Ange Postecoglou talks to the press after latest Tottenham defeat

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was baffled he had to explain a comment he made about the job of the UK Prime Minister was a joke as the pressure to turn Spurs’ season around rises.

Under-fire Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou on Friday insisted he was joking when he said being a Premier League manager was harder than being Prime Minister.

The 59-year-old Australian told reporters earlier this month that coaches face “an election every weekend and either get voted in or out”, whereas a UK Prime Minister usually faces an election just once every four or five years.

“Can I just say that obviously sarcasm and irony is lost (on people) in this country if people actually believe that I was serious when I said that,” Postecoglou said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game at home to Wolves.

“There are far more difficult jobs than being a football manager or even than being a prime minister of a country.” Spurs’ recent league results have been no laughing matter for fans, with Thursday’s 1-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest following an embarrassing 6-3 loss at home to table-toppers Liverpool.

Ange Postecoglou is under pressure. Picture: Getty Images

Spurs, without a major trophy since 2008, are now a modest 12th in the table but they remain involved in four competitions, with Postecoglou still on course to maintain his record of winning a trophy in his second season at a club.

Postecoglou, asked if he still had the support of Tottenham’s fanbase, replied: “They love their football club, they care about their football club and they want their football club to succeed. They make those feelings and emotions seen.

“I haven’t felt anything but support since I have been here. I still feel that support is there. I will keep doing what I think is the right thing to bring success to this football club, that doesn’t change.” Spurs’ injury crisis, however, worsened after Ben Davies suffered a setback in training to potentially leave Postecoglou without a fit centre-back against Wolves.

Tottenham were already without Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Davies at Forest, where Radu Dragusin was forced off with an ankle problem.

As a result, Spurs finished the game at the City Ground with midfielders Archie Gray and Yves Bissouma in central defence.

“A bit early to tell,” Postecoglou said of Dragusin’s injury. “He obviously tweaked his ankle last night and felt he couldn’t continue. We’ll have to wait and see.” To make matters worse, full-back Djed Spence received a second yellow card on his return to the City Ground to further reduce Postecoglou’s options in defence.

Originally published as Ange Postecoglou talks to the press after latest Tottenham defeat