Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara has stepped up to defend Spurs fans following criticism from manager Ange Postecoglou.
The criticism came after some supporters celebrated the team’s recent defeat to Manchester City, which potentially hampers Arsenal’s title chances.
The match against the defending Champions was a must win for both teams. Manchester City had to win to become favourites for the title ahead of Arsenal, while a win for Spurs meant they would remain in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
However, the mood among the fans was quite casual, with many hoping to lose so that their main rivals Arsenal do not win the Premier League.
This did not sit well with Ange Postecoglou, who addressed this before the match as well. And during the game, the mood around the stadium also reflected the same, with the fans failing to create an atmosphere needed for such a big game.
After the game, Ange had a pop at the fans, claiming that the mindset at the club needs changing from inside and outside. He criticised the mentality of wanting to lose just so the rivals would lose rather than winning.
However, O’Hara stepped up to defend the fans, claiming that they cannot be blamed for the club’s struggles, attributing Tottenham’s failure to secure a top-four finish to their performances earlier in the season.
He suggested that the fans’ reactions are a symptom of deeper issues within the club. He shared his sentiments on X:
“Love Ange love his mentality but you can’t blame spurs fans for tonight, last five games we threw the top four away, not tonight against a far better team, small win for the fans stopping Arsenal, next season we sort set pieces out and get better players, we’re behind Ange.”