Ange Postecoglou speaks out on cupping ear to Spurs fans during Chelsea defeat

Ange Postecoglou denies goading Spurs supporters in the defeat to Chelsea (beIN Sports) Ange Postecoglou insists he was not goading Tottenham fans by cupping his ear during their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday evening. Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea in front in the 50th minute with a header from Cole Palmer’s cross, while Spurs had struggled to create clear-cut chances and required a fine save in the first half from Guglielmo Vicario to deny Jadon Sancho a goal for the hosts. Spurs fans then booed Postecoglou and chanted, ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’, for his double substitution in the 64th minute as Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert were replaced by Pape Matar Sarr and Brennan Johnson. Postecoglou then thought his side had scored an equaliser as Sarr struck a long-range effort past Robert Sanchez. During the celebrations, the Spurs boss was seen turning to the away section at Stamford Bridge and cupping his ear before the goal was ruled out by VAR for Sarr’s foul on Moises Caicedo in the build up. Get personalised updates on Chelsea every day Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. ‘It’s amazing how things get misinterpreted,’ Postecoglou said when asked about the incident. Ange Postecoglou cupped his ear to Spurs fans before their goal was ruled out (Premier League Productions) I just wanted to hear them [Spurs fans] cheer. We just scored a goal, I wanted to hear how loud they could be. ‘I don’t care what people… it’s not the first time my substitutions got booed. ‘We scored a cracking goal, I wanted them to get excited, and that’s what I was listening for. So if people want to read anything else into it.’ Ange Postecoglou says his gesture to Spurs fans was ‘misinterpreted’ (Peacock) In his post-match press conference, Postecoglou added: ‘Jesus, mate. It’s incredible how things get interpreted. We’d just scored, I just wanted to hear them [Spurs fans] cheer because we’d been through a tough time, and I thought it was a cracking goal. ‘I wanted them to get really excited. I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was on our [side].’ Spurs have now lost 16 Premier League games under Ange Postecoglou this season (Shutterstock) Asked about the boos towards his substitutions, Postecoglou said: ‘It doesn’t bother me, it’s not the first time they’ve booed my substitutions or my decisions, that’s fine, they’re allowed to do that. ‘But we’d just scored a goal, just scored an equaliser, I was just hoping we could get some excitement. If people want to read into that that somehow I’m trying to make a point about something, like I said, we’d been through a tough time, but I just felt there was a bit of a momentum shift there. ‘If they get really behind the lads, I thought we had the momentum to finish on top of them.’ Speaking after Spurs’ 16th defeat in the Premier League this season, Jamie Redknapp said of Postecoglou’s situation: ‘There’s a disconnect between the two at the moment. It’s not ideal for the manager. ‘He’s got some big games ahead. He’s got to keep his head up, got to keep going, working hard and believing in what they do.’ The loss at Stamford Bridge has left Spurs 14th in the Premier League with 34 points in 30 matches and without a win in four games. Spurs host Southampton in the next Premier League fixture on Sunday. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Apr 3, 2025 - 23:49
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Ange Postecoglou speaks out on cupping ear to Spurs fans during Chelsea defeat
Ange Postecoglou denies goading Spurs supporters in the defeat to Chelsea (beIN Sports)

Ange Postecoglou insists he was not goading Tottenham fans by cupping his ear during their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday evening.

Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea in front in the 50th minute with a header from Cole Palmer’s cross, while Spurs had struggled to create clear-cut chances and required a fine save in the first half from Guglielmo Vicario to deny Jadon Sancho a goal for the hosts.

Spurs fans then booed Postecoglou and chanted, ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’, for his double substitution in the 64th minute as Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert were replaced by Pape Matar Sarr and Brennan Johnson.

Postecoglou then thought his side had scored an equaliser as Sarr struck a long-range effort past Robert Sanchez.

During the celebrations, the Spurs boss was seen turning to the away section at Stamford Bridge and cupping his ear before the goal was ruled out by VAR for Sarr’s foul on Moises Caicedo in the build up.

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‘It’s amazing how things get misinterpreted,’ Postecoglou said when asked about the incident.

Ange Postecoglou cupped his ear to Spurs fans before their goal was ruled out (Premier League Productions)

I just wanted to hear them [Spurs fans] cheer. We just scored a goal, I wanted to hear how loud they could be.

‘I don’t care what people… it’s not the first time my substitutions got booed.

‘We scored a cracking goal, I wanted them to get excited, and that’s what I was listening for. So if people want to read anything else into it.’

Ange Postecoglou says his gesture to Spurs fans was ‘misinterpreted’ (Peacock)

In his post-match press conference, Postecoglou added: ‘Jesus, mate. It’s incredible how things get interpreted. We’d just scored, I just wanted to hear them [Spurs fans] cheer because we’d been through a tough time, and I thought it was a cracking goal.

‘I wanted them to get really excited. I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was on our [side].’

EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists (outside the EU), club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images (+15 in extra time). No use to emulate moving images. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications/services. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Paul Phelan/ProSports/Shutterstock (15236827at) Tottenham Hotspur Manager Ange Postecoglou is dejected during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge, London Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League - 03 Apr 2025
Spurs have now lost 16 Premier League games under Ange Postecoglou this season (Shutterstock)

Asked about the boos towards his substitutions, Postecoglou said: ‘It doesn’t bother me, it’s not the first time they’ve booed my substitutions or my decisions, that’s fine, they’re allowed to do that.

‘But we’d just scored a goal, just scored an equaliser, I was just hoping we could get some excitement. If people want to read into that that somehow I’m trying to make a point about something, like I said, we’d been through a tough time, but I just felt there was a bit of a momentum shift there.

‘If they get really behind the lads, I thought we had the momentum to finish on top of them.’

Speaking after Spurs’ 16th defeat in the Premier League this season, Jamie Redknapp said of Postecoglou’s situation: ‘There’s a disconnect between the two at the moment. It’s not ideal for the manager.

‘He’s got some big games ahead. He’s got to keep his head up, got to keep going, working hard and believing in what they do.’

The loss at Stamford Bridge has left Spurs 14th in the Premier League with 34 points in 30 matches and without a win in four games.

Spurs host Southampton in the next Premier League fixture on Sunday.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

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