POSTECH's Europa League quarter-finals are highly anticipated
Apr 10, 2025
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Tottenham will play Frankfurt in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the afternoon of the 10th (local time). At a press conference a day before the event, he said "It's the quarterfinals of the European tournament. I have high expectations because it's a home game." "If you have reached the quarterfinals of the European Games, you should take advantage of this opportunity."," vowing to win.
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-How is the team's injury? Are you all looking forward to it?
▶After the weekend game, everything is fine. It's a good situation for us because we haven't had many of those situations this year. I'm looking forward to it all. It's the quarterfinals of the European tournament, and moreover, it's a home game, so expectations are growing. I'm really looking forward to it.
-Arsenal fans said last night 'Are you Tottenham?I sang ', how important do you think it is to take off the image of 'Hogu' at this point? Or am I over-interpreting it?
▶Well, maybe you're overdoing it. We are now focusing on what is important to us. It's the big game tomorrow night.
-What do you think of the controversy over the penalty between Brennan Johnson and Matisse Tell?
▶We scored a goal, and we won the game. I was happy. It's really incredible. This is... Literally, if Tottenham do it, they turn gold into poop. Really. If we get a last-minute penalty with a 2-1 win tomorrow night, I want the best kicker to kick. The only accusation against this club is that there is no winning DNA. But the winner's mind at the last minute of the game is to score a goal. We scored a goal. But everything Tottenham does in this parallel universe is interpreted negatively. Even so. From my point of view, I was very happy. Because as I said, if that situation comes again tomorrow night and we can get a penalty and score a decisive third goal, I'm really happy that the players handled the situation well.
-Brennan...
▶It doesn't matter what Brennan did.
-Let's move on to the next question... Do you see Brennan overtaking Wilson O'Dowbert for a spot?
▶In terms of Brennan, part of this strategy is that there have been quite a few players who have returned from long-term injuries. Wilson, Destiny, Mickey van der Ben, Romero, etc. We can keep talking. We had to make sure that these players were able to play. If Brennan had continued to play, players like Wilson and Destiny would have had no real sense by now, and we'd need them.
It wasn't that Brennan left out because he was sluggish, it was to give Wilson some game time. So I'm happy that both of them got the opportunity to compete. I was able to give Mickey and Destiny a break at the weekend, and most of our players are not tired because they are not over-used, but they have had enough time to play, so they are in good shape. This is a very important factor for us.
- Do you think the atmosphere in the stands is also important?
▶ It's very important. That's always the case with European competitions. Whether you watch last night's game or tonight's game, the atmosphere really has a big impact on the team playing at home. It's a big feature of European football. Many teams that succeed in European competitions are based on a strong home atmosphere. We're also looking forward to that atmosphere tomorrow. There were nights like that this season, too. It's like the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool. We need that kind of atmosphere. The support of home fans is really important because there are always tight matches on the European stage.
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▶ I'm not sure how many times this club has reached the quarterfinals of the European tournament. But if you're in that position, of course you shouldn't take that opportunity for granted. You should make the most of it. Tomorrow's game won't be easy. Frankfurt is a good team, and they are doing well in the Bundesliga. Young players and experienced players are well harmonized. It will be a good challenge for us. By the quarterfinals of the European tournament, of course, we're going to face a team of this level. I'm really looking forward to it.
- How should I change my club's mind to create a culture where victory is taken for granted?
▶ It's not enough yet. It's only the quarter-final stage, and we're just on our way to the final round. You have to take one step at a time. The most important thing tomorrow is that we have a good performance at home. It's about showing the football that we wanted to play. I think we are gradually in a state where we can maintain the level of performance that our players want. That's our focus right now.
- Are you happy with the team's appearance since the injured came back? How do you rate how you've looked over the past six to seven weeks?
▶ To be honest, it hasn't been six to seven weeks yet. Anyway, I think it was okay. We had to alternate using multiple players, so the flow was cut off continuously. I've tried to make a squad that is physically and performance-wise at a point like this, letting someone compete, and someone rest.
I think the first half of the game on the weekend was really good. There have been good signs both with and without the ball, and the players are getting stronger where we need them.
- You even put the expression "turn gold into poop" and do you also feel the anger now through this game and season to prove that the team is still fighting and is a quality team?
▶ I have that feeling, but it's not necessarily because of that. Those feelings are not a good motivation. In the end, you can't win a fight like that. This is because even if we do well, we are likely to be evaluated as half-empty cups. That kind of gaze shouldn't be our driving force.
Our players want to bring success to the club, and the principles we set at the start of this journey from the beginning?We want to keep the soccer that we want to do and the teamwork that we have endured through difficult times together. And now I think we're in a position to make an impact on the season through it all. This season has definitely been disappointing, but there's definitely a willingness to take advantage of this opportunity.
You can't win the fight even if you try to convince people. John's article also said that even if we won, I would leave. It's not to blame you, it's the general atmosphere. So if you use that as a motive, you can never win. More importantly for us, we've been through very tough times, but we're still in a position to make an impact, and those opportunities don't come often.
We're in the quarterfinals of the European tournament. I don't know how many times I've had it in club history, but I shouldn't let this opportunity slip away. You shouldn't play with the wrong mindset. I think our players are taking this challenge well. The opponent will be a strong team, but we also have the ability to win.
- You said Wilson wasn't ready for the weekend game, how important is it that all the players on the bench are mentally prepared?
▶ It's really important. The reason I talked about Wilson was because he made a key contribution to winning the penalty at the end. That was a big impact. It's not just Wilson's story, it's for every player. The European tournament continues into the second leg, and the end of both games is very important. Most of those situations are handled by the players who come in as replacements. No one plays the same 11 players from start to finish. So you have to be ready.
At the moment we have good options available on the bench, and we need those players to really impact the game, not just fill the time. Wilson stole the ball from the penalty scene Brennan got. We need all members to be able to give that impact now. Only then can we overcome this challenge (against Frankfurt).
- Chris Davis is making it in Birmingham, how do you see it?
▶ I'm so glad to hear that. I really enjoyed working with Chris. We were together for a very short time last year, but during that short time, he was an important part of the foundation we built. It was a 'zero-base' work to re-organize the football program in a completely different direction, and he was at the center of it. It was his first managerial job, but he did a great job, and not surprisingly, he will do better in the future.
- Staff members change every time you change jobs, what preparations did you make to not lose the consistency Chris brought you?
▶ There were other figures in our team like Welsh, Mace, Mile, Birch, so there was no major confusion. If Chris had been with me for 10 years, it would have been difficult. But I haven't always had such a long team together, so I haven't had a big problem delivering consistent messages. I think he was a really great member last year, and I'm also very happy that he got a new opportunity and did a good job.
- The team and the coach are going through a tough time right now, and with a lot of speculation like John's article, what did this European tournament mean to the coach, did the fact that he could leave something through it keep him going?
▶ I mentioned John's article because it reflects the popular atmosphere. But as I've said before, that doesn't move me. I came to this club with a clear purpose and vision. It was about changing the way the team played, changing the squad at the end of the cycle, and bringing about success.
As long as I'm here, my focus is always there, no matter what the noise is, no matter what happens or may not be. I don't think those are any reason to weaken my hot ambitions or aspirations and my determination to make it happen. Any achievement in life usually comes with hardships. Obviously everything I've achieved in my life, especially from a professional perspective, has been through hardship. This is just another hardship. However, despite these hardships, I have never lost my will to fight for what I believe is right, and I will continue to do so.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
