‘We are behind the manager 100%’: Spurs star backs Ange ahead of crunch European clash

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has received a huge show of support from one of his star’s with James Maddison saying the Spurs squad is “100%” behind their Australian manager.

Speaking ahead of Friday morning Australian time’s first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt at home, the midfielder accepted that Tottenham’s 16th placed standing in the Premier League is “unacceptable” but suggested that the media scrutiny on Postecoglou is “not healthy”.

Spurs have won gone 17 years without winning a trophy and the prevailing belief has been that Postecoglou will be shown the door if the European campaign ends, and it ultimately becomes another fruitless season for the club.

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But Maddison argued that the focus should be on the opportunity ahead the playing group, and said that they are fully invested in bringing silverware home from Europe to north London for the first time since 1984.

“We are behind the manager 100%,” Maddison said. “I think he’s a great man. We have had a poor season, especially in the league. We’ve been very good in Europe, but the league season has been unacceptable.

“He’s my manager, he’s my gaffer and I respect him an awful amount. The narrative [of Postecoglou’s job being under threat] is something we players are trying to keep away from because it’s not healthy.

“I just know that I come into work every day and see the lads listening and taking on the messages on how he wants us to play and doing the best for this club and we are in a real good position in Europe, where we can still have a special season under his management.

“I will continue to do that until the day he isn’t here.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 30: James Maddison, of Tottenham Hotspur, reacts during a press conference ahead of their UEFA Europe League 2024/25 semi final first/second leg match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Tottenham are set to be without captain Son Heung-min in their first leg as the Korean star has been sidelined for the last three matches.

But Postecoglou has suggested that their on-field leader will be back for the trip north of the Arctic Circle to play on artificial turf.

Injuries have plagued Spurs all season long and Maddison insisted that they will not be distracted as they focus on trying to reach the club’s first European final since they lost the 2019 Champions League decider to Liverpool.

“It’s huge,” the England midfielder added.

“When you get to the end of your career and you look back, there’s not many times a player has been in European semi-finals. Maybe once or twice if you are lucky.

“We need to use that. We are in the final four in a massive competition in Europe and use that to have a great tie on Thursday and in Bodø as well.

“We’ve got a real special opportunity. There’s obviously been a lot of talk about form and being a poor season, but we have the opportunity to do something very special.

“We’ve earned it and we deserve to be here. It is a challenge we are going to relish.”

In his press conference, Postecoglou expressed a similar belief to his attacking midfielder that the opportunity in front of Spurs must be firmly grasped with both hands.

The Australian has famously won trophies with Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos, the Socceroos, Brisbane Roar and South Melbourne, meaning he is well-versed in how to handle crunch games, but despite his abundance of silverware, Postecoglou is well aware that you never know when the next chance will come.

“I just think, irrespective of what kind of season you have, how often will you be in this position?” he said.

“History tells you not that often, irrespective of how strong you are as a club, even the strongest clubs in terms of Europe.

“So any thought of what’s going to happen next year or what’s happened this year, I just don’t think is really of any importance.”

Tottenham's head coach Ange Postecoglou smiles during a press conference in London, England, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, ahead of Thursday's Europa League semifinal soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Bodo Glimt. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Source: AP

Postecoglou believes that Tottenham’s European campaign has been underappreciated because of their horror domestic season that hit a new low with a club record equalling 19th Premier League loss suffered at Anfield earlier this week.

He also showed respect for their opponents, who hail from a town of little more than 40,000 people in northern Norway, and have punched above their weight to become the first team from the Scandinavian country to reach the final four of a European competition.

“Irrespective of how this season’s gone, we have generations of fans who want this more than anything else, to share again with the people that they love, a special moment, supporting their football club,” Postecoglou said.

“This season could have gone a lot differently and we could be flying in the league, but it wouldn’t make this opportunity any different.

“The opportunity is the same. I’ve made that clear to the players.”

“You say we’re a big club, they’re a small club,” he added. “It doesn’t matter. We’re two clubs in the semi-final of a European competition and they’ve earned the right to be there.

“They’ve done very well to get there and we’re going to treat them with the respect they deserve.”

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