things. Things have to happen. You have to change the course of what you’re doing. That’s what I’ve embarked on.
“I’m at pains to say it, and it sounds repetitive, but we’re just at the beginning. For my mind, what we need to look like, we’ve got a long way to go.
“In the short term we’ve still got to provide reward for our supporters and make sure as a football club we’re in the position we need to be.
The north Londoners have lost four of their five games having led in all five, and the ‘Spursy’ tag, which has been thrown around in recent years. It is defined as when Spurs shoot themselves in the foot or endure a wretched run of bad luck. This definition sums up the predicament Postecoglou and his team find themselves in.
The 57-year-old believes although the historical implications of the tag bare weight, the influx of new players should eradicate any remaining scars.
“It shouldn’t weigh the new players down because they have no history,” the Australian said. “Whether it weighs the ones that have been here, that’s something that is hard for me to gauge.
“But it’s not something I reflect or talk about from a historical perspective. All you can do is chart your way forward.
“If you want to change perceptions, there is only one way to do it.
