Following the 2-1 away win over Ferencvaros in the 2nd round of the UEFA Cup league stage, Tottenham Hotspur manager Postecoglou attended a press conference to give an in-depth review of the game.
Postecoglou began by expressing his joy at his team's winning a European game away from home and paid special tribute to the four youth players in the starting lineup. "Playing against any opponent away from home in Europe is a challenge, especially in this atmosphere where the fans fully support their team and the playing conditions vary. I am pleased that the team was able to meet these challenges and win the game. The young players did a great job and they handled the game well."
Postecoglou has spoken highly of 17-year-old Mikyei Moore's performance in playing the full 90 minutes. "Mikyei did a great job and for a 17-year-old to play the full game in a European away game is fantastic. He handled it well and I know he can do it. This experience will help him grow as a footballer and he still looks strong and is still contributing."
When asked if he was worried that the teenage players wouldn't be able to cope with the situation, Postecoglou said, "I don't just put them on the field. With young players you have to be very careful. They are part of our first team because they have earned the position. We need to help them progress and pick the right time to play them. Archie (Gray) and Lucas (Berival) are only 18 but they have already shown great ability."
Postecoglou also spoke about the phenomenon of footballers seemingly getting younger, which he believes is not a universal phenomenon, but rather individual players excelling. "How many 17-year-olds are playing in the Premier League? Yamal is brilliant, but it's not the norm. Mikai has done it, which shows he has something special, but we have to be careful in developing him."
On what makes Mikaei so special, Postecoglou said, "He handles pressure well and makes smart, clear decisions when in possession of the ball in tight quarters. He stands firm and is bold enough to cut inside or cross with the ball. He has a lot of room to grow, but he's willing to learn and wants to improve, and I'm happy for him."
In addition, Postecoglou praised Brennan Johnson's ability to score goals. "Brennan is in excellent form and he's very confident. He's been fantastic for us, not only making an impact but changing the game for us. He's still a young guy but still working hard and eager to learn."
Speaking about the game against Ferencvaros, Postecoglou said, "I remember from my Celtic days and today, the fans here create an excellent atmosphere. They are hard to beat because the fans are great. Today's game was intense and similar to that time. We talked before the game that the first 20 minutes would be important because the fans were excited and the players were full of energy. We were strong and eventually broke their defense."
Finally, Postecoglou explained the second half substitutions of Archie Gray and Ben Davies. "I felt we started to get the upper hand and come out stronger. Archie has a strong running game and playing him at left back allowed him to get forward more. Ben's defensive ability and left foot means he can move the ball to the left. I was mainly trying to capitalize on Archie's energy and he had a good first half, but I felt that if we had someone on the left side in the second half who could get forward and get back like we did on the right side, we could put them under more pressure."
