English Premier League Tottenham Hotspur head coach Postecoglou recently publicly expressed his unwavering support for his team's young attacker Brennan Johnson, while strongly condemning the nettlesome behavior directed at the player on social media. Brennan Johnson was subjected to a great deal of criticism and even insulting comments due to his recent poor performances, and eventually had to shut down his social media accounts.
Postecoglou said angrily in the interview, "We have normalized these things and it is unacceptable. Criticism is part of the game, but making insulting remarks anonymously, that kind of behavior should not be tolerated. If you say these things to your face, you could get your nose punched in the face because that's an unacceptable insult."
He specifically mentioned that Brennan Johnson may be going through a lackadaisical phase at the moment and that things aren't going the way he expected. However, the young player trains hard every day, actively seeks feedback and strives to become the kind of player he expects him to be. Postecoglou emphasized, "Everything he does on the court is right, he works very hard, so all this negative talk is hurting him a lot."
Postecoglou also expressed concern about the modern social media environment, "It's sad that abuse and personal attacks on social media have become the norm. For young people like Brennan, social media is part of their world, but it's unfair that they have to limit their world because of these negative comments."
He called on all sectors of the community to resist such acts of cyber violence and emphasized that everyone has a responsibility to maintain a healthy and positive online environment. Postecoglou said, "I won't accept these insulting remarks anymore, and if someone is abusive to me, they will hear my retort. At the same time, I hope that the young players will stay strong and not be crushed by these negative remarks."
Finally, Postecoglou is confident in Brennan Johnson's future, "He's a good kid and a great soccer player. I believe he still has a lot of potential to explore, and we will see him perform even better in the upcoming games."
