Tottenham Hotspur ‘playing with fire’ by not signing players in January, says Ange Postecoglou

LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur are “playing with fire” if the North London club do not sign new recruits during the January transfer window, manager Ange Postecoglou said as the injury-hit squad continue to struggle in the English Premier League.

Spurs are a lowly 15th in the standings, closer to the relegation zone than European competition spots after just one win in their last 10 games, which include seven losses before this weekend’s round of fixtures.

The club have the longest injury list in the league, however, with 12 players sidelined, including record-signing Dominic Solanke. The English striker is expected to miss six weeks of action due to a knee injury.

Postecoglou drafted many youngsters into the team to deal with the injury crisis and said he has had daily discussions with the club’s technical director Johan Lange about “trying to get some help for the players” by dipping into the market.

“I’m not out there trying to find opportunities for the club, that’s not my role at this time. There isn’t time to do it,” said Postecoglou at a press conference ahead of his side’s clash with Leicester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Jan 26.

“I don’t think I’m stating anything other than the obvious and, for me, to come here and say something else would be disingenuous. This playing group needs help, there’s no doubt about that. We’re sort of playing with fire by not bringing anyone in, but the flip side of that is the club is trying to change that situation.”

The 59-year-old Australian also praised his players for displaying great mental fortitude in the midst of an injury crisis at the club. He said: “It’s been two months of hard grind for the players, just trying to support them as much as we can. Our schedule is not going to ease up at all.

“The resilience and the determination of the players to get out there and perform is a fantastic thing for me to witness, couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Despite the club’s woeful run of form, Spurs have retained faith in Postecoglou after he guided the team to the semi-finals of the League Cup where they lead Liverpool 1-0 after the first leg. The return leg is at Anfield on Feb 6.

Spurs have also been boosted by Cristian Romero’s return to training, while his centre-back partner Micky van de Ven is also expected to be ready before the second leg.

“Of the long-terms (injuries), they are the only two who have a chance of that week, but we’ve still got 12 days or something,” Postecoglou said.

“Part of that process is to see how they cope with training over the next week or so. Both of them are scheduled around that sort of time to be available.”

Down points adrift of Spurs are Leicester, whose manager Ruud van Nistelrooy insisted he does not fear the sack as he tries to halt a seven-game losing slump that has left the club in the relegation zone.

Van Nistelrooy took four points from his opening two games in charge after replacing Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium at the start of December. However, the honeymoon period quickly ended and the Foxes are second from bottom of the table, two points from safety ahead of their match at Tottenham.

The Dutchman, a former star striker at Manchester United and Real Madrid, said: “I am focused on getting this team out of the situation that we’re in, and that is my only concern. On a daily basis I am with players, I am working with everybody involved at Leicester to get the best out of this squad.

“In difficult times, in tough times, you need to be tough, you need to be strong, you need to be showing character, work, persist and be committed. I feel that we are united and committed as a group. So that is the spirit. You can also see that on the pitch. Okay you lose, but I can see a team with spirit and fight and we continue, and this run will end.”

Leicester have signed only French defender Woyo Coulibaly so far in the current transfer window and van Nistelrooy said there was “no news” on any more additions so far.

Van Nistelrooy, who had a brief spell as Manchester United’s interim manager this season, said Leicester are still looking at ways to improve the squad.

“I believe in these players I have now and we are looking at possibilities to strengthen the squad. It is clear what are the possibilities and what are not and we are still in that process. At this moment there is no news on anything,” he added. REUTERS, AFP