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Ange Postecoglou will not tell Tottenham supporters how to feel about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict but hopes his team can provide a sense of escapism when they host Fulham on Monday night.<\/p>\n
The fixture will be Spurs\u2019 first at home since tensions escalated in the Middle East, with hundreds of Palestinian civilians killed in a massive blast at a Gaza City hospital on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
A statement was issued by Tottenham earlier this month in response to the initial war breaking out between Israel and Hamas, but some supporters were critical of the club for failing to show support for victims from the Jewish community, which has a long-standing affiliation with the Premier League outfit.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou answered questions about the ongoing conflict during Friday\u2019s press conference and although he discussed the topic at length, he was keen to point out the role of his players is merely to help fans forget their troubles for 90 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have the responsibility of being a football manager but like everyone else, I\u2019m a human being and you struggle with these things and you understand that other people will struggle with them,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy life experience has taught me not to judge or come to any strong conclusions. I\u2019ll let the people who are affected by it be the guide in these kinds of things, because it\u2019s very easy for others to cast judgement but in all these things, you are guided by people who are directly affected.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not the custodian of this club. I have been at this club for four months or whatever it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople have spent lifetimes in these clubs, so I am not going to go round telling people how to feel, how to behave, how to act, what to think.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said, I think the greatest role a football club can play in these scenarios is to provide what they have always provided \u2013 a sense of one place where people can come and escape and hopefully unite as one to support their football club.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, maybe sort of take them away from whatever troubles they may have. I think that\u2019s the greatest role any football club has.\u201d<\/p>\n
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No Israel or Palestine flags will be allowed into Tottenham\u2019s stadium on Monday, which was a club-wide move by the Premier League in an attempt to ease any potential tension among supporters during this weekend.<\/p>\n
A minute\u2019s silence has occurred in all top-flight matches but Postecoglou was eager to focus on football in its purest form when quizzed about the feeling of fans affected by the Israel-Hamas war.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWhen we go out there on Monday night there will be 60,000 \u2013 and hundreds of thousands around the world \u2013 who just want to see their football team play some exciting football and win a game and give them that joy that only football can bring.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause, you know, when you score in that last minute to win a game of football, you don\u2019t care who is next to you. Do you?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t care where they come from, what they think or what they believe. You are united as one for that moment. That\u2019s what football provides.\u201d<\/p>\n
Postecoglou did also reveal support is on hand for Israel international Manor Solomon, who is currently out with a knee injury while the war is impacting his home nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot specifically (about the war). I have spoken to Manor because he\u2019s dealing with a couple of things. He has just had his surgery as well. I have been helping him through that process,\u201d the Spurs boss revealed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, it\u2019s not about me trying to extract information from him. I am there.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going through what he is going through, like a lot of people in his position. Hopefully like I said, he feels like there\u2019s a place here where he feels if he needs some extra help or guidance, we can give it to him.\u201d<\/p>\n