A match against Uruguay could be crucial for the United States, but head coach Gregg Berhalter urged his side not to look too far ahead after the Copa America draw was made in Miami.
Uruguay and USA are the two favourites to progress from Group C after the draw. It should be an intriguing battle to top the group with just one place separating the teams in the FIFA rankings - the South American side are 11th and Berhalter's tournament hosts sit 12th.
But USMNT will face matches against Bolivia and Panama before they take on Marcelo Bielsa's men for a potentially decisive clash in Kansas City on July 1.
And Berhalter urged his team to focus on collecting maximum points from those initial two clashes, even with the Uruguay game looming on the horizon.
Securing first place could be even more important on this occasion than in other tournaments. The team who finishes as runners-up in Group D are likely to face Brazil, who will be expected to top Group D, in the quarter-finals.
"It could be huge [against Uruguay] but I think there is danger in skipping past the first two games and thinking, 'It's the Uruguay game'," said Berhalter.
"Every game is going to be meaningful. Our goal is to get as many points as possible in the group stage and then continue on."
Berhalter knows his team will be expected to progress from the group, even though he does not feel it will be an easy assignment.
"That [high expectations] is the reality. For us, it’s about going on the field now and competing.
"We know that you can be favourites and not win the game.
"For us, it’s about being focused, trying to get momentum with the fans, and then trying to go as far as we can in this tournament and setting up the group in a way that we can continue on after the group stage."
Berhalter is excited about the 16-team tournament – which starts on June 20 – taking place on home soil and feels the USA supporters understand how significant hosting the event is.
He added: "I think they do. We have so many different cultures in the United States that I think there is going to be a huge appreciation for what is happening.
"This is a mini-World Cup. The fans want to get a taste of what it’s going to be like in 2026. Now is time to check it out.
"I think you are going to see some great stadiums, great soccer, competitive soccer, and some really great support.
"The whole idea with this and the World Cup is to try and really captivate the public and grow the game. That’s what we’re trying to do as a group.
"The two sides of it are the public really getting to know our players as people because it’s a special group of guys, and then the second thing is performing well so that everyone wants to turn on the TV and watch us."
USA open their campaign against Bolivia in Dallas on June 23, before taking on Panama in Atlanta four days later.
It is world champions Argentina, who also won the last Copa America, who will open the tournament with a match against either Canada or Trinidad and Tobago, with the final qualification spots yet to be finalised.
Brazil, meanwhile, will start their Group D campaign against either Costa Rica or Honduras on June 24.
United States head coach Gregg Berhalter feels his side have been handed a tough draw in the 2024 Copa America, but he knew that was always likely to be the case.
Tournament hosts USA will take on Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia in Group C after the draw was made in Miami.
USMNT and Uruguay will be the initial favourites to progress from the pool and reach the quarter-finals.
But securing first place could be even more important on this occasion than in other tournaments, because the runners-up are likely to face Brazil, who will be expected to top Group D, in the last eight.
"It is a tough group," said Berhalter.
"I think any group that was going to be drawn was going to be difficult - the Copa America is a very difficult tournament.
"For us, we’re excited to finally know our competitors. Now it’s about planning our game plans and getting ready to compete."
Berhalter is aware that getting the fans on side will be crucial to USA's chances of success at the tournament, which starts on June 20 and features 16 teams.
What was clear from the coach's reaction to the draw is that USA are thinking beyond just progressing from the group.
He added: "The important thing is we want to capture the fans. We want to get the country behind us and go on a run.
"We know you have to get through your group first. After you get through your group, then it’s about a knockout tournament.
"We’re trying to compete in that stage of the tournament and hopefully be competing for a trophy.
"It's really a dream come true for us that we’re hosting the tournament and we get to play at home. The guys are really excited about it and it’s really something to look forward to for us.
"There are no disadvantages [to hosting]. We are really looking forward to trying to get the home supporters behind us and really creating great momentum."
USA's first game will be against Bolivia in Dallas on June 23.
Ange Postecoglou admits he owes Newcastle boss Eddie Howe a thank you for his unintended role in his journey to Tottenham.
Sunday will see Postecoglou and Howe go head-to-head for the first time, but back in the summer of 2021 they were the talk of Glasgow.
