Ange and the Culture Club

Postecoglou might have rankled Spurs supporters in recent days, but he will continue to push for excellence and won't countenance those who don't want to win.

Presumably, the Readymix concrete trucks have all departed Tottenham's luxurious training ground on the northern outskirts of London and the club's state-of-the-art new stadium at White Hart Lane, foundations at both locations now in a state of solid repair.

Ange Postecoglou very publicly drew attention to the cracks in the structure following his team's 2-0 loss to Manchester City early last week - a post-match press conference outburst that threatened to break the internet amongst Spurs supporters as they either suffered an attack of the vapours for what they believed was an unjustified slur or rushed to back their man as he spoke truth to power.

But, with the expertise of a master craftsman he has, to a great extent, repaired much of that damage, patching up his relationships with the club's supporters and any of the team's hierarchy who might have been offended by his suggestions.

In so doing, of course, he has also reinforced his own position and enhanced his standing both within and without Tottenham

By offering up a mea culpa to anyone within the Spurs camp who took offence that he took offence that they might not have been bothered by a defeat at City's hands if it meant hated local rivals Arsenal would not win the Premier League title, he has placated those who took the loudest umbrage.

But in couching the explanation the way he did on Friday - that he hadn't perhaps fully understood the depth of the hatred with the Gunners and that he was concerned that his own integrity would be questioned if he put out a weakened Spurs team which was hammered by City - he has been able to control the narrative and make one crucial point.

His crucial point is that he is bent on a course of action to change the club from top to bottom and instil a winning culture, to banish any sort of victim mentality as part of the root and branch reform needed to make Tottenham perennial title contenders.

While he conceded he may have misjudged the sense of schadenfreude some supporters were hoping to feel on Tuesday night, he has also made it clear that that sort of mentality has no place around a club that has designs on being a major contender on a continuous basis and that it is a mentality he will never understand. The unspoken message is that he will not tolerate it in the future.

This is how Postecoglou rolls: he is focused, determined, committed and intent on building the right culture to produce serial winners.

Unlike two of his recent predecessors, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, he is not a ''win now'' coach.

He is a coach who will build you a platform to win, and continue winning. He will be there when that winning starts, although he may not be there when the winning continues to occur given that his restless mind will continue to seek fresh challenges.

However, his blueprint comes with conditions. If he doesn't think there is 100 per cent buy-in from his bosses or players he will either walk himself or, in the case of players, get rid of those who cannot play to his system or don't want to.

Postecoglou has built success wherever he has been given time: at South Melbourne in Australia's old NSL, Brisbane Roar in the A-League, with the Australian national team (when they won the Asian Cup in 2015) and with J-League champions Yokohama, as well as with Celtic in the Scottish Premier League. Only Celtic amongst those teams was a traditional powerhouse and expected to win their league.

Tottenham are one of English football's biggest clubs, but their success has been more historical than current. Think of them as a highly functional Everton, without the financial worries and constant relegation struggles.

In Postecoglou they have a manager who might just guide them to the next level. If they give him time and the supporters get on the same page.

There are no guarantees, but the common consensus for the past half dozen years at Tottenham is that they have been handicapped by the club's culture.

In Postecoglou they have a change agent, a man who, if allowed, will change that culture - so that the next time they play Manchester City no-one will be hoping just for an honourable loss because it will be them, not Arsenal, who have the title on the line.