Ange Postecoglou not sure what we did wrong, question FA despite accepting fine
Ange Postecoglou has defended Tottenham following their acceptance of an FA charge for failing to control their players during their recent 4-1 win against West Ham.
The incident, which led to a £20,000 fine, occurred after a heated exchange between West Ham forward Mohamed Kudus and Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven.
The confrontation escalated when Kudus was shown a red card after VAR upgraded an initial yellow for raising his hand to Pape Sarr’s face.
Postecoglou admitted that the reaction from van de Ven and the quick involvement of several Tottenham players wasn’t ideal, but he downplayed the severity of the situation.
He expressed that Kudus was the main instigator, noting that his players had merely reacted to the aggressive actions of the West Ham forward. In Postecoglou’s view, there was little else Tottenham could have done to avoid the altercation, as they were simply defending their teammates who had already been knocked down in the fracas.
The Tottenham manager made it clear that he felt the incident was blown out of proportion, stating that, while it may not have looked great from the outside, there was no malice or excessive aggression from his players.
He emphasized that Kudus was the one who lost his composure, leading to the clash, but overall, the game had been played with a fair amount of restraint from both sides.
Micky van de Ven, who was booked during the altercation, also shared his perspective, describing how he had been provoked by Kudus, who punched him in the face.
Van de Ven acknowledged that he reacted angrily in the heat of the moment, pushing Kudus, but he felt that his actions were justified given the situation. The Dutch defender seemed surprised by the FA’s decision to fine Tottenham, expressing that he believed the incident was not significant enough to warrant such a penalty.
In the aftermath, both clubs were charged by the FA for failing to control their players, with Tottenham choosing to pay the fine without further contesting the decision.
West Ham, on the other hand, were given a deadline to respond to the charges. Despite the fine, Postecoglou remained adamant that Tottenham’s role in the incident was minor and did not deserve additional punishment.
As the dust settled on the confrontation, Tottenham turned their attention to their upcoming Europa League fixture against AZ Alkmaar. Postecoglou confirmed that Son Heung-min would be rested for the match, allowing the South Korean star to recover.
Van de Ven, whose footballing roots are connected to Alkmaar, having briefly played there as a youngster, will be keen to make an impact against his former club. Postecoglou, meanwhile, reflected on the influence of Dutch football, particularly the Total Football philosophy of the 1970s, on his own tactical approach.
He acknowledged that his high defensive line, often a point of discussion, draws inspiration from the radical style of the Netherlands national team from that era.
Overall, Postecoglou’s defense of his team highlights his belief that Tottenham acted reasonably in the circumstances, and while the FA deemed their actions deserving of a fine, the manager is eager to move past the incident and focus on the challenges ahead in both domestic and European competition.
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