'It's not a Willy Wonka golden ticket!' - Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham won't just settle for fourth-place finish as he aims for Premier League title

Postecoglou is preparing Spurs for Sunday's vital clash with Aston Villa, in which his fifth-placed team can cut the gap to their fourth-placed opponents to just two points with a win; a loss would see them fall eight points behind. However, he maintains that the club cannot place all of their eggs in the Champions League basket, as he instead targets Premier League glory.

Postecoglou was asked about Spurs' top-four credentials and replied: "I don't see the sense in trying to aim for something other than number one. What’s the point? I don't see the point. I’ve said all along, I’m in no desperation to get something just for comfort or insurance. I’m here to create a team that wins things. For me, it defies logic."

He added: "What’s more important is that come the end of this year, we’ve got a team that’s going to challenge the following year and keep growing.

"Mate, it’s not a Willy Wonka golden ticket, you know? It just gets you a year in the Champions League. But if you don’t build on that or grow from that, it is meaningless. Because we’re not in it for participation. We’re in it to win things. Yes, if we make Champions League this year, it means we’ve progressed from last year. 

 "But has our football progressed? Are we a better team? Are we a stronger team? Are we going to improve in the summer to make sure that next year we are going to be even better? That’s much more important to me. My target this year has always been to create a team that I hope will lay strong foundations for moving forward being a team that can win things. That’s where it begins and ends."

Postecoglou has done sterling work with Spurs thus far this season, with the club in with a real shout of Champions League qualification, although they do not have European football, nor are they still in the FA Cup or Carabao Cup. Spurs finished eighth last term, taking 60 points from 38 games. They already have 50 points from 26 outings this term.

Spurs' clash with Aston Villa may not be seen as vital to Postecoglou but one imagines a win will imbue the club with some real momentum. After facing Villa, Spurs play Fulham the following weekend.