SEETHING Ange Postecoglou was caught up in more scenes of bitter controversy with Tottenham supporters.
Postecoglou became the first Spurs chief to lose his first four league games against Chelsea as Enzo Fernandez headed the only goal at Stamford Bridge.
And away supporters were angry with TWO incidents involving the Aussie.
The first came after Postecoglou surprised Spurs fans by replacing Lucas Bergvall with Pape Matar Sarr midway through the second period.
The away contingent responded by chanting: “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
However, Sarr then fizzed a long-ranger into the back of the net.
And Postecoglou reacted by appearing to cup his ears towards his club’s own fans.
That upset many observers – with the Aussie accused of goading Spurs supporters.
But the goal was then ruled out following a lengthy VAR intervention – which left Postecoglou furious.
Then on the final whistle, it looked like he gestured for his players to go over and applaud the travelling fans – while he himself remained near the halfway line.
Some supporters accused the under-pressure boss of “staying out of the firing line” – after defeat cemented his side’s dismal position of 14th.
Postecoglou denied any animosity over the Sarr encounter – and instead focused on attacking the lengthy delay before it was scrubbed out.
And of his hand-to-ear signal, he insisted he was just trying to gee up Spurs fans.
Postecoglou said: “I want them to be happy – we’ve just scored a cracking goal.
“I wanted them to get really excited. I felt at that time we could potentially go on and win the game.”
And of the VAR hold-up he added: “You are standing around for 12 minutes. It’s just killing the game, but no-one cares about that.
“They just love the drama and controversy and I’m sure there will be 24 hours discussion about it and that’s what everyone wants – they’re not really interested that it’s killing the spectacle of the game.
“If a referee sees that and he needs to see it for six minutes, what’s clear and obvious about it?
“That’s why the game is going the way it is.
“The referee gave it and then needed six minutes [to rule the goal out] for something the VAR official thought was clear and obvious. It’s crazy, mate. It’s madness.”
But supporters still hit back over his antics – with many suggested there was now a “huge disconnect” between fans and manager.
One posted: “I can’t tell if our fan base has broken him or if he has always been this arrogant.
“Goading fans after you’ve lost 15 leagues games and it’s only April is next level insanity.”
Another blasted him for “blaming VAR for coming to the right decision because he is tactically inept and he’s team has lost again”.
And a third wrote: “Ange Postecoglou remained closer to the halfway line after the final whistle, having encouraged the players to go over to the away fans, he kept his distance.
But a few supporters blamed the constant sniping of fellow fans.
One wernt on X to say: “Oh, no Ange cupped his ears bc of this chant?!? Whatever will our childish fan base do????”
Meanwhile, Spurs midfielder James Maddison seemed incredibly sheepish as he claimed fans were right to be so annoyed.
He told Sky Sports: “It’s happened one too many times this season. Our fans are rightly disappointed.
“We’re just trying to find the answers – to why we’ve lost so many tight games this season.
“It’s important we go over and show our appreciation for them, even though we’re not getting a nice reception.
James Maddison
“None of the fans want to hear what we’ve got to say at the minute. We’ve just got to try to be better.”
Asked if he believed supporters were “angry” when he walked over after the match, Maddison replied: “Yeah, and to be fair they’ve got every right to be.
“I think it’s still important that we go over and show our appreciation for them, even though we’re not getting a nice reception.
“That’s why I still walk over there – I think they deserve that. It’s not easy to go over… but they pay their money, they travel all over for us and we’re just as disappointed as they are.”
But with Spurs in the Europa League last eight, he claimed: “It can still be a special season if we lift silverware. We’re two fixtures away from a European final.”
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