Fans have picked up on an intriguing post-match habit of Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, especially noticeable when the team suffers a loss. The latest instance came after Spurs’ heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Brighton on Sunday. Despite holding a 2-0 lead at halftime, Tottenham’s collapse leaves them sitting in ninth place in the Premier League after seven matches.
The game began promisingly, with Brennan Johnson continuing his impressive form, scoring to give Spurs an early advantage. James Maddison then doubled the lead with a well-taken strike, giving Tottenham a comfortable cushion heading into the break. However, the second half saw a dramatic turnaround. Just minutes after the restart, Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh pulled one back, injecting hope into the home side. The equalizer came courtesy of Georginio Rutter before veteran striker Danny Welbeck completed the remarkable comeback, sending Spurs home empty-handed.
On the sidelines, Postecoglou appeared visibly stunned as the events unfolded. His team, which had been in control, suddenly crumbled. The manager was quickly ushered to his post-match interview with Sky Sports, and it was here that fans began to notice a recurring pattern in his behavior. Many pointed out that whenever Spurs lose, Postecoglou tends to avoid making eye contact with the reporter.
One fan commented, “In every interview after a loss, Ange never makes eye contact with the reporter and seems visibly rattled by even the simplest of questions.” Another added, “Postecoglou is a fraud. Won’t even look at the reporter. He’s done.” A third fan observed, “You can tell how gutted Postecoglou is by the team’s performance. His head was down the entire time during the interview.”
This behavior has even sparked some light-hearted jokes among fans. “Ange, mate, try looking at the camera or the interviewer, not just your feet,” one person remarked. Another joked, “Let’s play a drinking game: take a shot every time Ange avoids looking at the interviewer after a loss.”
Despite the humor, the collapse was no laughing matter for Spurs. After a dominant first half, the team seemed to lose momentum entirely in the second, and key players like Dominic Solanke were barely involved in the game after the break. Postecoglou was clearly dejected in his post-match interview, calling the defeat his worst since taking over at the club.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Postecoglou didn’t hold back in his assessment: “It’s disappointing, frustrating, and absolutely gutting. This is the worst defeat since I’ve been here. Our second-half performance was unacceptable, nowhere near the standard we should be at. We got carried away with how well we were doing and stopped playing the way we should.”
The Australian manager went on to highlight his frustration with the team’s mentality: “We kind of accepted our fate, and that’s hard for me to understand because that’s not what we’ve been about since I’ve been here. But we paid the price for it today.”
Postecoglou also issued a stark warning about complacency: “The problem is, we were cruising, things were going too smoothly. But football, like life, has a way of tripping you up if you get ahead of yourself.”
Tottenham will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid further slips like this, with their inconsistent form already raising concerns among fans. While Postecoglou’s post-match demeanor might attract attention, it’s the team’s second-half collapse that will be the biggest worry going forward.