Ange Postecoglou has revealed that he has "a fair Christmas list for Santa" after a challenging start to the season at Tottenham. Looking to build on finishing fifth last campaign, Spurs are currently 11th in the Premier League table after 17 games due to their incredibly mixed form.
A host of injuries to key players has been a key reason for their struggles so far in 2024/25, with automatic picks such as Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven all currently in the treatment room. Now approaching the January transfer window, Spurs will be able to add to their numbers and bring in some much-needed additions to bolster their depleted squad.
One player who has been linked with a move to Tottenham recently is Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey. Since departing Everton in the summer to secure a move to the Europa League holders, the versatile defender has been unable to force his way into the team and has been limited to only five appearances across all competitions.
Although football.london understands the Atalanta defender is not a current target for the club, the player's name was put to Postecoglou with the January transfer window edging ever closer.
"We are starting naming players are we? Let's wait until after Christmas for that," he replied. "We'll just see, mate. I'm kind of hoping I've been really good this year because I've got a fair Christmas list for Santa so I will see what I get."
When the Australian was then reminded that he had quoted Monty Python and said "I'm just a naughty little boy" in his previous press conference, he joked: "Well, that's true, that's a shame - I might not get anything."
January is always a tricky time to add to a playing squad with limited players on the market and some only available for big money. Asked how realistic it is that there are players available in January to improve the team and also improve the depth of the squad, the Australian revealed that the new format for UEFA's club competitions could possibly complicate matters this time around.
“I think there's two different questions. I think improving the team may be a bit challenging, but improving the depth of our squad, I think there's always possibilities out there," revealed the former Celtic boss.
"I think it's a bit more challenging this January because of the way European football is set up. Because sometimes in January you would find maybe a couple of clubs out of Champions League contention that were thinking, well, you know what, we're not in the Champions League, so maybe just release a couple from our roster.
"So that doesn't exist now because all European competitions are kind of still in the balance. So that probably adds another layer of difficulty to it. But we'll endeavour because I think there's definitely a need for us to reinforce. We'll just see how successful we are in that."
One thing that Postecoglou will have on his Christmas wishlist is some luck on the injury front in 2025. With a large number of players still in the treatment room right now, the head coach has admitted that Ben Davies is back in training and will likely be in a position to return to the team over the festive period.
"Yeah, he’s training," he revealed. "Will train today [Christmas Eve] and just can’t risk anymore injuries so my gut tells me that’s only two sessions with the team before Boxing Day, so probably wiser to save him for the weekend. But the plan is to have him training and potentially be available."
Before Spurs make the trip to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, Postecoglou will initially be on his own on Christmas Day with his family currently in Australia so they can spend the festive season with family.
"All these things are balanced out," said the 59-year-old. "It's a sacrifice in terms of I think Christmas is an important time of the year, I really do. From my childhood I have cherished memories of spending Christmas with the family. But we have also made a decision as a family to go down this route.
"You take the benefits of that in me being to do something I am really passionate about. When that happens sometimes you have to sacrifice some things, especially for family members. I'm sure my wife and kids would prefer to be with me as well - I hope so anyway. It's the sacrifices you make. All families make sacrifices, ours is no exception."
He added: "We have pushed training back until late evening because I think it is important for the players to have the day with their families, and the staff. I will have a quiet morning and speak to my family - and just get on with my day."
Tottenham will be determined to get back to winning ways on Boxing Day after falling to a 6-3 defeat against Liverpool on Sunday evening. A game full of ups and downs, it was a defeat that weighed heavily on Postecoglou.
“I am responsible for it. I am the one that's kind of choosing the path we're on," he said. "It's difficult. I don't like seeing our supporters having to experience a game like that. I don't like the players giving everything and feeling the way they do. And all the staff, because everyone works hard and they're all doing a great job.
"But ultimately, a day like the weekend, everyone kind of leaves fairly deflated and disappointed and unfairly judged in my opinion. That's my responsibility. Of course it weighs on me very heavily. But as I keep saying, my biggest responsibility is to try and change the course of this club and bring success to it. And as much as I take it pretty hard, I still feel like my role is to make sure that we stay the course."
Postecoglou is the latest head coach tasked with bringing the good times back to Tottenham. The Boxing Day game at the City Ground will see Nuno Espirito Santo come up against his former club for only the second time since his Tottenham Hotspur Stadium departure in November 2021.
Espirito Santo is now doing a fine job with Nottingham Forest, who go into the latest round of Premier League games occupying the final Champions League place. Just like Postecoglou, Espirito Santo also came in for criticism during his time in N17 but the current Spurs boss believes that it all stems from people looking for perfection.
"I think that’s the case but that’s OK… in today’s world we search for perfection and it doesn’t exist. Whatever road you go down there’s going to be some pain and some challenges," outlined the ex-Australia boss.
"People say I should be more defensive minded in my approach so that means I need to temper my attacking approach, make it more defensive to achieve what? Achieve perfection. And if you’re too defensive, people say you should be a little bit more attacking, for what purpose? To be perfect. None of that exists.
"Some people will always just look at it in the black and white terms of just results and you can’t change that opinion. If I’m winning then I’m great. My system is great, my beliefs are great, my philosophy is great and if I’m losing everything isn’t. In these kinds of things I tend to sit in the grey area of saying let’s just see and maybe it will end up being something nice if we let it grow."
Tottenham's mixed form in the Premier League leaves them in 11th position on Christmas Day. However, the table is so tight at present that they are only five points away from Bournemouth in fifth.
A season that has seen Man City drop down to seventh after a dreadful run of form and Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth move ahead of them in the process, Postecoglou feels it could be an "unusual year".
"It’s an unusual year and I think it will stay an unusual year," explained the Spurs boss. "Liverpool are in a great moment but everyone else is having challenges Maybe Chelsea is still OK squad wise, with injuries.
"In a very competitive league it doesn’t take much for a team to be disrupted in terms of their form because you look from second or third to 16th and in any given week anyone can win. The spread of points is not what you would expect at this time of year so it’s going to be a tight league all year and any team who gets some consistency and keeps their players healthy can make a real impact. Conversely if going through a tough time you will find yourself in a tougher position than another year."
Tottenham are certainly not cut adrift of the teams challenging for the top four and there will be an opportunity for the side to climb the table in the weeks ahead.
"Yeah I certainly believe that but you need to stay in touch in the meantime," added Postecoglou. "I always felt after the [Manchester] City game this is the toughest period we would come up against in terms of the number of games and the squad we had. We’ve still got at least a couple of games to go in that period and we’ve just got to hang on."
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