Why there’s so much more at stake for Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim than a semi-final spot, writes SIMON JORDAN

Both Tottenham and Manchester United are embroiled in their own internal culture wars.

Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim have had no qualms about changing their respective clubs, making Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final match between them significant.

At United, the culture has gone wrong. Once the model for English football has been developed, the club has to reverse the degradation of its value and achievements.

Tottenham’s weakness and fragility is more intrinsic and goes back decades. They are seen as lacking in fiber and happy to be close to success, but lacking the inherent determination that needs to manifest to change the narrative of a trophy in this century.

Its president, Daniel Levy, is criticized for caring only about money, but he will tell you that the purpose of the profits is to invest in the team to remodel the football club.

I specifically asked him for a soon-to-be-released TV documentary: Would you rather make a small profit and win the Premier League or a big profit and finish fourth?

He said he would accept the prize and less money; He knows he has to win something.

For Amorim at Old Trafford, the Carabao Cup is also his first and arguably best chance of a title in his debut season.

Leaving Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for the weekend’s Manchester derby was similar to how Erik ten Hag initially dealt with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho, but Amorim benefits from two things: charisma and timing.

While Ten Hag seemed uncomfortable in the spotlight, Amorim is thriving, so people applaud his robustness.

Some managers are able to explain important decisions in a certain way. Amorim didn’t throw Rashford under the bus, he just pushed him to the side. The England star is therefore given fair warning, but also has the choice of whether to join or not.

His most recent comments suggest not, although God knows how his “new challenge” will work out. Who is going to take over the remaining three years of his contract at £315,000 a week and pay a transfer fee?

Amorim knows that tolerance for United’s underperforming players is over. Fans, pundits and even Sir Jim Ratcliffe are willing to make spicy comments about them, so Amorim took the opportunity to show his authority.

He would have had no obligation to tell the hierarchy about his team selection, but I imagine there were conversations before his appointment in which Amorim made it clear that the players would have to fight for their place or flee.

I assume that in arranging the appointment, Sir Jim will be happy to allow the manager that freedom to sort out problems.

United have reached a point where Amorim can get into the stands, but he has been clever.

There must be a purpose when scolding someone. If you’re just doing it to vent rather than improve something, what’s the point?

I didn’t really like managers channeling me through the media when they didn’t get something they wanted, rather than telling me directly.

At the same time, what feels like welcome, refreshing honesty on the part of the manager is judged that way because it happens infrequently.

Amorim can’t bring out its message of getting fit or getting on board repeatedly. People will get the memo or they won’t.

At Spurs, Ange Postecoglou didn’t even bother with Amorim’s niceties when he called Timo Werner’s performance at Glasgow Rangers “unacceptable.” He also put Cristian Romero in his lane when the defender questioned the lack of transfer spending.

We know Spurs fans crave a trophy. They are no more defiant than any other group of fans, but their club is in a unique position: many supporters, great financial strength, world-class stadium, but still an empty trophy cabinet.

Postecoglou is trying to implement changes in his own way, including firing broadsides. He wants to win a war, not the battle.

Remember your anger when some fans wanted their own team to lose to Manchester City and that’s why Arsenal didn’t win the league?

Tottenham has been that modern story of Premier League participation with reasonable spending, decent achievements and plenty of headlines, but no big wins.

Ange doesn’t look for cover. By declaring that he always wins trophies in his second season, he is showing an ambition that he knows could be used against him. I admire your position. Whether it’s reckless or not, we’ll find out.

If they end their Carabao Cup trophy drought, Spurs will have to move on. It hasn’t helped that the Spursy nickname has been effectively encouraged by comments from their own coaches, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

What Amorim and Ange share is the understanding that entertainment is an important part of the modern game. They are eminently visible in interviews, and while the ultimate equation is winning, there is an element of tolerance if you entertain people along the way: smoke and mirrors.

Playing attractively allows you to buy time (which Postecoglou has given) to the point where it has to be translated into something more tangible.

That’s why I asked Levy that key question: Would you trade less profit for more glory?

He has made Tottenham more than sustainable and not dependent on the individual whims of a benefactor. It is not easy when other clubs have depended on national states and oligarchs.

Levy’s response made it clear that he wants to win trophies as much as any Spurs fan. At United, the same will be true for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team’s supporters.

That’s why there is more at stake on Thursday night than a place in the League Cup semi-final. It is about the soul of Tottenham and Manchester United extending beyond money.

Football is judged by wins, not just the win and loss columns. It’s about passion, pride and achievement. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what great sport should be about.

Mudryk can learn from Pogba’s example

While Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk waits to see the result of his failed drugs test, Paul Pogba is a warning about where it may lead.

The former Manchester United midfielder served an 18-month ban for a doping offence, was released by Juventus and, although he is now available to resume his career, I wouldn’t touch him for a moment.

He was clearly a good player at one time and a World Cup winner, but he has fallen into disrepute and his private life is in chaos. I think that as a serious football proposition, Pogba is finished.

I have seen him linked with Manchester City, but I would be shocked if Pep Guardiola thought he was the answer to the current malaise.

Mudryk protests his innocence and we will have to see how his case ends. He won’t want a career decline on the scale of Pogba, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn’t receive a ban.

Can Fury overcome his biggest challenge in boxing?

This week marks the first time Tyson Fury has stepped into the ring after losing his previous fight, making Saturday night’s rematch against Oleksandr Usyk the litmus test of his career.

Fury has dug himself out of many holes in and out of the ring, from being considered a joke before fighting Wladimir Klitschko to the demons that led to drug abuse and lack of conditioning.

This is his biggest challenge in boxing, but he is the kind of man you would turn to to overcome adversity.

If Fury is an irresistible force, Usyk is an immovable object. A victory would be Tyson’s greatest achievement. I wouldn’t bet against him.