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NO WAY! ABSOLUTELY YES!

Arguably the most disliked down-under figure to make an appearance in this part of England since a notorious innkeeper from a famous TV drama took part in a Mansfield panto two decades ago, the Greek-Australian’s reign at the club’s home could begun in the worst possible way. Even though the heckling and shouts that TV star Stefan Dennis was endured during Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood were mostly in fun, the venom of the criticism hurled at the Australian coach during the team’s Bigger Vase defeat by the Danish side on Thursday was so severe that it is hard to believe the coach who has been in charge for just six matches will still be around to endure the seasonal boos this Christmas. Repeatedly the 60-year-old’s shouts of “Watch out behind!” went ignored by his unfortunate players, particularly when the visiting team scored their initial strikes from atrociously defended set-pieces. A long way from the joyous atmosphere they’d anticipated, the team’s first UEFA fixture on home soil in 29 years ended in bitterness with the crowd telling Postecoglou he’d be “dismissed soon”, before praising his well-liked, newly sacked predecessor, Nuno Espírito Santo.

“I understand the atmosphere won’t be positive, I know how fans feel, especially about me, but I never worry about that, I’ve been here before,” Postecoglou growled in answer, while subjecting the ground near him to the now customary death-stare. “Nothing surprises me in football, it’s the way things are. This seems to be the direction. It’s nothing I can control. Followers are let down, they have every right to their view. I listened to what they said.” And while those followers are free to express anger, it could be suggested that they might be better advised choosing a better aim for their ire. Ultimately, it was the Greek businessman who sacked a beloved manager to bring in the new boss, who was always going to face a tough task from day one. Watching from the directors’ box as he went through a range of surly, dark scowls not seen since that period he found out Tottenham had activated Morgan Gibbs-White’s buyout option, the Greek tycoon has thus far mostly avoided any kind of major backlash from the crowd, a good number of whom remain convinced the he can do no wrong.

As the clock ticked past noon on Friday, rumours of Postecoglou getting sacked in the morning proved to be greatly exaggerated and reports suggest his job remains secure until such time as … well, it isn’t. Although the team manager can make a reasonable case that he has had little or no time on the training ground to introduce the philosophy and tactical nuance that caused Tottenham Hotspur failing to win 22 of their 38 top-flight games last term, his team’s fixture list remains forbidding and relentless. With Newcastle, the Blues, the Portuguese giants and the South-Coast team on the horizon it is hard to predict from where a initial success under the new boss will come before what could likely be the mother of all El Sackicos against the Old Trafford side.

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TOP STATEMENT

“I steer clear of heated debates, who points fingers, actually, I’ll refrain from naming names. However I believe there was some disrespect, plus some impoliteness, without anyone offering a greeting” – the United player criticizes the Red Devils over the frosty environment at their stadium, where warmth has likely worsened like the side’s performance.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

Is it true the coach has promised supporters he guarantees victory in his next campaign?” – a fan.

It’s not my place to wish to reinforce the cliché that Gunners fans are the sport’s most complaining followers, but Thabo Caves (the previous day’s mailbag) does make you think. Noting that rather than a couple of matches weekly, Arsenal are having to play more than two fixtures each week (oh, a half-hour more!) over a specific three-week period (for a team with two good options for every position to as well) is not the argument-settler he might imagine. Rather it’s just going to have the smallest fiddle players tuning up their instruments once more, while the wider sport look on with exasperation” – a different supporter.

I can’t work out whether your current contributors (on several fixtures each week) are deliberately, mockingly repeating one of the high points of web discussion (SFW), or inadvertently demonstrating Marx’s adage about historical events repeating themselves as farce” – a respondent.

To comfort you, the previous correspondent (the last mailbag), I’m the same [wishing wealthy English teams to fail on the continent]. Since Forest lost the ability to negotiate Europe, European competition for me has induced a state of helpless fury, interrupted now and then by the Eastern European team and, if pressed, Zaragoza. I couldn’t care less for the Reds’ achievements from the 80s right up to the Champions League win. I’m indifferent to {‘that