Ange Postecoglou on Archie Gray: ‘I didn’t want to be 70 saying I could have signed him’ | OneFootball

Ange Postecoglou has revealed Tottenham will aim to bring in more experienced players moving forward, but has no regrets over taking advantage of a “unique opportunity” to sign Archie Gray this summer.

Gray has shown his class during recent weeks when the versatile 18-year-old has deputised at centre-back and helped injury-hit Spurs register crucial wins over Southampton and Manchester United.

Tottenham secured the services of Gray in a player-plus-cash deal in July which could be worth £40m and while he is yet to start in his favoured central midfield position, the ex-Leeds ace has made 18 appearances across all competitions ahead of Sunday’s visit of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The decision to sign Gray along with fellow teenagers Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert had prompted recent criticism over the club’s desire to prioritise prospects over ready-made first-team options, with Dominic Solanke the only permanent arrival this summer to go straight into the starting line-up.

Postecoglou suggested there will be a subtle shift over the upcoming transfer windows but is delighted with the ever-improving Gray.

“I was really keen to get Dom in because I knew he’d make us better from day one, absolutely, and he has. He’s been outstanding,” said Postecoglou.

“When you are paying for ready-made players there’s a premium. How we allocated the rest of that money was a decision we had to make.

“Do we go for somebody else who is ready-made? We could have done but I think it would have been one of those stories where I’ll be 70 years old and I’d be saying ‘you know what, I could have signed Archie Gray’ and Archie Gray ends up being the player we know he’s going to be.

“So, you go ‘you know what, we probably do need another experienced player, but I don’t think we can pass up Archie’. I think this is a unique opportunity, a unique space for us to get a really talented 18-year-old.

“You have to make that decision. I thought it was the best decision for the club and I think it will be the best decision for the club in the longer term.

“Moving forward, we probably need to err on the side of getting a little bit more experience. Just to help the group, because we’ve got very few at that kind of sweet spot in terms of ages and we want to give the guys in their teens or early twenties the opportunity to keep growing.

“We need to make sure we put quality around them, so how we allocate the next resources may shift a little bit, but I’d hate to be sitting here now and saying we had an opportunity to sign Archie Gray at 18 and we passed it up because maybe we could have got a player who helps us for a couple of years.”

Spurs enter Sunday’s fixture on a high after a thrilling cup tie with Manchester United, but Postecoglou continues to be told to change by pundits with Jamie Carragher again insistent on Thursday night that they cannot play the same way for 90 minutes.

Postecoglou explained earlier in Friday’s press conference that he has no issue with Carragher’s critique of his team, but suggested some discourse from unnamed pundits had been “offensive”.

Pressed more on that subject, the 59-year-old from Australia pointed to the treatment Aston Villa boss Unai Emery and Nuno Espirito Santo of Nottingham Forest have received in the past.

Ange Postecoglou

“It’s not the first time in my career,” Postecoglou said.

“You kind of feel that 26 years of hard graft should get you a little more respect. I’m not the only one, I have seen it happen to Unai, and Nuno when he was here.

“I get that not everyone will be a fan of the way I do things and even the way I play, people will have different opinions. That’s normal, that’s healthy but some of it has been pretty dismissive.”