Howe was widely expected to take the vacant Celtic role only to turn it down following prolonged negotiations, which resulted in Postecoglou getting the nod.
The Australian never looked back and after he won five trophies during his two-year stay in Scotland, it convinced Spurs to give the 58-year-old his first opportunity to be a Premier League manager.
“Oh absolutely, sliding doors moment,” Postecoglou acknowledged.
“There’s probably been no bigger decision in me being here today than Eddie knocking back the Celtic job.
“I haven’t thanked him, I probably should.”
Postecoglou quickly took the Premier League by storm upon his arrival and guided Tottenham to the top flight summit in October, but the past six weeks has produced a five-match winless run and a growing list of absentees.
But the experienced coach is not in the mood to panic, he insisted: “The pressure is the pressure, you know.
“It’s always there, it’s how you kind of treat it and I’ve never let it sort of guide my path or my way forward.
“For me, I don’t have a three or five year plan up my sleeve that’s guaranteed for success. What I do have is a plan that I think will get us to where we need to be.
“How long that takes? I don’t know. It depends on how we keep disciplined in staying and sticking (to) the path.
“It’s how focused you are and how committed you are to go on the path you’ve started. I’m unwavering with that, I just will not budge. I just think that’s what I believe is the best way forward.”
Injuries to Micky van de Ven and James Maddison have proved costly and while Spurs recently welcomed back Pape Sarr and Richarlison, they remain without eight first-teamers for Sunday’s match.
Newcastle boast an equally large number of players on the treatment table, which has opened the door for 17-year-old Lewis Miley, who has impressed over the past month.
Postecoglou has several of his own academy graduates involved in the squad right now and admitted he could turn to Tottenham Under-21 playmaker Jamie Donley, 18, if they continue to struggle for goals.
“It’s fair to say Newcastle are probably the only other club who have gone through anything like we have from an injury perspective. That’s going to affect every club, but I think they’ve battled through it reasonable well, very well in fact,” Postecoglou added.
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“Players have an opportunity every day to show what they can do and give me food for thought in terms of selection.
“If I’m not doing it, there’s a reason why I’m not doing it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t change for next week or the week after.
“Certainly Jamie, I think he’s developing. It’s benefitted him training with us regularly now.
“He’s a permanent fixture in here and within that context I think our next few games, if he keeps developing the way he is, he’ll get an opportunity in a game as well.”
Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City side face a challenge to get back to winning ways at Luton this weekend.
The champions have gone four games without a Premier League win for the first time since 2017 after successive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham were followed by defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday.
They will be expected to put that behind them at Kenilworth Road on Sunday but the promoted Hatters have produced some battling performances on their top-flight return and Guardiola expects another.
The City manager said: “They are doing really well for the way they play. Top clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal have struggled to win against them and it will be no different for us.
“But at the same time we’re ready for the challenge. We’ll keep working. That’s what we have to do.
“We’ll go to Luton, adapt for the pitch, the team, the style they play. They’ve done really good things but we will try impose our game and break their dynamic.”
City’s form has raised eyebrows with some observers questioning their hunger or whether they have become complacent after all their recent successes.
Yet none of this is a concern to Guardiola, who has guided City to five Premier League titles as well as Champions League glory.
The Spaniard said: “When you are winning a lot of games you are the best team in the world, when you are not winning it’s a crisis. We know it. It’s always exaggerated one way or another.
“What is important is to face the reality. We’re not used to playing four games without winning but we played against top teams. They’re always difficult.
“It is not the first time we have been in this position. In these eight years we’ve always had periods where we don’t get results.
“We have to try to end them as soon as possible but it happens, so we face it, challenge it. That is the situation, let’s do it, let’s go for it.”
City have Rodri and Jack Grealish available again after suspension and Jeremy Doku will be assessed after missing the Villa game through injury.
Mauricio Pochettino admits midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo need to improve after Chelsea’s poor start to the Premier League campaign.
The Blues’ recent 2-1 defeat at Manchester United kept them in 10th place, five points behind West Ham in ninth.
And Pochettino believes big-money signings Fernandez and Caicedo need to up their levels but acknowledged the two 22-year-olds’ development is a “process”.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Everton on Sunday, he said: “The relationship between them needs to improve of course, between them and individually also.
