Can the replacement of Ange Postecoglou unlock Tottenham’s Premier League success?

Postecoglou may have been seen as an exciting appointment, and fifth place last season didn’t have many fans panicking. However, this season has been nothing short of a disaster, and the chances of it improving are becoming slimmer. Ange hasn’t been sacked yet, but a look at the odds shows that a lot of bookmakers seem to think he won’t last too much longer. As poor results pile up, so does the pressure, and it’s becoming clear that he could be the next Premier League manager to leave their post.

Is it the right time?

This seems to be the question on people’s lips. A lot of people expected Ange to be sacked, and there is a lot of speculation that defeat in Europe could now seal his fate. With no European competition to focus on next season (unless form drastically changes,) fans will wonder why Postecoglou should be trusted at the helm for another season.

There is a school of thought that this is a longer-term project. Ange has brought in some young players, and the average age of the starting lineups has sometimes competed with the likes of Chelsea and Brighton—both of which have very young squads. Should Ange be allowed to give these players the chance to hit their peak before we judge him?

There is also an argument that he has been met with a lot of injuries. Not many people expected him to have to play Archie Gray in central defence so much this season. Players like him and Bergvall have had to step up, with mixed results. The squad has been missing some of its gems for much of the season.

Even with all these mitigating factors, sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League is really not acceptable for Spurs fans. If the season ends without silverware, there will be a lot of fans who have had enough. The excuses are wearing thin.

Who will be next?

We can only really speculate on who will be next, but some of that speculation is exciting to the Spurs fans who can remember Pochettino’s reign, as the Argentinian manager is linked with a return.

Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva have been linked with the role, along with fellow Premier League overachiever Thomas Frank. Some will be asking the question of why they would jump ship to Spurs at a time when they have finished so low in the table. This is especially true when we think about the lack of European football and the potential lack of investment that will come as a result.

Spurs might go more leftfield with the appointment they make next. Though Ange himself was something of a surprise to many, there could be a more obscure name out there that the top brass have their eye on.

A challenging task awaits

Fans will be expecting results, too. At the very least, fans will want to see Tottenham quickly catch up to those teams that were once dwarfed by Spurs being so far above them in the league. Fans don’t like being below the likes of Brentford (with all due respect to them).

The teams that do finish in the European spots will likely invest much more this season, and this could make the task even more difficult for Tottenham. Newcastle will inevitably spend more money as their newfound income will allow them to enhance the squad.

Has Ange built decent foundations?

It is controversial to defend him at the moment, but Ange Postecoglou has definitely given young players a chance and, at times, got plenty out of players like Van de Ven and Johnson.

What he has done will clearly need to be built on. The squad isn’t necessarily in a position to compete at the top level, but the likes of Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall could grow to be very good players. The task is going to be difficult, but it might not be the case of a total overhaul of the players. A solid core of 7 or 8 first-teamers is already in the squad.

Spurs need to improve, and fast. It is crucial that they reach a higher position in the league next season. There could be 10 teams in Europe from England this year, and Spurs may not be one of them…