Ange Postecoglou hopes Tottenham Hotspur‘s fixture with Fulham on Monday night can help provide an escape from the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
Spurs, who have a lengthy association with the Jewish community, faced criticism from sections of their fanbase for the club’s statement in response to the conflict in Israel and Gaza following the Hamas terror attacks.
While the club condemned the “horrific and brutal acts” against “innocent civilians”, there was no specific mention of the Hamas attacks or the impact felt by sections of the club’s support.
A minute’s silence will occur before kick-off, but Postecoglou preferred to steer clear of getting too involved in discussing the ongoing war.
He said: “I have the responsibility of being a football manager but like everyone else, I’m a human being and you struggle with these things and you understand that other people will struggle with them.
“My life experience has taught me not to judge or come to any strong conclusions. I’ll let the people who are affected by it be the guide in these kinds of things.
“Our role is to provide our supporters with something that you know they want to see in their football team.
“When we go out there on Monday night there will be 60,000 – and hundreds of thousands around the world – who just want to see their football team play some exciting football and win a game and give them that joy that only football can bring.
“Because, you know, when you score in that last minute to win a game of football, you don’t care who is next to you, do you? You don’t care where they come from, what they think or what they believe. You are united as one for that moment. That’s what football provides.
“I think that’s our role. It is always our role, irrespective of what the current climate is or what the climate might be next week or in weeks to come, football, like I said, maybe I am not using the right term, but it is a form of escapism for a lot of people for those moments, providing some comfort, feeling like you are part of something bigger. That’s always our role as a football club.”
Focus ahead of this fixture would ordinarily centre on Manor Solomon, who played for Fulham last season before he joined Spurs on a free transfer this summer following his release from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Israel international Solomon is currently sidelined with a knee injury but is also dealing with the ongoing conflict in his home country.
While Postecoglou has not spoken with the attacker about the war, he knows help is there for the summer signing from the club if he needs it.
“Not specifically [about the war]. I have spoken to Manor because he’s dealing with a couple of things,” Postecoglou added.
“He has just had his surgery as well. I have been helping him through that process.
“Again, it’s not about me trying to extract information from him. I am there.
“He’s going through what he is going through, like a lot of people in his position. Hopefully like I said, he feels like there’s a place here where he feels he needs some extra help or guidance, we can give it to him.”
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/D9xlmyS
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