Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou insists he has moved on from his “boyhood crush” on Liverpool as he targets being a party pooper at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool can clinch the title with a point at home to Spurs, who could equal their tally of most defeats in a Premier League season if they lose for a 19th time in the division this weekend.
Postecoglou’s primary focus is on next week’s Europa League semi-final first leg tie with Bodo/Glimt but the Australian was asked about his previous affinity to the Merseyside club ahead of a potentially pivotal day for Arne Slot‘s team.
“No mate, I’m an almost 60-year-old adult, I’ve gone past my boyhood crushes, so it’s got no impact whatsoever,” Postecoglou said.
“I have great admiration for the football club. Yes, I supported it when I was younger, but that was 50-odd years ago, so we’ve well and truly moved on since then.
“You want to go there and compete against obviously a very good side and compete well.
“And it’s not just about getting through unscathed, you want to get through having played well against the top team. I think irrespective of what’s on the horizon, that’s the primary importance.”
Spurs remain without Son Heung-min due to a foot injury, which means Cristian Romero could be captain again.
Romero made headlines earlier this week with comments in an interview with Argentinian journalists Esteban and Gaston Edul where he revealed he would be open to a future move to LaLiga.
The Spurs centre-back also acknowledged the need to “take one day at a time” and expressed his desire to win the Europa League, which Postecoglou referenced when quizzed on Romero’s future following heightened speculation over his own position in recent months.
Postecoglou: “I haven’t read the report too closely but I mean it’s like me, if you get asked a question, you have got to answer it.
“I am sure there is a lot or if you ask me a lot of questions about my future, you’d probably get some great headlines out of that as well, but it doesn’t change [anything].
“Do you know what’s important right now?
“It is not Cristian Romero’s future or anyone else’s future, it is that we have an unbelievable opportunity to do something special at this football club and for me and everyone involved internally, that is what we’re concentrating on.
“Let’s put our heads down and make sure, because I think for our supporters that is what’s the most important thing to them, right now all they care about is that we’re in the last four of a European competition and we want to do something special.
“That is where our focus is.”
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