Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou dismisses myth as Fraser Forster backed to step up for Guglielmo Vicario

But the caput manager is not acrophobic astir back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster's quality to play his football, and insists playing retired from the backmost is "more astir mindset" than method quality.

Forster is acceptable for an extended tally successful the side, starting against Roma successful the Europa League connected Thursday, aft Vicario was ruled retired for months pursuing country connected a fractured ankle connected Monday.

Forster came of property successful an epoch erstwhile determination was acold little accent connected goalkeepers utilizing their feet and helium has appeared uncomfortable with Postecoglou's demands to play abbreviated successful his erstwhile 3 appearances this season.

But the Australian has religion successful the 36-year-old and cited the illustration of Joe Hart, who excelled nether him astatine Celtic, arsenic a seasoned goalkeeper who adapted to his demands.

“I deliberation determination is simply a misconception astir [my approach],” Postecoglou said up of Roma's visit. “I bash privation to play retired from the backmost but don't request my goalkeepers to beryllium [Paolo] Maldini oregon [Michel] Platini. In fact, the simpler they tin support it, the amended for me.

“I support saying to the players, don't walk it to the goalkeepers, they've got the gloves on, they're the goalkeepers and you're the player.

“The happening is mounting it up truthful we springiness truly elemental solutions to our goalkeepers.

“It's not astir their method quality due to the fact that you look astatine the mode we play retired from the back, and Joe's a large illustration of that erstwhile helium came to Celtic, it's astir them executing truly elemental passes that they bash each day. They're really rather bully astatine it, goalkeepers. All goalkeepers. It's much astir mindset.

“It's much astir them not reasoning that what they're doing is risky, due to the fact that that's what it comes down to. It's not a skill. I'm not asking them to ping 50 yarders. In fact, it's harder erstwhile goalkeepers spell long. It's really a harder accomplishment for them to do. So I'm asking them to bash abbreviated passes that they're susceptible of.”

Hart, who is simply a twelvemonth older than Forster, was discarded by Pep Guardiola astatine Manchester City for not being bully capable with his feet, but has said Postecoglou “blew my mind” and “really opened maine up” aft helium joined the Australian astatine Celtic successful 2021.

"I ever thought, 'Play retired from the back, ohio my god, does that mean that I request to bash Cruyff turns, prime passes?' No it doesn't," Hart said successful November.

Postecoglou believes Hart and Forster are much than susceptible of utilizing their feet, provided they person the close mindset and squad operation up of them.

“It's more, similar I said, the mindset of it. Just showing them that there's nary hazard here. Don't interest astir the risk,” helium added. “The setup is determination for you to execute.

“And I recovered that with Joe and different keepers I've had successful the past wherever it was, 'oh, helium can't play retired from the back', and of people helium can.

“He's a goalkeeper, helium tin walk the ball, that's what they do. It's conscionable astir having a operation which allows them to bash it successful the cleanest imaginable process. And changing their mindset.

“The lone obstruction to that is if the goalkeeper doesn't consciousness comfy doing it. Not due to the fact that they can't. Joe was superb astatine Celtic, helium embraced it each in, and Fraser's the same.

“It's not similar Burchy [Spurs goalkeeping manager Rob Burch] is going to commencement moving with him this week. He's been doing it for 18 months. That's each we bash astatine training. They get included successful immoderate of our passing drills, immoderate of our possession drills. They're successful there, truthful they're doing it. So that's wherever I beryllium with that.”

Postecoglou volition not motion a escaped cause to screen for Vicario, portion Postecoglou insisted that their plans for the January model person not changed pursuing the Italian's surgery.

He did not, however, regularisation retired bringing successful different goalkeeper mid-season, saying their plans “will beryllium connected wherever we're astatine from the squad perspective”.

Long- to medium-term, Spurs privation a younger and ideally homegrown alternate to Vicario and could accelerate their plans if Forster struggles successful the adjacent 10 matches.

Postecoglou added: “Fraser I've known for a agelong clip and he's specified a beardown quality wrong the radical and acceptable to play.

“That’s wherefore he’s here. He’s already played successful the Carabao Cup and a mates of European games. That’s the crushed we’ve played successful him and wherefore he’s successful the squad. He’s acceptable to go.”