Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said that external criticism “does not bother him” but he believes some of the comments that are made about him are “cheap and very shallow.” Postecoglou reacted angrily to a question from a reporter before Tottenham’s crucial Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar about whether the game was “win or bust.

The one positive to come out of this miserable Tottenham season - apart from a potential Europa League triumph - is the experience the young players at the club will get under their belts. Teenagers Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have certainly got more game time this season than either will have expected when they arrived at the club in the summer.

Ange Postecoglou has backed his Tottenham squad to continue to shut out outside noise after they made a “significant step” in their quest to salvage this season. Postecoglou masterminded a 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday to send Spurs through to the Europa League quarter-finals and keep their campaign alive.