Ange Postecoglou has denied that one of his players is behind the leaks of information concerning Tottenham Hotspur’s injuries and team selections.
The Spurs manager suggested there was a “mole” within the club after social media speculation arose about Wilson Odobert being sidelined for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final match against Eintracht Frankfurt due to a hamstring injury.
Despite the reports, Odobert was eventually named as an unused substitute for the first leg in north London, but the continued leaking of information prompted Postecoglou to address the issue publicly.
The Australian manager, whose side currently sits in 14th place in the Premier League ahead of their trip to Wolves on Sunday, is convinced that someone outside the squad is attempting to undermine his position.
“This has been going on for a while. It started last year. We thought we had nipped it in the bud, but it keeps coming out at different times,” he told reporters on Friday.
“You try to keep the circle of information tight. I don’t understand why people would do this, especially if they’re supposed to be in our camp because it certainly doesn’t seem to help us.”
Postecoglou added, “It’s not agents. Definitely not agents. The details being leaked are too specific, and the language used isn’t the type used by agents. It’s definitely not the players.”
The former Celtic boss is enduring a challenging second season at Tottenham, with the club’s last hope of ending their 17-year trophy drought resting on their Europa League campaign.
Postecoglou voiced frustration over the leak of private medical information about players, insisting it is unacceptable.
“Although football is a world where information flow is sometimes taken for granted, I’m very respectful of players’ medical records and how much should be disclosed,” he said.
“Sometimes, players don’t want certain information made public, and it’s as simple as that. The fact it is being released is unacceptable, both from a club perspective, because it doesn’t help us, and from an individual perspective, because it doesn’t help the player.”
The leaking issue is the latest setback for Postecoglou, who faces significant challenges at the club. “As a club, I’ve already got enough challenges without adding more to them,” he stated.
“We’ll handle it internally, as we would with anything. You do the right thing and deal with it.”
Postecoglou also joked that he had turned into fictional detective Jack Reacher while trying to discover the source of the leak.
“Football management always involves a bit of detective work. It’s a cultural thing. I’m big on creating a culture of success, and I don’t think successful organisations behave this way,” he said.
“That’s what we’re trying to change, not just me, but the others at the club. We’re aiming to build a strong mentality and identity, and protect that.”
