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It’s not very often I concern myself with events going on in a particular part of north London. It’s certainly rarer still that I particularly care what goes on there!

But something caught my attention recently and left me, dare I say it, with a degree of sympathy with the individual concerned – a certain manager by the name of Ange Postecoglou.




Not the fact that ‘Angeball’ - not long ago hailed as the best thing since sliced bread - had now morphed into ‘Ange out’. That I find amusing! What I had sympathy with was Postecoglou’s claim that someone continues to leak mischievous information from within his club – making dealing with an already awful season even harder to swallow.

“We will deal with it,” said a typically blunt Postecoglou “I’ve got a fair idea where it’s coming from...”

Graham Potter hasn’t voiced publicly the same concerns over unhelpful ‘leaks’ in recent weeks from within his club – but clearly our Head Coach hasn’t only got a misfiring squad to deal with, he has a frequent voice in a high place who’s not exactly making his job any easier via an annoying campaign to undermine him.

It’s fairly common knowledge that David Sullivan only wanted to offer Potter a six-month contract to see out the season after Julen Lopetegui’s eventual departure. But Potter wanted more security – and remained firm on that demand. Eventually he got his way, after the more receptive Baroness Brady oversaw negotiations.

Sully’s nose was clearly put out of joint – and it’s hardly coincidence since then there have been a number of instances involving ‘leaks’ from the top, made public through known mouthpieces, looking designed to stir mischief.

It’s not a good look for the club – and it can hardly make for a comfortable atmosphere for Potter to work in.




The most recent example is us being told by a said site: “had Potter been appointed on a six month contract – as one board member had requested (guess who) - it’s likely the club would be looking for a new manager this summer.” If that isn’t provocative what is? It’s certainly not helpful in the present climate.

Our pursuit of Jonathan David has been well reported for some time. We’re said to have made a significant offer to the player and his agent – who’s on a ‘free’ in the summer – claimed to be close to £50m when added up. Naturally that’s the kind of talk our fanbase wants to hear.

But as a caveat we’re then informed from a ‘reliable source’ Potter is stalling on a final push for the player, as he looks for a more traditional No 9. Casting the Head Coach as the stumbling block to any possible deal.

Similarly we looked to have missed out on another attractive target in Angel Gomes, a player we were said to be keen on, but we were then conveniently told Potter personally called the Lille and England midfielder to convince him over the project – but Gomes turned him down.

That looks to me like another attempt at questioning the head coach’s credibility.

Life is difficult enough for Potter at the moment. There are plenty of critics on social media all too ready to condemn him with his tenure at the club barely into its fourth month. That’s fine – it goes with the territory. Supporters are entitled to have their say – good or bad. Graham Potter would be the first to acknowledge that.




But when his credentials are constantly being challenged from within the club? From a direction he not unreasonably might expect support, Potter’s patience, despite his calm exterior, must surely be tested.

David Moyes was faced with a similar situation at times during his reign, particularly towards the end when mischievous leaks allied with pressure from within was being targeted in his direction. Eventually of course he’d had enough and walked.

There’s no suggestion Potter is anywhere near that stage this early in his two-and-a-half year contract. Although recently we were ‘helpfully’ informed, via a ‘top source’ of course, there was a mutually agreed 18-month break clause allowing either Potter or the club to end his role at the end of next season.

Timing is everything – and that particular leak was timed with purpose.

Ange claimed he was ‘narrowing down’ his disruptive leak. Although after the Spuds’ most recent 18th Premier League defeat of the season (we’ve suffered three fewer than that by the way) unearthing the culprit may not matter much longer to Postecoglou.

In Potter’s case though, it’s unlikely to require an aspiring Sherlock Holmes to identify who’s behind the unwelcome leaks in east London.

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