Tottenham Hotspur will face Manchester United in the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup at 4:00 a.m. Beijing time. On the eve of the match, Tottenham Hotspur manager Postecoglou made a deep analysis of the hardships and challenges of the profession of soccer coaching at a press conference.
Postecoglou uses the British Prime Ministerial election as a metaphor to paint a vivid picture of the pressures soccer coaches endure each week, "How many elections does the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have to deal with? And I, as a coach, have to go through an 'election' every weekend and either succeed in getting re-elected or get kicked out and lose my job." He further emphasized that the pressures faced by coaches today go far beyond being fired, and that people often overlook the emotional investment and hard work behind the profession.
Postecoglou lamented, "This job is undoubtedly one of the hardest today. You can talk about politics, but the job of a soccer coach is far more difficult. The transient and ongoing nature of the role makes it very rare for anyone to get out of it in one piece." He also mentioned that coaches may not even be fired outright in the morning, but the phenomenon of fans singing as a silent protest baffles and maddens him.
Postecoglou has criticized the modern soccer culture for its over-criticism and lack of respect for coaches: "Nowadays, the idea of clubs bringing in coaches is long gone. This is because we are well aware that in the event of unrest, they will attack us from all sides. We have lost all respect in society, and those who are still in their positions, even while they are still working, have been labeled as 'stand-ins'. This has gone beyond the boundaries."
Postecoglou also expressed his long-term vision for his career as a soccer coach, "From my personal point of view, I feel that this job is like a trophy that will bring new life to this place. But my goal is much more than that, my goal is not just to win trophies. When you're committed to building a successful, sustainable club that aims to compete for trophies every year, it's about more than just winning games."
Finally, Postecoglou emphasized his belief in "legacy" and lasting impact: "Maybe I'm a little outdated, but I still believe in 'legacy'. I believe I can do something that will have a lasting and impactful effect, contrary to what is happening in the soccer world. I want to bring something really meaningful to Tottenham through my efforts."
