Tottenham cult hero insists Ange Postecoglou can end Spurs hoodoo

Tottenham is mired in a horror 16-year trophy drought and a Spurs great has made a huge call about the club’s Aussie manager.

Tottenham legend Gus Poyet believes Australian Ange Postecoglou can win the Carabao Cup and end Spurs’ miserable trophyless run.

The North Londoners haven’t won any silverware since 2008, when they lifted the League Cup after beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final.

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Postecoglou’s side didn’t convince that this streak will be coming to an end this season after a poor showing at Coventry in the Carabao Cup, snatching a late 2-1 victory on Thursday (AEST).

The Aussie tactician issued a defiant statement last week, however, when he insisted he “always” wins silverware in his second year in charge of any team.

Poyet loved the Tottenham manager’s confidence after years of predecessors compromising for a top-four spot and believes his former club finally has a winner in the dugout.

Ange Postecoglou looks on during the Carabao Cup win over Coventry City. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The Chelsea legend had a blunt reply to SunSport on behalf of William Hill when asked if Postecoglou can win the Carabao Cup: “Yes. I think it is the first time in many, many years that we’ve seen a coach saying, ‘I’m gonna win something’.

“Before that it was always qualifying for the Champions League. So why not?

“I mean, about the performances or about how the team plays, it’s difficult to make an opinion.

“You know, the coaches, we’re looking for a different thing but at the end of the day you have to win football games.

“Your identity is very important because that way you have consistency.

“But in cup games, you need to win. I mean, I don’t remember anyone saying, ‘Yeah, we won the cup but we really played bad’.

Brennan Johnson (right) scores for Spurs against Coventry. (Photo by Darren Staples/AFP)

Spurs great Gus Poyet (left) is backing the Aussie for success. (Photo: Tom Hevezi/PA)

“So nobody will remember how they played at Coventry if they win the Carabao Cup.

“So it’s a matter of getting through and winning the final. I don’t remember anyone complaining about winning in a final playing badly.”

Poyet, though, understands it won’t be easy for Tottenham to surpass other cup favourites, such as Manchester City, Liverpool and London rivals Arsenal.

The ex-Brighton boss believes Spurs could do with a bit of luck in the draw but also says Postecoglou will have to find consistency to finally end those 16 years of hurt following a poor start in the Premier League.

Manchester United lifted last season’s Carabao Cup. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Uruguayan Poyet said: “There’s two different situations in here. One is the draw. You need to be lucky. The other situation, I think it’s always more or less the same.

“I don’t think there’s too much difference to Spurs from this year and last year, (Dominic) Solanke maybe, the striker. You need to start scoring.

“I think the situation now with Spurs is more about consistency.

“Everybody wants consistency, one that will help win football games constantly, every weekend, big derbies, all those situations.”

Poyet maintains strong belief in Postecoglou and advised Tottenham chiefs to back him.

But the ex-Sunderland boss also urged the players to step up for the 59-year-old head coach.

Poyet added: “I’m always in the situation of, let’s wait, give the coach a chance and let’s wait. And then the players, they need to do their jobs.

Skipper Son Heung-Min (right) will be crucial to Spurs’ trophy hopes. (Photo by Darren Staples/AFP)

“(Managers) are part of the staff to try to help the players to go and win for them. But the ones that play are the players.

“I believed in this when I was a player. I needed to play. I needed to perform. I needed to read the game. I needed to take the decisions. I needed to do the right thing.

“If I got one chance I needed to score that one. Not next week. So I really believed that when I was a player and I didn’t change.

“Now I’m a coach. Now, the more we help them, the more we clarify things or convene things, the team plays better and wins football games.

“So I think now every single Spurs player knows clearly his role. So now they need to do it.”

Four matches into the new Premier League season, Tottenham are down in 13th place after one win, a draw and two defeats to date.

Spurs will know their fourth-round Carabao Cup opponent after next week’s slate of games, while they will also contest this year’s FA Cup and the Europa league in pursuit of silverware.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Tottenham cult hero insists Ange Postecoglou can end Spurs hoodoo