Ange Postecoglou schools Mikel Arteta in how to behave – Different class

I must admit, despite Tottenham doing so well this season, I hadn’t really taken that much notice of Ange Postecoglou and his side.

However, I watched Monday night’s match between Tottenham and Chelsea, which ended up a crazy game. If you thought Newcastle’s win over Arsenal was full of incident, maybe you should watch the highlights of this London derby.

I also watched / listened to what was said afterwards by both managers and Ange Postecoglou was simply outstanding, the polar opposite of Mikel Arteta.

The Spurs boss had all kinds of things he could have ranted about as his side lost 4-1 at home to Chelsea and Tottenham had two sent off.

However, just read what Ange Postecoglou had to say and compare it to the truly embarrassing way Mikel Arteta went on (see below) on Saturday.

Ange Postecoglou after his Tottenham side lost 4-1 at home to Chelsea – 6 November 2023:

“Premier League managers should just manage their football clubs.

“I have never and I never will, talk to the referee about the rules of the game.

“I was taught that you grow up and you respect the officials.

“I think it is so hard for a referee to officiate these days.

“At some point we have to accept the referee’s decision.

“That is how I grew up.

“This constant erosion of referees’ authority… this is where the game is going to get, they are not going to have any authority.”

Michael Oliver is the best referee in the Premier League, no question. Yet even he found last night’s London derby near impossible to referee, so many contentious decisions that could have gone either way.

That’s the thing, decisions that could have gone either way. None of them were the greatest injustice ever seen in the history of football and neither were any of the decisions in the Newcastle v Arsenal matches.

Havertz getting yellow not red and the Anthony Gordon scoring the winner rather than it getting disallowed, these things happen. As managers, players and fans we are always going to feel hard done by when any big decision goes against you.

However, that is all it is.

I can see why Tottenham fans have really taken to Ange Postecoglou due to what he is doing on AND off the pitch. A manager they can be proud of. It echoes very much how we as Newcastle fans feel about Eddie Howe, who acts very much like the Spurs boss when it comes to not embarrassing his club and its supporters with his reaction when things go against him.

If I was an Arsenal fan I would be truly embarrassed at the way their manager behaves.

Sadly, it appears to be a bit of a lost cause with Arsenal as a club saying they back everything Arteta said and releasing that humiliating official statement.

The Premier League need to come down really tough on Arsenal and Arteta because as Ange Postecoglou says, this kind of disgraceful behaviour and lack of respect from the likes of Arteta, is undermining the entire game.

I would be deducting points from Arsenal, teaching them and others the lesson that this is not how you behave and it won’t be tolerated.

Mikel Arteta after his Arsenal team lost 1-0 at Newcastle United – 4 November 2023:

“It was embarrassing what happened and how the goal stands.

“I had 20 years in this country and now I feel ashamed. It is an absolute disgrace.

“If there was a team looking to win the game today it was Arsenal.

“Embarrassing what happened, how this goal stands, in the Premier League, this league we say is the best in the world.

“I’ve been 20 years in this country and now I feel ashamed.

“It’s a disgrace and there’s too much at stake here.

“We are trying to do incredible things and be at the highest level each week.

“When we’re not good enough I hold my hands up and take responsibility.

“The outcome is nowhere near the level this league needs to have and the way this league is getting competed in. It’s not good enough.

“I feel embarrassed to be part of this.

“It’s a disgrace, that’s what it is.

“It’s a disgrace.

“We have to talk about how the hell this goal stands.

“I feel embarrassed but I have to be the one to come here and defend the club and ask for help.

“Again, I feel embarrassed.”