Ange Postecoglou tells his players "to play every game as if it is their last game of football", taking the focus away from the importance of local rivalries. 

Postecoglou, 58, leads Spurs into battle tomorrow at Stamford Bridge, a place where Tottenham Hotspur have notoriously struggled over the years. However, the Australian doesn't want his team to go there looking to get revenge for previous years.  

"I've always tried to create a mindset where you're not more passionate about one fixture than the another. I don't believe it," he stated.

"I know the significance of it to the club and the supporters, absolutely. But, I tell the players to play every game as if it is their last game of football or to train like it's their last training session."

Tottenham currently sit fifth in the Premier League, seven points behind Aston Villa in fourth, but with two games in hand. They look on course to qualify for the Europa League, yet recent struggles from set-pieces have dampened the mood around N17. 

Quoting Billy Joel's iconic You May Be Right song, Postecoglou continued his defence for the team's set-pieces. "You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just may be a lunatic you're looking for," he said, before seemingly highlighting that he had the same issue during his first campaign at Celtic, which was quickly fixed in his second season. 

With that, he hopes to be 'more Ange' next season, playing free-flowing and attacking football on a regular basis, but a decision to potentially help that philosophy, coming in the form of Timo Werner, won't come until after the season.

He's been 'very good' and 'very helpful' for Tottenham according to his manager, yet he will be unable to feature for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury sustained against Arsenal. 

  • Finding the line between passion and aggression

Chelsea vs Tottenham is one of the biggest derbies in England. Whenever it is spoken about, 2016 is remembered, when Spurs blew a 2-0 lead at Stamford Bridge, received nine yellow cards and lost the title. "The battle of Stamford Bridge," it is nicknamed. 

Tempers regularly flare between the two rivals, and Spurs have often let that get to their head, but the Australian manager wants all of his players to treat each game in the same way, not getting sucked into the occasion in the process.

"If I felt that they were showing more passion for one particular fixture, I would be questioning what I was doing on a daily basis, because I know you can't be successful. You've got to have a really strong mindset and I think if you condition yourself way in that way then you don't cross the line," he said. 

"It's when you feel like 'I really hate this club' and you go out and do something that you don't do on a daily basis, that's when you can eventually come undone by crossing that line. My view is that on every day we play, let's act like it's our last game."

In Spurs' last match against Chelsea, the Lilywhites lost 4-1, with both Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie sent off. It was a performance full of belief from Spurs, but Postecoglou doesn't think they were cheered off, as some may suggest.  

"I don't think we were cheered off. I think there was an appreciation of effort. I don't think that's a bad thing. They want to see their team giving everything," the Australian believes. 

"Even the most passionate supporters understand you're not going to win all the time, but the manner in which you play and present yourself [is important].

"That day, the supporters were applauding the effort of the players. A bit like the weekend, they refused to lay down when things were going against us."

  • The 'dark arts' during set-pieces

Against Arsenal, Tottenham's set-piece woes continued. They conceded two goals from corners, whilst Guglielmo Vicario failed to dominate his area.  

A clip emerged which saw Gunners defender Ben White try to undo Vicario's gloves during a corner, which has drawn criticism across the sport. However, Postecoglou isn't interested in that debate; it's not something he focuses on. 

"It's a strategy. You could label it as a strategy. I have very little interest in that stuff. I never have. It's not me passing judgment, I just don't really care," he said. 

"If people are going to think that gives them an advantage or affects the game, I just don't worry about that stuff. I try and focus on building teams that win things."

"If it's not that, it's going to be something else. Who cares, seriously? I know it's great theatre. I understand that it generates discussion. Whether he's trying to undo his glove or tickle his armpit I really don't care. I try to get my players to not worry about that stuff, not focus on it.

"It's not important and if you want to go down that avenue, what's he supposed to do? Turn around, throw a punch and knock him out? What does that do or tell him: 'Please don't touch my glove'. We're not in a schoolyard. It's never been where my focus lies.

"If I saw one of my players doing it I'd say: 'Look, get the ball and play some football', but that doesn't mean it's not a strategy that can be used. I just don't care about it; it makes no impact on me."