“They are young, the expectation is massive when you arrive.
“Caicedo had one season in Brighton and Enzo after three months in Europe, he was in Benfica before arriving to the Premier League. Arriving not in the best place to perform quick because they need to be part of the solution.
“They are not the cherry of the cake. When you arrive in a team that is in a building process and you’re young with not too much experience, even if you have good quality and people can see the club paid big money and only for that you need to perform, it is not like this in football.
“Some people think in this way because they don’t know about football. It’s a process.
“It’s going to be a process for different reasons. Chelsea are in a completely different reality in the last years and we need to attack this. We can’t live only thinking in the past.
“We need to keep the culture and understand we are in Chelsea and always it’s about winning, but the reality is completely different.”
Sunday’s opponents Everton are on a high after Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Newcastle at Goodison Park.
And Pochettino identified Everton’s physical presence from set-pieces and called for his Chelsea players to play more cleverly.
He added: “It can be a problem, yes. But we need to be more aggressive and try to avoid conceding chances like corners or wide free-kicks.
“We need to be clever in the way we are going to work and try to stop them.
“Yes, it can be a problem but maybe no. In football, it’s the way you approach the game, the attitude and then being clever, trying to avoid giving the possibility to the opponents to use their strengths.”
Pochettino highlighted the challenges of keeping his players motivated after their inconsistent start to the campaign.
He said: “When you win it is easy, you jump to train.
“But when you have ups and downs it is really difficult to keep your balance because to translate the capacity to a player to keep pushing and assimilate and to keep the good mood around the training ground is the most difficult thing.
“Because the frustration, disappointment, sometimes in the way we concede, you become upset, angry. “
Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City side face a challenge to get back to winning ways at Luton this weekend.
The champions have gone four games without a Premier League win for the first time since 2017 after successive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham were followed by defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday.
They will be expected to put that behind them at Kenilworth Road on Sunday but the promoted Hatters have produced some battling performances on their top-flight return and Guardiola expects another.
The City manager said: “They are doing really well for the way they play. Top clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal have struggled to win against them and it will be no different for us.
“But at the same time we’re ready for the challenge. We’ll keep working. That’s what we have to do.
“We’ll go to Luton, adapt for the pitch, the team, the style they play. They’ve done really good things but we will try impose our game and break their dynamic.”
City’s form has raised eyebrows with some observers questioning their hunger or whether they have become complacent after all their recent successes.
Yet none of this is a concern to Guardiola, who has guided City to five Premier League titles as well as Champions League glory.
The Spaniard said: “When you are winning a lot of games you are the best team in the world, when you are not winning it’s a crisis. We know it. It’s always exaggerated one way or another.
“What is important is to face the reality. We’re not used to playing four games without winning but we played against top teams. They’re always difficult.
“It is not the first time we have been in this position. In these eight years we’ve always had periods where we don’t get results.
“We have to try to end them as soon as possible but it happens, so we face it, challenge it. That is the situation, let’s do it, let’s go for it.”
City have Rodri and Jack Grealish available again after suspension and Jeremy Doku will be assessed after missing the Villa game through injury.
Alan Pardew was announced as Newcastle manager on a five-and-a-half-year contract on this day in 2010.
The former Reading, West Ham, Charlton and Southampton boss was unveiled as successor to the sacked Chris Hughton, who had overseen the Magpies’ promotion in 2009-10, as furious fans made their feelings heard about his appointment.
At a press conference that day Pardew – not accompanied by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley or managing director Derek Llambias – said: “I know they (the fans) are frustrated, that’s fairly obvious by the reaction.
“I’m not going to say I have kept away from it, I have tried to keep up to date with the frustration.
“They probably thought they had some stability with Chris and that’s gone, and the record of managers who have come and gone here, it doesn’t bode well.
“I am trying to say that I will work as hard as I possibly can here to get a situation where I can bring some longevity to the job.”
Pardew took over with the team in the thick of a relegation battle having collected 19 points from their first 16 games of the season.
But he expressed confidence that the side he inherited from Hughton would be good enough to preserve the club’s Premier League status.
