Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham’s current manager, has responded to criticism from former club captain Hugo Lloris. Lloris criticized Tottenham’s attitude towards the 2019 Champions League final loss in his new book. Lloris said that the club was content with being second best. He mentioned that club chairman Daniel Levy had given the players watches engraved with “Champions League Finalist” before they played Liverpool. Lloris felt this was a sign that the club wasn’t fully focused on winning. He believed that if they had won the final, the watches would not have been engraved with “Finalist,” but with “Winner” instead.
Postecoglou, who became Tottenham’s manager in 2023, defended the club’s actions during that time. He said he hadn’t read Lloris’s comments, but he thought the period Lloris referred to should be viewed positively. Postecoglou pointed out that Tottenham had come close to winning both the Premier League and the Champions League. He acknowledged that finishing second was disappointing, but he believed that many things had gone right for the club during that period. He also said it’s easy to focus on the negatives, but it’s important to see the bigger picture. He emphasized that he has never let others dictate his ambitions and that his focus is always on achieving the best possible results.
In Lloris’s book, titled *Earning My Spurs*, he detailed the events leading up to the 2019 Champions League final. He described how, just days before the match, Daniel Levy had called the players together to announce they would receive luxury watches as gifts. When the players opened the boxes, they found that the watches were engraved with “Champions League Finalist 2019.” Lloris was shocked by this and felt that the engraving showed the club’s lack of belief in winning. He said he never wore the watch, as it symbolized the defeat. He would have preferred the watch to have no engraving at all.
Lloris also recalled how, after the final, he didn’t feel the club or some players were upset enough about the loss. He would have liked to hear more encouragement and a commitment to come back stronger. Instead, he felt that some people in the club weren’t as despondent as he was. He compared Tottenham’s reaction to the loss to that of Real Madrid, suggesting that they would never have celebrated a defeat in the same way.
In other news, Tottenham is reportedly interested in signing Rayo Vallecano right-back Andrei Ratiu. This comes amid speculation that Pedro Porro could leave the club for Real Madrid. Tottenham may sign Ratiu even if Porro stays, as they admire the La Liga player. Tottenham’s efforts to sign AC Milan midfielder in January may also face a setback, as Milan is taking action regarding the interest in their player.
Overall, there are ongoing discussions at Tottenham about transfers and the club’s future direction. The club has shown interest in strengthening its squad, with key players being linked to moves away and new faces possibly arriving soon.
