Postecoglou responded at length to questions about his team's injury situation, the strategic significance of the tournament and many other queries in a tense pre-match conference on the eve of Tottenham Hotspur's League Cup last-eight clash against Manchester United.
In an injury briefing, Postecoglou revealed that although Udoji is slightly unwell, there is no possibility of him being withdrawn from the game yet and everything will be based on the progress of his recovery. Bissouma is back from suspension and the rest of the team is in good shape. Van der Ven and Romero are making steady progress in their recovery and are expected to return next year. Moore has joined the training ranks, and Ben Davies and Rosaleson are close to returning.
Talking about the impact of the Southampton battle on the team's morale, Postecoglou emphasized that the team's morale was high even before the campaign and that the excellent performance in Sunday's match was the perfect response to last week's challenge. He emphasized the importance of the League Cup last eight tie and said that his team is looking forward to an exciting encounter.
Faced with rumors about Manchester United and Rashford, Postecoglou says it's irrelevant and his focus is on the player and the game. He reiterated his goal of winning a trophy in year two, but did not make a big deal out of it. He believes that reaching the last eight doesn't mean the trophy is in the bag and that the real test will be the final.
Talking about the changes in coaching positions in the Premier League, Postecoglou believes that the coaching position has become more risky and that dismissal is always a possibility. He rates O'Neill and Martin as outstanding young coaches, but unfortunately they have had a challenging start to their careers. He is confident that they will recover from their woes and learn from their mistakes.
At the player level, Postecoglou welcomed the return of Berival and Bissouma as enriching the squad. He praised Foster's performance after Vicario's injury and looked forward to the registration and integration of Leung Min Guek. He cited Gray's excellence at center back and the weight the young player is carrying. Spence shone against Southampton and is expected to do so again the following day.
Postecoglou points out that winning trophies is part of the process of success, but not the only measure of success. His goal is to build a long-term successful team and club. He is looking forward to the meeting with Manchester United coach Amorim and the new challenge. On the question of bringing in Rashford in January, he made it clear that this plan is not on the table.
Postecoglou concluded by saying that the team is going through a tough time, but positive signs show that the young players are growing. He has witnessed their growth and improvement and believes that the team will eventually come to a smoother phase. He is sure that these experiences will help the players to be resilient in the face of any future challenges.