He added: “I do think there is enough and we have got to make sure the impact of this mid-season situation with the manager changing isn’t an adverse impact.
“I am very much aware that the only faith I am going to gain is by keeping this club in the Premier League where it belongs.”
Pardew guided Newcastle to a 12th-placed finish that season and fifth the following term. He would stay in the job until January 2015, when he left to take charge of Crystal Palace.
Craig Butler stressed the term unification of purpose, and also spoke highly of Mona High’s pride throughout the season. To some, it may have even seemed arrogant when he declared that there was no school in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup to beat his team this year, and on Friday, Butler not only proved the doubters wrong, but more importantly, backed up the talk.
In only his third season in charge, Butler guided Mona High to its maiden schoolboy football title, as they edged Hydel High 1-0 in an entertaining final at the National Stadium.
Demarion Harris got the all-important goal that ensured Mona High became the 15th school to hold the emblem of urban area schoolboy football supremacy. They now join Jamaica College, St George’s College, Kingston College, Wolmer’s Boys, Excelsior High, Tivoli High, Calabar High, Charlie Smith, Camperdown High, Norman Manley High, Bridgeport High, Dunoon Technical, Ardenne High and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), in achieving the feat.
It is also the first time in 22 years that a new team’s name is etched on the title, as for the last 17 years, in particular, the Manning Cup has resided on North Street and Old Hope Road.
An emotionally Butler attributed the team’s success to the bond that they share.
“This is what love does, love conquers all things. Look at what they gave us on the field today, all heart fight for the entire game, they wanted this, and they got it, so we are very proud…Mona pride. This is about believing in youth and having faith in yourselves, believing in your system and playing to your strengths.
“That’s what these boys did, none of these boys were ever called for Jamaica’s Under-15, Under-17 and under-20, nobody wanted them and look how good they are. Look how Mona played, systematic right through,” Butler said in a post-game interview.
After a fairly cagey start, Mona injected some tempo into the contest with a tidy build-up which started with a long pass out by goalkeeper Akeem Bernard and ended with Kshaine Gordon playing a pass inside for Harris to fire home from deep inside the 18-yard box, for his fifth of the season.
Mona should have doubled the lead in the 16th, as Carlton Brown was left unmarked deep inside the area but steered his header, from Romarion Thomas’s cross, wide of the left upright.
Hydel belatedly came to life in attack and were enterprising in their build-up play in patches but couldn’t produce anything meaningful to beat Bernard in goal for Mona High.
Mona looked more threatening in open play after the interval, and bossed possession for the most parts, but found Hydel’s defence in a defiant mode.
It wasn’t until the backend of the contest that they got efforts on target, the first of which was in the 86th when Thomas produced a delightful first touch to get around defender and unleash a stinging right-footed effort that rattled the crossbar.
The second came seconds later through Gordon’s follow-up effort that was parried by Tajarie Lee.
Mark Robins was delighted for midfielder Callum O’Hare after he scored a brace in Coventry’s 2-0 win over Birmingham.
They were the former Aston Villa man’s first goals since he suffered a serious knee injury on Boxing Day last year, which kept the 25-year-old out for almost 10 months.
“I’m absolutely delighted for him,” said manager Robins. “I thought he was really good, some of the football we played with him being the conduit was really clever and everybody wants to get involved.
“There was some really good football and the goals that he scored were fantastic.
“If he keeps that calm head there’s no reason to put any sort of pressure on him, he knows what he’s doing. He’s had some time out to reflect and look at how he goes about things but his character and his personality, he’s just an effervescent character that lifts everybody on a daily basis.
“I’m delighted with the win and the performance, it’s a derby game and sometimes things go for you, sometimes they don’t, you’re never going to get it all your own way but I think we got the majority of it our way and that was because of the performance of the players.
“The lads have done really well, we had more chances to convert. Some of the football was brilliant and the two goals we got were outstanding.
“When we had to defend we defended really well, Brad (Collins) has made a couple of good saves, we defended the corners and I’m delighted with the three points.”
O’Hare toe-poked home a first-half opener before doubling the lead when Coventry broke from a Birmingham corner and he jinked across the box before finishing emphatically.
Blues manager Wayne Rooney bemoaned more soft goals conceded by his team, who have now lost six of their nine games since the former England striker replaced John Eustace at St. Andrew’s.
