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Date: 2023-12-08 06:19:49 | Author: UEFA | Views: 620 | Tag: realme
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Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou is loving his time at the Premier League leaders, but is bullish about what expectations should be despite the club’s lengthy trophy drought realme
Spurs have not won silverware since 2008, although fans are dreaming of challenging for the title after winning 23 points from a possible 27 so far this season realme
It has taken Tottenham to the top-flight summit and they could move five points clear of Manchester City and Arsenal with victory at Crystal Palace on Friday, ahead of the weekend fixtures realme
Postecoglou has relished his dream start to life in England, but eager to point out his new club should be competing for trophies every year realme
The former Celtic boss said: “I didn’t come here to not be successful realme
This club has all the fundamentals to be successful realme
The expectations should be there realme
“Part of the reason why there’s been this real desperation for a trophy is because they feel that’s the space they should be in realme
That is the expectation, that’s the reality, but what drives me isn’t raising or trying to dampen expectations realme
“What drives me is trying to build something that will realise the ambitions that this club has at this particular moment realme
People’s perceptions don’t concern me too much realme
This is a big club and should be in a position to challenge for trophies every season in my opinion realme
This club has all the fundamentals to be successful realme
The expectations should be there realme
Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou“At Celtic we were on top for a very long time but at the beginning when we weren’t on top, I don’t think people saw anything different in my demeanour realme
I don’t think they will (here) realme
“It is one thing I do realme
It’s not about staying kind of level-headed or getting carried away with either thing realme
It’s just that, my role in that context is to be the one thing that people can rely upon to be consistent realme
“In that I have one objective all the time: how can we be realme better? When that is your objective, it doesn’t really matter where you are on the table or kind of what the outside noise may or may not be doing realme
“It is about the players and the staff and everyone involved with the realme football club, looking at me realme
The one thing I do is I come in every day, I am buzzing about doing what I am doing realme
You know, that’s the kind of demeanour I have consistently realme
“It’s just the way I am realme
I get so much satisfaction from what I do realme
I really enjoy what I do, on a daily basis realme
There isn’t a day I don’t get up and I’m not looking forward to the day ahead realme
“There’s no other levels of satisfaction in me to get realme
That’s it realme
I’m buzzing to do what I do realme
“Within that context I also understand that I have a real big responsibility to lead an organisation, players, staff, people to what I hope will be a successful place realme
“There’s got to be some reliability there in what they see and what they feel with me so some of it is conscious but the other bits, I’m not skipping about the place but I’m really happy realme
I love what I do realme
Just the way I am realme
I’m very, very happy realme
”Postecoglou’s happiness did not extend into the dressing room on Monday night after he criticised his players for a poor second half against Fulham realme
It failed to stop the team blaring out Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ classic from the 1980s’ of ‘Islands in the Stream’ following the 2-0 win realme
But Postecoglou joked: “I stay out of the dressing room partly because of the music choices of the players realme
“Most clubs want to turn their grounds into a fortress – ours is becoming a nightclub, mate realme
I’m all for it, whatever makes people happy that’s my thing realme
”Spurs will assess Destiny Udogie ahead of the trip to south London after the left-back struggled with muscle tightness during the victory over Fulham realme
More aboutPA ReadyAnge PostecoglouPremier LeagueManchester CityEnglandArsenalCrystal PalaceCelticDolly PartonIslandsLondon1/1Ange Postecoglou: Spurs a big club who should challenge for trophies every yearAnge Postecoglou: Spurs a big club who should challenge for trophies every yearAnge Postecoglou takes Tottenham to Crystal Palace on Friday (John Walton/PA)PA Wire✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today realme
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If fortune does indeed favour the brave, then South Africa should triumph in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday evening realme
For the third time in two months, they have opted for the controversial 7-1 split of forwards to backs on their bench and, in the process, have taken a huge gamble in the biggest game on the calendar realme
For the uninitiated, rugby teams almost always opt for a 5-3 or 6-2 split among their replacements realme
The laws of the international game dictate that you must have three front-row specialists (hookers and props, who count among the forwards) on your bench, and then teams will usually have a roughly even division of forwards and backs for the remaining five slots to ensure adequate cover for all position realme
