Back in late May, it was revealed by the Daily Mail that ITV were ‘set to win the battle to secure Ange Postecoglu as a pundit at EURO 20204’ ahead of the BBC.
It’s understandable why the Spurs head coach is such hot property with his imposing nature and consistently honest and forensic detail of analysis.
The Tottenham Hotspur manager was allocated punditry duties for the match between England v Slovenia on Wednesday (25/6/24) in order to dissect what was ultimately another sluggish performance from the home nation of Postecoglou’s club team.
However, it wasn’t just the Australian’s thoughts on the game that caught the attention of fans and fellow pundits, but instead his sly dig at fierce North London rivals, Arsenal, who became topic of conversation following a discussion over Gunner’s target, Benjamin Sesko.
Ange Postecoglou’s Arsenal dig will be appreciated by Spurs fans
The Standard published back in late May that Arsenal had set their sights on Benjamin Sesko stating that the forward was ‘being chased by Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United as well as other top clubs’.
Arsenal appeared the favourite to land the forward fourteen goals in his debut season in Germany, however, Sesko weeks later penned a new five-year deal at Leipzig which reportedly omitted his original ‘£55m release clause’ according to the BBC.
Postecoglou praised the striker after his nation’s 0-0 draw with favourites England claiming he’s a striker with ‘some development in him’ but admitting he has ‘really good attributes for a striker’, going on to conclude that ‘it’s a smart move for him to stay there [Leipzig] another year’. (Daily Mail)
ITV’s host of the show, Mark Pougatch, picked up on the link cheekily questioning ‘is that the Tottenham manager saying it’s a smart move not to go to Arsenal?’
The Spurs manager swiftly smiled whilst stating ‘no comment’, causing understandable chuckles amongst the rest of the panel which featured Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Arsenal legend, Ian Wright.
Having a go at North London rivals Arsenal is a quick way to earn a lot of respect and support from any Spurs fan, therefore, many will be happy to see their manager perhaps having a little jab at the Gunners and seemingly adopting the Tottenham attitude.
It’s particularly welcome of course due to the controversy that Postecoglou’s comments caused among some fans around the North London derby and soon after the Manchester City game which held bearing upon whether Tottenham arch enemies would lift the title.
Despite Ange Postecoglou’s pointed remark about Arsenal’s transfer target, Benjamin Sesko, the Gunners remain a formidable force in English football. Their potential to dethrone Manchester City next season is undeniable.
Arsenal’s strength lies not just in their tactical prowess but in their resilience and the strategic acquisitions they’ve been making. With a well-rounded squad and a visionary manager at the helm, Arsenal has the ingredients to challenge and potentially surpass Manchester City for the Premier League title.
The team’s recent performances and ongoing improvements signal a bright future, suggesting that they are well-equipped to compete at the highest level and clinch the coveted title.