Rooney said: “I thought we started the game quite bright but the decision-making wasn’t the best. It was something we’ve been working on, playing in the opposition’s half and trying to create better chances.
“That needs to be better from us. The first goal is a poor goal from our point of view. I felt like we were still in the game, we were trying to get an equaliser and they get the second goal from our corner.
“We’re getting punished when we make mistakes and ultimately we need to cut that out, but throughout the 90 minutes Coventry deserved to win, they were the better team.
“We let ourselves down with the goals we conceded and that’s my responsibility, it’s my job to get the players performing better and picking up more points than we have done, we’re working extremely hard to try and do that.
“We’re in a difficult place, we know we are, with the run of results, the points we’re losing and the big thing is the goals we are conceding are very poor goals, so we have to figure it out, make sure we don’t give easy goals away which we seem to be doing at the minute.”
For the fifth time in recent years, Jamaica College and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) had to be separated by penalties, and for the fifth time, Jamaica College toppled their perennial rivals.
The Old Hope Road-based team registered a 7-6 sudden death shootout win over their Bumper Hall-based opponents, after both played out a 1-1 stalemate in a keenly contested ISSA/Digicel Walker Cup final at the National Stadium on Friday.
Leon Brown gave STATHS a fifth-minute lead, but that was cancelled out by Jamaica College’s captain Renson Sayers Jr (59th), and from there the Davion Ferguson-coached “Dark Blues” maintained their composure best to register a fourth hold on the knockout title.
Both teams converted the first four of their five initial penalty kicks, and a further three in sudden death with things locked at 6-6 when controversy struck.
This, as Jamaica College’s Zinodean McLean, who had his attempt saved by STATHS’ goalkeeper Jaheem Williams, was allowed a retake as it is understood that the ball wasn’t stationery at the time of the kick, which goes against the laws of the game. McLean converted on the second occasion, after which, Kevin Hall of STATHS hit his kick over the crossbar, gifting Jamaica College the win.
While it wasn’t the way Ferguson wanted the outcome to be decided Ferguson welcomed the win which adds to the titles won in 2009, 2010 and 2017, especially after they failed to defend their more prestigious ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup.
“I think the incident at the end really marred the game, but kudos to our boys. We came out here today (Friday) and we started a little bit shaky but on the flow of the game we had the better of STATHS, still commiserations to STATHS, I think they played well. They are always a difficult opponent, but I think today we wanted it more, and our boys showed that,” Ferguson said in a post-game interview.
STATHS Head coach Phillip Williams was unavailable for a comment as the coaching staff and players were distraught and irritated that the retake was allowed.
And their disappointment is very much understandable as they would have wanted to add this Walker Cup to their solitary Manning Cup title won in 1987, and their wait to break that lengthy drought continued.
Both Jamaica College and STATHS have met in three finals last five to six years and given their rivalry, the contest, despite not being for Manning Cup honours, was always expected to be a lively one and it didn’t disappoint.
Jamaica College looked a bit more purposeful at the start, but it was STATHS that struck first in the fifth minute when Rashaun Frankson’s weighted cross inside the 18-yard box fell to an unmarked Brown, who finished a free header for his 17th goal of the season.
In the 25th, STATHS thought they had a penalty when Brown sidewined his way through two defenders and was felled inside the danger area, but referee Tyrone Robinson waved off the appeal.
Jamaica College again went on the charge in the 34th and it took a timely save by Williams, who got down well to his left, to keep out substitute Thierry Garrick’s left-footed effort.
STATHS should have doubled their advantage four minutes later, as Andre Salmon broke behind defenders and into one-on-one with Jamaica College’s custodian Raul Renton, who left his line, but tried to be fancy and the effort went well wide of the target.
Jamaica College intensified their press for the equaliser on the resumption and eventually and got it, when Sayers Jr converted from the 12-yard spot, after Malachi Sterling was felled inside the area by Alexavier Gooden.
Both teams nullified each other thereafter, but STATHS gradually regained the ascendancy and enjoyed a decent passage of play in the 70th. At that point, they found a number of openings from which they could have gone ahead, but Jamaica College stood firm and repelled everything thrown at them.
