Jermain Defoe explains what’s it like playing against Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic amid Tottenham criticism

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Celtic’s treble-winner Ange Postecoglou is back in town.

Postecoglou’s Tottenham side face Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday evening and he is in much need of a win.

Tottenham let a 2-0 lead slip to lose 4-3 to London rivals Chelsea at the weekend, days after losing away at Bournemouth.

There has been a lot of talk about Postecoglou’s style of play and how he needs to adapt if he wants to be successful with the Premier League club.

When at Celtic, the Australian guided the team to trophy success after trophy success, and remember, he arrived during a period when Rangers had just won the title under Steven Gerrard.

One man who was on the other side was former striker Jermain Defoe and he got a feel of playing against such all-action and expansive tactics.

Jermain Defoe questions Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham after facing Celtic hero with Rangers

Defoe, who scored 143 goals for Tottenham, explained how the Spurs fans initially stated that Postecoglou’s football was ‘unbelievable to watch’.

But now many are calling for him to adapt because he doesn’t have the dominant team Celtic have in their domestic league.

Amid all the negative noise around Postecoglou, Defoe has been able to provide an interesting insight into what it’s like to play against and how ‘they create a lot of chances’, as he told Sky Sports.

“When you look back at last season and the first ten games, all the Tottenham fans were like ‘this is unbelievable to watch’,” said Defoe.

“I played against Ange’s Celtic team. Everything was about quick restarts, the energy and like I was talking about the fullbacks. They create a lot of chances and score a lot of goals.

“It’s just the other side of it. I wouldn’t say it’s the manager going against his principles. I just think sometimes you have to be able to adapt. I’m not saying he can’t adapt. But it’s just that the state of the game changes. The environment. There were times where there is nothing wrong with getting back into a low block and seeing the game out.”

Jamie Carragher says Postecoglou playing ‘the most entertaining’ football

Celtic are a trophy-winning machine, they are used to it, it’s in their DNA and that will never stop.

You can’t say the same for Tottenham, who haven’t won a trophy since 2008 and haven’t been title winners since 1960.

That’s then being unfair on Postecoglou because it’s more than just history he has to overturn here and Jamie Carragher touched upon his impact in English football.

Celtic fans won’t be surprised to hear that he dubbed Postecoglou’s side ‘the most entertaining’ in English football and touched upon the London club’s trophy situation, as he told Sky Sports.

“I love Ange Postecoglou since he has come into the Premier League in the last 18 months, in terms of the football they play,” shared Carragher.

“It’s exciting. They are the most entertaining team I think in the last 18 months I have seen. Some supporters wanted their Tottenham back and, in some ways, he has given their Tottenham back.

“They are exciting to watch. Everybody’s second team. But you don’t ever think they will go on and win something. Is that a little bit unfair because do Tottenham ever win anything? That’s the point.”