New footage shows exactly what Ange Postecoglou did to the Spurs fans despite his claims in a spiky post-match interview with Sky Sports.
Pressure continued to pile on the Australian after Spurs lost 1-0 to Chelsea on Thursday, with Enzo Fernandez scoring the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had a second goal from Moises Caicedo disallowed while Spurs also had a strike from substitute Pape Sarr following a lengthy VAR check which saw Craig Pawson go to the screen.
Much to Postecoglou's frustration, Pawson took four minutes to decide whether a foul from Sarr on Caicedo had been committed and opted to disallow it.
But when Sarr had found the net, a flurry of journalists on social media reported that Postecoglou cupped his ear to the Spurs supporters to his left.
The travelling away fans had just jeered his decision to take off Lucas Bergvall for Sarr and chanted "you don't know what you're doing" to the former Celtic manager.
Postecoglou's explanation for gesture
When questioned about the gesture by Patrick Davison of Sky Sports, Postecoglou played down the gesture and said it was "misinterpreted"
He proceeded to give an explanation for his antics when Spurs found the net, saying: "It's incredible how things get interpreted. We just scored, I just wanted to hear them cheer.
"I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game.I just felt momentum was [going] our way.
"We've been through a tough time and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited.
"It doesn't bother me. It's not the first time they've booed my substitutions or my decisions. That's fine, they're allowed to do that, but we just scored a goal, we just scored an equaliser."
Footage shows Postegocolou's gesture
Though he had initially told the reporter, "I have no idea what you're talking about" and that he looked at them as he "wanted them to cheer", a clip shared from Sky Sports' feed zoomed in on Postecoglou at the bottom of the screen and clearly showed him putting his hand to his ear in an action one might associate with Jose Mourinho and his goading of opposition.
Presenter Dave Jones noted that "he looks like he's cupping his ear to the fans doesn't he" while the clip was played.
Having been asked whether he risked alienating the fans with his actions, he stressed, "that's not what my intention was".
Ange Postecoglou clearly cupped his ears to the Spurs fans. Image: Getty Currently languishing in 14th in the table, Spurs return to action against Southampton on Sunday before they take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-final first leg at home on Thursday.