Jamaica College responded and went close four minutes later, as Sayers Jr’s well-taken freekick from just about 25 yards out, was tipped unto the crossbar by Williams.
And the “Dark Blues” almost won it late when Sterling’s weighted cross was headed down by Sayers Jr, but not properly cleared by STATHS and that allowed the powerfully built captain another opportunity, which he struck acrobatically only found the upright it in time added.
It was then down to the dreaded penalties to decide the outcome, and much like it was in 2017, 2019, as well as in the last season’s Manning Cup final and Champions Cup semi-final, Jamaica College proved the better of the two from the spot.
Erik ten Hag has indicated the door is still open for Jadon Sancho to save his Manchester United career but said the winger must buy into the culture he has created at the club.
Sancho has not played for United since August, and fell out with Ten Hag in early September when he responded to comments made by the manager regarding his performances in training by saying he had been made a “scapegoat”.
Although Sancho later deleted the social media post, he has not made the apology that Ten Hag demanded and has continued to train alone.
Sancho has scored 24 goals in 92 appearances for United since a £73million move from Borussia Dortmund in 2021. A January move would appear to suit all parties, but when asked directly if Sancho’s time was up, Ten Hag said it was still in the player’s hands.
“It is about a culture and every player has to match certain standards and it was about that,” the manager said. “What will happen there, he knows what he has to do, if he wants to return it is up to him. He knows what he has to do, it is up to him.”
Ten Hag has been determined to improve discipline at the club since his arrival in Manchester 18 months ago.
Young winger Alejandro Garnacho was one of the first to get a taste of that when he was dropped during the summer tour of 2022 after turning up late for meetings, but the 19-year-old learned his lessons well.
Garnacho has been one of the star performers in recent weeks, and as Ten Hag won the Premier League manager of the month award for November and Harry Maguire took player of the month honours, Garnacho made it a hat-trick with his outstanding bicycle kick at Everton winning goal of the month.
“There is big potential and there is a lot to build on but we are happy with his performing in this moment and happy with his contribution,” Ten Hag said.
“The foundation and basis is always the defending part of his game but attacking-wise he has the key actions – assists, counter-attacks and scoring goals, that is very important for an offensive player that you have the production.”
Garnacho’s form on the left has come at a time when Marcus Rashford continues to struggle for form, having been dropped for the midweek 2-1 win over Chelsea.
That came after the defensive side of Rashford’s game was criticised in the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle last weekend.
Ten Hag said it was up to the England forward to force his way back into the side, but denied that Rashford was lacking when it came to tracking back.
“‘Rashy’ knows exactly what to do, nowadays in football it is not possible,” he said. “All top-level teams and all players are doing the jobs. When you can’t do it you will not play but I don’t attach that to ‘Rashy’ as he is doing the job.”
Any comeback may need to wait, with Rashford a doubt for Saturday’s match against Bournemouth after missing training through illness on Friday.
Ange Postecoglou is unequivocal in his belief that Tottenham will come through this tough period but has warned his squad, life will never be comfortable during his reign.
Spurs claimed an unwanted Premier League record on Thursday night when they went ahead for a fifth-consecutive Premier League match, but again failed to hold on with West Ham able to secure a 2-1 away win.
It continued the club’s poor run of results, which has coincided with their squad being depleted by injuries and suspensions but the latest example of Postecoglou’s team taking the lead and throwing it away sparked debate over the historic ‘Spursy’ tag.
While Postecoglou insisted rival fans using that word was akin to playground chat, he acknowledged his players must embrace the pressure if they are to be part of his journey in north London.
“That’s schoolyard stuff. All I need to know is that this club hasn’t won anything for 15 years. That’s all I need to know,” Postecoglou said ahead of Sunday’s visit of Newcastle.
“Why that is and why others may think that is and whatever tag, that’s the reality. There’s no getting away from that.
“There’s no point in me trying to disguise that, or anybody else at this football club trying to disguise that.
“If you want to be successful, then like most organisations, you’ve got to learn from the mistakes of the past, you’ve got to come up with a plan, you’ve got to stick to it.
“I have been there and I have the benefit of experience. I’ve been through this many times, so I know, unequivocally, what we need to do, but for a lot of these guys, it’s the first time and I’m always mindful of that wherever I’ve been.
