Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou makes hilarious 'duck' analogy about Harry Kane's exit to Bayern Munich as he admits there might have been 'panic' behind the scenes

The record goal-scorer for Spurs left the club for Bayern Munich just before the start of the current Premier League season. His departure left a significant void in the squad, raising concerns about Tottenham's prospects for the season ahead. The apprehensions were compounded since there was a new manager at the helm with Postecoglou taking charge immediately after the striker's departure.

However, Postecoglou has managed to weather the storm and Tottenham find themselves still in contention for Champions League qualification - which would be a significant achievement in his debut season and without any star replacement for the forward. However, the Australian admitted that Kane's departure was a challenging moment for the club but was pleasantly surprised with how the players maintained their composure in the face of adversity.

While speaking about Kane's departure, Postecoglou told reporters: "I think that was sort of the starting point for us. Because I was literally sitting in here the day before the Brentford game and he’d just left.

“So you’re starting a season and the most significant person at this football club, maybe ever, has just left on the eve of the first game. And I remember making a real conscious effort of… it’s the old duck just looking really graceful above the water and if there’s any panicking happening, make sure it’s under the water where nobody can see, particularly the players.

"The players never batted an eyelid — which they could have. Especially when you look at what Harry has done this year (at Bayern Munich). It has been unbelievable. You just go, ‘Gee — that’s a significant player that has left this football club.’ And yet he hasn’t been mentioned as much as he would have been had we not been scoring goals.”

Tottenham's performance on the field has been commendable, with the team on track to surpass their goal-scoring tally from the previous season. Currently, Spurs are poised to score 77 Premier League goals (having already scored 65 in 32 matches), an improvement from the 70 goals scored in the previous campaign. This statistic underscores the team's collective effort and determination to succeed despite losing their talismanic forward.

Looking ahead, Tottenham will receive a boost with the return of Richarlison, who has recovered from injury and is set to feature against Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday. It will be a crucial fixture for both teams, albeit for different reasons - as a victory for Postecolou's men will be a major step in securing Champions League football next season.