Ange Postecoglou could not hide his smirk when the question came about whether his record of second-season success is about to continue in north London. "Dunno," the Tottenham manager said. "I expect what I expect all the time, mate. To do my job and see what that brings. But I would suggest that it's not by accident. We'll improve and see where that takes us."
After a summer of relative calm in comparison with his arrival before the start of last season, there was a clear sense of optimism as the straight-talking Australian, who was one of the more insightful pundits employed by ITV at Euro 2024, laid out his expectations for the new campaign in the buildup to their opening match, against Leicester tonight.
This time last year, amid the emotional departure of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, it was all about steadying the ship after the stormy reign of Antonio Conte. But with a replacement for the club's record goalscorer now secured in the form of Dominic Solanke - signed from Bournemouth for an initial club-record fee of £55m that could rise to £65m - and a fully fit squad at his disposal, it is no wonder that Postecoglou fancies Spurs' chances of improving on the fifth-place finish of last season.
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