“Always in the first season there are challenges.
“Players need to go through that and come out the other side and see that, ‘OK, we’ve survived that. It hasn’t killed us, we’re still going, we’re still alive, we’re still up for it,’ right? And then if anything, it can make us stronger going forward.
“My role in this is to guide the players through it. I know how we get through this and I know what the road ahead looks like, but they’ve got to go through it themselves and find out about it themselves.
“Do they want to be part of this because it’s not going to get any easier. That’s the one thing I keep telling them. There’s never going to be a time where it’s going to be smooth – not while I’m at the club.
“Even when things are going well. I’m going to be pushing for us to be better. I’m going to be pushing for us to improve and pushing for us to bring success to this football club.
“So, there’s never going to be a time where they can feel any sort of comfort that things are going to run smoothly. The more they embrace this side of it, the better.”
Tottenham’s major problem in recent weeks has been turning their dominance into goals and they have scored only once in four of their last five matches.
Postecoglou’s team gained plaudits for being great entertainers during the opening months of the campaign when they embarked on a 10-match unbeaten run, but he knows they must marry that with a killer edge.
“I don’t play this kind of football to entertain. I play this kind of football because it wins,” he said.
“Now it happens to also entertain, which I like, but I don’t think they need to be mutually exclusive.
“My whole career has been about winning things. That’s why I want us to play the way we are.
“That’s where you can sometimes fall down a trap and it’s happened at every club I’ve been at, where the players sometimes think playing that football is enough – it’s not.”
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is not surprised by James Milner’s longevity and said his old team-mate is perhaps the hardest-working player he has ever known.
Kompany will come up against Milner on Saturday when the Clarets head south to take on Brighton, the club Milner joined in the summer after eight years at Liverpool.
The 37-year-old has made 13 appearances for the Seagulls despite some injury niggles, lending his wealth of experience as Roberto De Zerbi’s squad balances the demands of European football with their domestic duties for the first time.
“He’s older than me!” joked Kompany, who is three months Milner’s junior. “I’m not surprised and if there’s one guy that was going to do that it was going to be Milly. His longevity – it’s because he’s probably the hardest working player I’ve ever played with.
“I’ve seen his journey from being this winger, attacking midfielder, central midfielder, full-back. And every single time people would have bet against him. But if you know him and his personality, you would never bet a penny against him…
“There might have been loads of players who are better than James, but how many have had his career? Very, very few.”
Milner’s medal collection includes a Champions League crown with Liverpool and three Premier League titles. He won two of those alongside Kompany at City before joining Liverpool on a free transfer in 2015.
That exit left a sour taste among many in the blue half of Manchester, but not Kompany.
“You always want your best players to stay but for his career it was a great move,” he said. “I’ve always wanted him to do well.”
Saturday’s trip to the Amex Stadium will bring back happy memories for Kompany, who lifted the Premier League trophy there in 2019 in his final game in English football.
“It feels like a lifetime ago, the job I’m in consumes you that much,” he said. “But, yeah, it was four-and-a-half years ago – it feels like it was 20 years ago.
“I’d be rubbish if I was in that profession now. But they are good memories and maybe in the future – maybe one Christmas – those moments can be replayed with the kids.”
City won 4-1 that day to pip Liverpool – and Milner – to the title by one point with a run of 14 straight victories, perhaps fortunate to come across a Brighton side who had only ensured their own top-flight survival the weekend before when Cardiff lost to Crystal Palace.
But the club Burnley will face on Saturday have come a long, long way since then, and are seen by many as the model club for anyone wanting to challenge the Premier League’s top sides.
Kompany pointed out Burnley were a model themselves for a long time, having held their own in the top flight for seven years despite limited resources, and said it was not as simple as trying to copy what someone has done.
“If this is a path, then I don’t think we should compare ourselves to them, absolutely not,” he said.
“We’re at a completely different stage, but there is a template that’s taken time for them to develop and that’s obviously allowing them to compete above their means.
“That should be a goal for any team in this league.”
Juventus moved top of Serie A, for 24 hours at least, with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over reigning champions Napoli.
