The coach will bid to lead Tottenham to their first trophy for 17 years in the all-English Bilbao showpiece against Manchester United on Wednesday (21.05.25) amidst a dreadful league campaign and took exception to a newspaper article suggesting he will be defined as either a "hero or a clown" depending on the result.

Postecoglou told reporters: "I'll tell you one thing: irrespective of what happens tomorrow, I'm not a clown and I never will be. I'm really disappointed that you would use such terminology about a person who for 26 years without any favours from anyone has worked his way to a position where he's leading out a club in a European major competition [final].

"For you to suggest that somehow us not being successful means that I'm a clown ... [I'm] not really sure how to answer that question."

Postecoglou's future is under threat as a result of Tottenham's desperate domestic campaign but he insists that he isn't concerned about the speculation.

He said: "Does it matter? Really? It doesn't matter because the reality of it is the opportunity is the same, for me and more importantly for the club.

"I've said before that whatever happens beyond (tonight) is kind of irrelevant when you think about the opportunity that exists right now.

"That opportunity is to provide something special for the football club and for the supporters and for everyone who has worked so hard, not just this year but for the 15, 16 years, however long it has been without a trophy and also the 41 years without a European trophy.

"If I was worried about my tenure at this football club, it's fair to say we wouldn't have been in this position because I would have been distracted long ago."