Ange Postecoglou backs Liverpool to maintain high standards after Jurgen Klopp departs

Jurgen Klopp announced last week he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, while Pep Guardiola is in his ninth year in charge of City.

Ange Postecoglou does not envisage Liverpool and Manchester City falling away any time soon (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou does not predict Liverpool or Manchester City falling away in the coming years irrespective of who manages both clubs.

City have won five of the last six Premier League titles with current leaders Liverpool breaking the monopoly in 2020, but Jurgen Klopp will depart Anfield at the end of the campaign.

Klopp will leave after nine seasons in England and Pep Guardiola will match that tally next term.

Postecoglou has repeatedly expressed his desire for Spurs to regularly compete with the best clubs in England, but knows they must improve and not rely on others to dip in order for that to happen.

“If that’s your only hope, waiting for the top ones to slip? I just don’t think you get there. I really don’t,” he said ahead of Brentford’s visit on Wednesday.

“I’d rather them be at their best and we match them, get up to their level and exceed it. Rather than hope they slip up. I just don’t think that’s a strategy. It is more of a wish.

“We got a real good indicator the other night and to be fair to the lads we hung in there, fought hard but we were playing against probably the best side in the world at the moment and there was a difference between us, for sure.

“If we’re hoping they will come back to us, rather than us try to get to them, you’re chasing a lost cause.

“I just don’t see them coming back to the field. Even with Jurgen going, I still think there is a really strong squad there, a really strong mentality.

“I’ll be very surprised if whoever takes over doesn’t continue to build on that.

“I always think with those kind of things, it’s up to the challengers to change the status quo. That can only happen if you have that sort of desire and will to challenge that and not be afraid of falling short, because ultimately if you don’t, they’re just going to keep winning.”

What may help Tottenham’s cause is the growing revenue streams at the club after they were placed eighth in last week’s Deloitte Football Money League.

It makes Spurs the richest club in London with a revenue of £549.2million in the 2022-23 season.

But Postecoglou insisted: “It helps and it’s a credit to the club we got ourselves in that position, but that’s not what clubs are measured by. They’re measured by other things.”

The Australian was also guarded on whether this quiet January transfer window is a sign of things to come.

He added: “Hard to say if this is the New World. Obviously there’s financial parameters dictating how these windows work.

“Maybe the way clubs are working is sort of changing. I think there are more strategic decisions and less not panic buys, but desperation just to bring anybody in, or just buy someone.

“I think clubs are being a little bit more strategic now in these moves. I also think there’s very little secrets out there.

“If you went through all the Premier League clubs and snatched their list of 18-21 targets, I don’t think there would be a lot of difference between them all.

“Everyone’s a little bit more cagey and strategic. Will it last? Maybe. I don’t know, but that’s certainly the indication I get at the moment.”