I’m not a clown – Angry Ange Postecoglou fires back at critics ahead of final

Ange Postecoglou told his critics he was not a “clown” as he revealed his desire to remain Tottenham boss whatever happened in Wednesday’s Europa League final.

Speculation over Postecoglou’s future has been rife throughout Spurs’ run to Bilbao, with make-or-break ties against AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt navigated.

Spurs’ domestic struggles mean the Australian has presided over the club’s worst ever Premier League campaign with a record tally of 21 defeats, but he also stands on the brink of the holy grail – eagerly-awaited silverware.

The embattled head coach conducted a fiery press conference at San Mames ahead of the showdown with Manchester United.

Asked about the fine line between “infamy” and “legendary status”, Postecoglou, referencing a newspaper article which said he was “teetering between hero and clown” depending on the outcome against United, snapped: “I’ll tell you one thing, irrespective of what happens tomorrow, I’m not a clown and I never will be.

“I’m really disappointed that you would use such terminology about a person who for 26 years without any favours from anyone has worked his way to a position where he’s leading out a club in a European major competition (final).”

With Tottenham down in 17th in the Premier League, Postecoglou admitted last month the “general sentiment” was he would leave, even if he ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought, but he felt his work in north London was far from finished.

“I don’t think my job is done here,” Postecoglou said.

“I really feel like we are building something and what a trophy does is hopefully accelerate that. So I still think there is work to be done.

“It is quite obvious with the challenges we’ve had this year, which I think are well