Japhet Tanganga Looks Forward to Reuniting with Ange Postecoglou After Successful Millwall Loan
Japhet Tanganga has expressed his enthusiasm for working with Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou again following the conclusion of his loan spell at Millwall. Tanganga, who was not in Postecoglou’s plans for the 2023/24 season, initially moved on loan to Augsburg in Germany. However, his stint in the Bundesliga was marred by a knee injury, preventing him from making any appearances for the club.
After returning to Tottenham in January, Tanganga was promptly loaned out to Millwall in the Championship. This move proved highly beneficial, as the 25-year-old defender played a key role in helping Neil Harris’ side secure their Championship status after a tumultuous first half of 2024. Tanganga made 18 appearances for Millwall, gaining valuable playing time and showcasing his abilities.
Reflecting on his return to Tottenham, Tanganga is eager to train under Postecoglou’s guidance once more. “Yes, I am looking forward to working with Ange,” he told *football.london* via SkyBet. “Before I went on loan to Germany, I saw his ideas in pre-season and liked them. He’s very attack-minded and likes to keep the ball. I’m looking forward to seeing his ideas and being a part of it.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Tanganga remains focused on building on his positive experience at Millwall. “My focus is to build on my spell at Millwall, with the number of games I played,” he said. “You want to be in a position where you’re playing week in, week out, so whether that’s at Spurs or somewhere else, that is something that needs to be discussed in the future and we’ll see where we go from there.”
Injuries have significantly disrupted Tanganga’s time in Tottenham’s first team, limiting him to just 50 appearances over four seasons. His loan spell at Millwall was crucial not only for regular playing time but also to demonstrate his physical resilience. Starting 17 of his 18 games for Millwall, Tanganga is now aiming to play 30 to 40 matches in a season to firmly re-establish his career.
“It’s been very important to have a consistent run of games because when you’re not fit, you start doubting yourself,” Tanganga explained. “Not only for others to see that I can play consistently but also for myself. Thankfully, I’ve shown that I can do it, and now I hope to kick on and play more than I did at Millwall – maybe 30 or 40 games in a season.”
Tanganga’s tenure at Millwall also allowed him to develop his leadership qualities. Millwall manager Neil Harris praised Tanganga for growing in confidence and taking on a vocal role within the team. “It’s brought out a side that I knew I always had,” Tanganga said. “Playing football is the most important thing, and when you’re not playing, you sometimes start doubting yourself. But having the manager’s confidence and trust allowed me to show more of myself.”
Reflecting on his biggest takeaway from his successful spell with Millwall, Tanganga emphasized the importance of consistent play and adapting to the Championship’s intensity. “We’ve defended a lot at Millwall,” he noted. “At Spurs, you have most of the ball, whereas at Millwall we had to be switched on and defend well. Defending is my strength, but the main thing from this spell was about consistency and playing regularly for 90 minutes. With the intensity of the game and the Championship, coping and dealing with it is the biggest thing I’ve learnt which I can take forward.”
Tanganga’s future remains uncertain, but his positive loan spell at Millwall has undoubtedly set the stage for the next chapter in his career, whether at Tottenham or elsewhere.
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