Ange Postecoglou has labelled Tottenham’s post-season friendly in Melbourne as a “unique opportunity” but admitted it is unlikely to become a regular occurrence.
Spurs announced earlier this month they would visit Australia after the Premier League season concludes to take on Premier League rivals Newcastle in an exhibition fixture.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground clash on May 22 has been roundly criticised due to player welfare concerns and for a lack of regard for the environment, a matter of weeks after Green Football Weekend.
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Postecoglou defended the merits of the post-season friendly, which will see the 58-year-old return to his home city.
“We leave straight after the last game (at Sheffield United) and we’ll be taking everyone who’s fit,” Postecoglou revealed.
“We thought that with our season being so disrupted and not a lot of games, this was a unique opportunity for us.
“I wouldn’t see this as something that would happen on a regular basis unless we felt the benefits would outweigh the costs.
“On this occasion when we balanced everything up, we felt it was a good opportunity to take the club to the other side of the world and help us continue to grow the football club.”
England boss Gareth Southgate was recently asked about the friendly, which will involve Euro 2024 hopefuls Kieran Trippier, Anthony Gordon and James Maddison, and predicted post-season fixtures will happen more often.
Southgate expressed his hope that none of his players would suffer injuries.
But Postecoglou insisted: “I’m sure Gareth will be a club coach one day and he’ll get a different perspective, as he has been in the past.
“I don’t think Gareth has said anything, or any other national team manager.
“I was a national team manager. I used to sweat over it at the weekend when the players were playing whether that was a normal game, a friendly game, whatever game it is.
“The flip side of that is there were quite a few club coaches on edge with national team duty this week so it’s the world we live in.
“There has to be a balance. We’ve thought it through as a football club and it’s fair to say if we’d been in Europe and had a really big season, we probably would have made a different decision.
“We weighed everything up and felt like there was a real benefit to playing this game.”
Before the trip Down Under, Spurs will aim to get their Champions League qualification hopes back on track at home to Luton on Saturday.
Tottenham are boosted by the return of Micky van de Ven after a recent muscle injury, while Richarlison is fit despite a knee issue preventing him from getting minutes for Brazil this month.
Richarlison has made headlines after opening up about his mental health struggles during an interview with ESPN Brasil this week.
The Brazil forward, who back in September expressed his intention to seek “psychological help”, revealed he was in a state of depression after the 2022 World Cup and “wanted to give up”.
Postecoglou knows Richarlison is not alone in feeling that way as a footballer, adding: “It’s not that uncommon. It’s not, not in my experience.
“They’re human beings, but for the most part it’s always dealt behind closed doors.
“I guess it’s striking because players or managers or people involved in football haven’t come out publicly before.
“But I can assure you…there are problems that players and people involved in our industry deal with. The amount of money you have in the bank balance or your fame doesn’t shield you from that.
“It’s a credit to him. He could have dealt with this privately obviously but I think the public aspect of it, it’s a brave decision for him.
“More importantly it’s hopefully a great conduit for others to reach out and seek help when it’s required.”
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw undergoes successful surgery for broken foot
Manchester City Women's striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw has revealed she underwent surgery for a broken foot sustained during the Women's Super League match against West Ham United. Shaw, who scored twice in the 5-0 victory over West Ham, had to be substituted at half-time after picking up the injury just before the interval.
The confirmation of Shaw's injury and surgery came via Manchester City, with the club announcing that the Jamaican forward suffered the foot injury late in the first half at the Joie Stadium. As a result of this injury, Shaw will miss Manchester City Women's final three matches of the Barclays Women’s Super League season as she begins her recovery process.
Despite the setback, Shaw remains a top contender for the league’s Golden Boot, having scored an impressive 21 goals in just 18 WSL appearances. In March 2024, she also became Manchester City Women's record goal scorer.
Taking to Instagram, Shaw expressed her gratitude for the support and well-wishes received following her surgery:
"Gutted to know I suffered a broken foot in the game against West Ham but grateful the surgery went well. The greatest stories are those who defy all odds. Thanks to everyone for the heartwarming well wishes on my road to recovery. I appreciate every single one. I will continue working hard off the pitch during my rehab, and I can’t wait to be back doing what I love." ?