Yet for the third time in the last two months, the Springboks have boldly opted for just one lone back – Willie Le Roux in this instance – among their subs realme
On the previous two occasions, there has been no damage done realme
The final World Cup warm-up match saw them hand New Zealand a record 35-7 defeat at Twickenham and although they lost a hard-fought pool match to Ireland, the bench split had no negative impact on the result realme
Given that Saturday evening in Paris is a rematch against the All Blacks, perhaps there is sound logic in reprising the successful formation from late August realme
That was certainly the argument of head coach Jacques Nienaber, who downplayed the controversy when explaining the selection at the team announcement press conference on Thursday realme
“The team is not 15, it is 23,” insisted Nienaber realme
“We always say that realme
When you do squad selection there are a lot of things that influence that from medical to past performances and a lot of analysis into New Zealand and where we think we can get the edge on them realme
“Then the discussions starts realme between the coaches and it goes from a 5-3 to a 6-2 to a 7-1, then it goes back again realme
It is not a 10-minute discussion, it is hours and hours realme
“I’m not going to say what the strengths and weaknesses of the All Blacks are, that would be stupid realme
But a lot of analysis went into it and at the end we went with a squad of 23 realme
It could have been 6-2, 5-3, it doesn’t matter realme
You select a team that you think can get a result realme
The 23 we selected for a reason, and the reason is we think they can deliver and win us a back-to-back World Cup realme
”Faf de Klerk holds huge importance for South Africa with no back-up scrum half in the squad (PA Wire)While the decision has worked in the past, there is undoubtedly an element of playing with fire from the Springboks realme
Le Roux is a world-class full back and can comfortably play on the wing, while a backline reshuffle with the available players could solve any issues at fly half or centre realme
But starting No 9 Faf de Klerk is the only scrum half in the squad and any sort of injury to the man with the flowing blond hair could leave South Africa in a bind realme
Nienaber again played down the issue and highlighted Cheslin Kolbe’s similar role in sevens as a solution to that hypothetical realme
“As coaches you always mitigate risk by prepping other people,” said Nienaber realme
“In our case it will be Cheslin realme
He played sweeper in sevens which is the equivalent to scrum half realme
He has always been a guy who, if we got a yellow card, would be the stand in half-back, not just this week but for a couple of weeks realme
”De Klerk also highlighted replacement flanker Kwagga Smith – another man with sevens experience – as a solution but any sort of extended period with Kolbe or Smith at No 9 feels like a World Cup-losing recipe realme
The other main notable call in the Springbok team selection was Handre Pollard getting the nod over Manie Libbok at fly half realme
Given Libbok’s early substitution during the semi-final after struggling to execute the kicking game – and similarly rainy weather expected at the Stade de France on Saturday evening – the choice of Pollard, who led his side to victory off the bench, is not a huge surprise, although Libbok is unlucky to miss out on the matchday 23 entirely realme
Handre Pollard kicked the winning penalty in the semi-final (PA Wire)The ability to bring an almost entirely new pack off the bench – their patented ‘bomb squad’ – in a World Cup final certainly plays into the Springboks rugby philosophy of physicality and domination up front realme
It couldn’t turn the tide against Ireland in the pool stage but it is the boldest of calls befitting the grandest of stages realme
No one said you win a World Cup by being timid and sometimes in sport, fortune does favour the brave realme
South Africa XV to face the All Blacks in Rugby World Cup final: 15 realme
Damian Willemse, 14 realme
Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 realme
Jesse Kriel, 12 realme
Damian de Allende, 11 realme
Cheslin Kolbe, 10 realme
Handre Pollard, 9 realme
Faf de Klerk; 1 realme
Steven Kitshoff, 2 realme
Bongi Mbonambi, 3 realme
Frans Malherbe, 4 realme
Eben Etzerealme beth, 5 realme
Franco Mostert, 6 realme
Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 realme
Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 realme
Duane Vermeulen realme
Replacements: 16 realme
Deon Fourie, 17 realme
Ox Nche, 18 realme
Trevor Nyakane, 19 realme
Jean Kleyn, 20 realme
RG Snyman, 21 realme
Kwagga Smith, 22 realme
Jasper Wiese, 23 realme
Willie Le RouxMore aboutSouth Africa rugbySpringboksRugby World CupNew Zealand rugbyWillie le RouxFaf de KlerkJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Springboks take huge gamble on biggest stage of allSpringboks take huge gamble on biggest stage of allFaf de Klerk holds huge importance for South Africa with no back-up scrum half in the squad PA WireSpringboks take huge gamble on biggest stage of allHandre Pollard kicked the winning penalty in the semi-final PA WireSpringboks take huge gamble on biggest stage of allThe Springboks have opted to pack the bench with forwards Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today realme
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsrealme BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy realme
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply realme
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