Federico Gatti headed the only goal of the game early in the second half to take his side a point above Inter Milan, who face Udinese at San Siro on Saturday evening.
Manager Massimiliano Allegri had challenged his players to rectify the club’s wretched recent results against Napoli, Juve having lost five of their last seven league meetings including a 5-1 thrashing in January.
And the Bianconeri boss got what he wanted after the home side weathered an early storm at the Allianz Stadium to record their 11th win of the season.
Napoli started brightly and were inches away from taking the lead in the ninth minute, Matteo Politano’s curling shot leaving Wojciech Szczesny flat-footed but agonisingly grazing the outside of the post.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia then failed to even hit the woodwork as he wasted a glorious chance shortly before the half-hour mark.
Victor Osimhen superbly controlled a long clearance on his chest and drew both Juventus central defenders out of position before squaring the ball to Kvaratskhelia, who took a slightly heavy touch before blazing his shot over the bar as Szczesny dived at his feet.
Szczesny was in the thick of the action again 10 minutes later as he produced a stunning reflex save from Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who had been gifted a clear sight of goal after Bremer inadvertently headed the ball off team-mate Gatti.
The flag did go up for offside as Juve struggled to clear their lines, but that took nothing away from the brilliance of the former Arsenal goalkeeper as the sides headed into the interval on level terms.
Parity lasted just five minutes of the second period, Andrea Cambiaso providing a perfect cross from the right for Gatti to head home from just five yards out.
Szczesny looked to have undone all his good work in the 71st minute when he hit a careless clearance straight to substitute Eljif Elmas, who headed the ball straight to Osimhen to fire home, only for Osimhen to be correctly ruled offside.
Napoli piled on the pressure in the final minutes as Juventus defended deep, but Giacomo Raspadori’s low shot was comfortably saved by Szczesny at the foot of the post.
Walter Mazzarri has now won just one of his first four games in charge since returning to Napoli for a second spell, a run of results which leaves his side fifth in the table and 12 points behind Juve.
Callum O’Hare netted a brace as Coventry beat Birmingham 2-0 at the CBS Arena.
The former Aston Villa midfielder had not scored for over 18 months after suffering a serious knee injury on Boxing Day last year and was starting just his second game since returning from injury.
The 25-year-old opened the scoring after he was played in by Milan van Ewijk before his superb solo goal made the three points safe in the second half.
O’Hare’s goals also meant Mark Robins’ men claimed their second consecutive home win, moving them above Blues and up to 14th in the table.
Blues’ woes under Wayne Rooney continued as Birmingham were handed their sixth loss in nine games since the former Manchester United striker replaced John Eustace and had John Ruddy to thank that the deficit was kept to one for the majority of the second half.
The visitors had started positively when Coventry failed to clear their lines and Krystian Bielik’s effort was saved by Brad Collins.
Collins had to be on hand again a minute later to keep Juninho Bacuna’s effort at bay.
Coventry started to get a foothold in the game midway through the first half and looked a threat down the right through Van Ewijk, whose cross found O’Hare but his effort was beaten away by Ruddy.
Robins’ side opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Van Ewijk and O’Hare combined again before the 25-year-old held off the challenge of Lee Buchanan to stab his effort in at the near post in front of over 26,000 spectators in the CBS Arena.
The Sky Blues then had appeals for a penalty waved away when the ball struck Koji Miyoshi on the arm before half-time.
Coventry went in search of a second after the break as Haji Wright had a hat-trick of chances to extend the lead.
Firstly, the American met Van Ewijk’s pinpoint cross but his downward header was comfortable for Ruddy, who then bravely blocked Wright’s second effort with his face a minute later after the forward beat Bacuna down the left.
Ruddy was called into action again when he gathered Wright’s low effort after he cut inside from the left for a second time after O’Hare’s delightful outside-of-the-foot pass.
Van Ewijk was next to test Ruddy’s resolve when his powerful free-kick was clawed away by the former Norwich keeper before Tatsuhiro Sakamato’s effort was also kept out.
O’Hare completed his brace and gave Coventry breathing space on 77 minutes with a superb solo effort.
Dancing across the box, terrified Birmingham defenders watched on as O’Hare blasted in his second to complete a memorable night for the Sky Blues midfielder.
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