Ten Hag vs Ange: Trophy 'trap' or sustainable success?

Ange Postecoglou thinks there’s more to being successful as a top-level manager than just winning trophies, with “sustainable success” his aim at Tottenham.

Speaking ahead of Spurs’ trip to Manchester United on Super Sunday, Postecoglou hinted that Manchester United are an example of why just winning trophies doesn’t take the pressure away from a manager.

He said: “If Erik [ten Hag] hadn’t won something then people will have been saying he’s got to win something. It’s a trap you can fall into, thinking by winning something everybody is going to love me and think I’m doing a great job. That doesn’t exist.

“That’s why I’m always saying I want to build a group that have the opportunity for sustainable success. You need that. Success isn’t guaranteed but if you build something that gives you the opportunity on a year-on-year basis then you’ve got more chance of creating a period where the club can see themselves as a contender.

“It’s part of your existence as a manager. To coin a phrase: the impossible job, it’s become even more impossible now. It seems like success is not enough if you don’t have identity. Identity is then not enough if it’s not followed by the aesthetics. Aesthetics are not enough if it’s not followed by legacy. There’s always another layer, like no one is doing a good job unless you win the competition.

“There seems a lack of understanding about progress and the circumstances of the that people have to work under – but that’s the nature of the role. That’s not going to change.”

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Ten Hag: Man Utd have to win trophies

United have made an inconsistent start to the season, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool before responding with three clean sheets. Momentum seemed to be gathering but they were held 1-1 by FC Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday night in the Europa League and the pressure is building on Ten Hag, who appeared to be on the brink of losing his job before winning the FA Cup.

“We have to win trophies,” Ten Hag said.

“That’s what this club stands for. The highest platform, this club has the ambition to play in the highest platform.

“We want to achieve the Champions League. That’s clear. We have two routes. There is one in the Premier League and the other one is the Europa League.

“We will be judged every game and that’s normal. Everyone is, for every game, expecting United is winning. We know that. That’s not a secret for anyone. When you are in this club you have to deal with this factor and we do.

“It doesn’t matter if you are young or old or whatever. We have to cope with this. We have to get the best out of it.

“We have to match the expectations. Everyone has, but we know also, with all due respect, young players, young squad, a new team, that takes some time. We are going in a good direction in the last couple of weeks in many aspects of football.

“Now it’s about being more efficient and scoring more goals because that will win you games.”

When asked with how he copes with the pressure of the job as Manchester United manager, Ten Hag said: “First of all, respect the criticism. There are many. You can have an opinion about football. When you are in a job, you have to deal with this. But I can’t take every criticism into account.

“I don’t read all the criticism. It’s not even possible. But I don’t even want to know. I need to know some, and some are very good advice.

“For me, it’s stay clinical and see where the team is, which areas we have to improve, stay methodical and guide the team in the right pathway. Make sure you make the right steps to get the best out of the team.”

Watch Man Utd vs Spurs on Sunday live on Sky Sports; kick-off 4.30pm