Shaw's determination and positive outlook highlight her commitment to returning stronger and continuing her impactful contributions both on and off the pitch. Her recovery journey will undoubtedly be closely followed by fans eagerly awaiting her return to action.
Borussia Dortmund receive injury boosts ahead of Champions League semi-final
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer and forward Donyell Malen are likely to be fit in time for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg at home against Paris Saint-Germain, coach Edin Terzic said on Tuesday.
Dortmund will also have Emre Can and Ian Maatsen back from suspension, while Sabitzer, who was out ill for several days, and Dutch international Malen, recovering from an injury picked up during the March international break, have returned to training.
"Marcel and Donyell both took part in training. We expect that they will be at our disposal tomorrow," said Terzic.
"Marcel is feeling better, and we need him in his form from before his illness tomorrow."
Dortmund have struggled in the league this season and on Saturday suffered a crushing 4-1 loss to direct rivals RB Leipzig, who held on to fourth place, leaving them in fifth with three matches remaining.
The top four teams qualify for the Champions League group stage next season.
Germany is likely to earn a fifth spot as one of the top two in UEFA's coefficient table depending on the remaining results in European competition this season.
Dortmund's deep Champions League run this season, however, has kept fans hopeful of some silverware.
The sides also met in the group stage, with the French side winning 2-0 in Paris before a 1-1 draw in Dortmund.
"You could sense in the return leg that we had learned the lessons from the first game," Terzic said.
"Now PSG look to be at their very peak this season with only one defeat in 2024 and a good run of results. We will have to show an improved performance from that in Dortmund."
"We are confident that will show it tomorrow and next week in Paris. The clear goal is to gain a small advantage after the game tomorrow. We know we have to play at least 180 minutes at the highest level to have any shot at our dream."
Jamaica to host T&T U-17s for two friendly games in week-long camp
Jamaica's Under-17 team will host their Trinidad and Tobago counterparts for two international friendly encounters this weekend.
The games, which forms part of a week-long camp for both teams, will also see the young Soca Warriors, who are scheduled to arrive in the island on Wednesday, lock horns with a local club team during their visit. The first game is scheduled for the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence, CHBC on Friday at 4:00pm, while the second encounter will take place on Sunday at 9:00am.
Trinidad and Tobago will then close their visit against the youth team of a prominent club, next Tuesday.
Both the young Reggae Boyz, to be guided by former Reggae Boy midfielder Altimont "Freddy" Butler, Carlton Simmonds and Vassel Reynolds, and the Shawn Cooper-coached young Soca Warriors are preparing for the Concacaf Men's Under-17 Championship which was pushed back to 2025. The tournament was initially scheduled for August this year.
According to recently installed Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president, Kieron Edwards, this friendly initiative is in line with the TTFA’s application to the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, which aims to provide additional resources to member associations for the elite youth national teams.
Edwards insisted that there will be continuous efforts to provide opportunities for exposure and match preparation for the various national teams.
“In keeping with the executive’s mantra to strengthen partnerships and our relationship with our brothers in CFU, we are pleased to be embarking on this journey to Jamaica,” said Edwards.
“Despite the challenges, the commitment to the continued development of our high-performance programme shines through. This trip marks a pivotal step towards our U-17 team’s quest to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2025. It’s a testament to the dedication of all involved, securing this opportunity mere days after the new executive’s installation," he added.
The current T&T U-17 selection features several players who have graduated from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association High Performance Programme and competed at the CONCACAF Boys Under-15 Championship in the Dominican Republic last August, recording memorable wins against Costa Rica and Qatar.
T&T squad: Antuan Louison, Seth Hadeed, Jonathan Mason (Fatima College); Alejandro Harper, Eran Mc Leod (CIC); Nikosi Foncette, Kyron Baptiste, Josiah Simmons, Jimally Renne (Presentation College, Sando); Jasai Theophilus, Jayden Christophe (QRC); Dimitre Jones, Keston Richards (Arima North Sec); Jaydon Caprietta, Jeremiah Daniel, Adasa Richardson, Antonio Hills, Mikhail Clement (Naparima College); Salim Soanes (St Benedict’s College); Necose Moore (Chaguanas North Sec); Riquelme Phillips (Speyside High School)
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