There’s another question that I believe needs answering: How good (or bad) is Ange Postecoglou? The problem is, it’s almost impossible to tell from his 24 months at the helm. His stunning entrance to the Premier League, taking Tottenham to the top of the pile following that unbeaten 10-game run, seems to have worked against […]
It’s time for Daniel Levy to buck his own trend and stick with ‘Big ‘Ange’
Following weeks of silence from, well, everybody at Tottenham Hotspur, the deafening whispers of a managerial change are starting to fill the air around N17. We all know that Daniel Levy is no shrinking violet when it comes to removing the man in the dugout, but now is the time for him to hold his nerve and stick with the manager who delivered the club’s first European trophy in 41 years.
Yes, at times, he has misunderstood the emotions involved with being a Spurs supporter – City at home, anyone? (nice one, Sonny!). And yes, the league form has been dreadful since the end of the ten-game run at the start of his tenure, and there is certainly enough evidence to suggest that relieving Ange of his duties is the sensible, objective thing to do.
However, since when has anything to do with football, especially supporting a football club, been objective? It’s about emotion and glory, and the scenes two weeks ago as hundreds of thousands of supporters lined the streets from Edmonton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were the embodiment of that – a pure, real connection between fans, players, and the manager that cannot be underestimated. Removing Postecoglou from his position immediately terminates that connection and spells the end of the team that provided us with that special night only a matter of weeks ago. The club’s greatest modern achievement could quickly be shrouded in negativity and derision. By sticking with the gruff Australian, Levy can build the club on a feeling that has long been missing, and following the qualification for the Champions League, can offer the current group, staff and players one final chance to show that they are good enough to carve out consistent results in two premium competitions. Do we not believe that night in Bilbao earned them that, at the very least?
There’s another question that I believe needs answering: How good (or bad) is Ange Postecoglou? The problem is, it’s almost impossible to tell from his 24 months at the helm. His stunning entrance to the Premier League, taking Tottenham to the top of the pile following that unbeaten 10-game run, seems to have worked against him. The drop-off that followed the 4-1 defeat at home to Chelsea seemed calamitous, but surely it was Spurs finding their true level. A team that has to deal with the loss of Harry Kane and injuries to Micky Van de Ven and James Maddison whilst implementing a drastic new style of play can expect bumps in the road. So, in the end, a fifth-place finish – ahead of Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United – if not a success, was a foundation that the team could build on.
Fast-forward twelve months, and we find ourselves in a similar position. An awful league season that would have seen us in a genuine relegation battle in many Premier League seasons coincided with two impressive cup runs. The Carabao Cup run that saw us defeat both Manchester clubs and eventual PL champions Liverpool in the first leg of the semi-final mustn’t be underestimated; then, of course, that memorable evening in the Basque country and the glorious celebrations that followed.
But, by the time we reached Bilbao, with Maddison and Kulusevski injured, Postecoglou continued to face some of the deeper issues that had plagued the league season, which the manager himself had spoken of on numerous occasions.
Postecoglou talked about injuries (a lot!), but his opinion does hold some weight. In total, Spurs lost 1,553 days to injury, behind only Brighton, including to first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven, who no one can doubt is crucial to Ange’s style of play, and Cristian Romero, who only started 13 and 18 league games, respectively. That’s not to say he couldn’t have adapted better and quicker to the hand he was dealt, just an understanding that there is some justification for his views. I think it’s fair to say that should our injury problems be reduced by half, we will get a better understanding of what Ange has implemented in his time at Hotspur Way.
Then there’s recruitment. Since the summer of 2024, we have signed eight players with an average age of 21. Now, while I am excited to follow the development of the likes of Bergvall, Gray, and Odobert, it’s clear that the strategy was to secure young, talented players with the long-term in mind. It’s no surprise that Ange publicly stated, when speaking after the Europa League final, his desire for more experienced players to come through the door, saying, “If we do some good business in the transfer market, obviously brings some experience in, I’m not talking about age, I’m talking about players who have played at this level and can help the team, then I’ve got no doubt we can make the impact we want.”
Now, while this may sound like a contradiction, the inconsistency is precisely why I would give Ange a third season. It’s time to truly see if he has the temperament, quality and tactical acumen to use the experiences of the past two seasons to deliver consistent results that can take this team forward. That’s why I believe Daniel Levy must stick with Big Ange. He must him his make-or-break moment. No excuses. No more talk of ‘the project’. Ange has completed his Spurs internship, and now is the time for him to apply all the experiences of the past two seasons to create and lead a team that can compete over 38 games of a Premier League season and be among the challengers for the Champions League spaces.
My concern is that Levy will move on, and an opportunity will be lost – an opportunity to see a project through to the very end, for good or bad. By sacking Postecoglou, he will eradicate the feeling of unity and joy and, once again, leave Spurs fans wondering what might have been.
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10 Comments
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06/06/2025 @ 2:18 pm
No no no no and no. Big Ange has to go, he may have lucked out and played a really poor Man Utd side in the final but he is the worst manager ever. Dont stick or next year we might not be so lucky and have 3 really poor sides in the league.
06/06/2025 @ 2:22 pm
How the hell can you keep a manager who lost 22 premier league games out of 38 and was very lucky to get us in the top six the season before when most of that season we were in the top four so you want spurs to keep him next season even a computer is saying we will finish 15th three points above the relegation spot next season if that’s the case are all you spurs fans who want to keep him going to be happy
06/06/2025 @ 2:24 pm
So you want us to ignore the worst season in our PL history (and the second lowest real points total since we joined the Football League in 1908) because we blundered our way past a string of unknowns and second-raters (including the worst United team in 50 years) to win the EL by a ‘bus-parking’ performance, of which Mourinho or Conte would have been proud? If Postecoglou stays, we can write-off next season, and be looking for a new coach before Christmas, if not Halloween. We already know how bad he is – the past 66 PL performances are a pretty good guide, surely?
06/06/2025 @ 3:06 pm
I agree, we could be looking for a new coach come Christmas, but I believe that after the EL win – I personally don’t care how we won it (that’s for other fans to use as a stick to beat us with!) – he has enough credit in the bank to start the season and put his words into action. If it doesn’t work, I don’t see it being a disaster as we have a young squad and, if we recruit well, a new manager wouldn’t need to rip it up and start again.
As much as it hurts, we only have to look across The Emirates to see how letting it play out a little longer could turn out. COYS
06/06/2025 @ 2:34 pm
Every intelligent Spurs fan I know, and also myself, thinks that he should be gone. And yet somehow there are too many ‘known unknowns’ at play here to be 100% sure that is the right decision. It makes no sense.
Would he have finished 5th in his first season if the club was in Europe?
Should we have finished higher that season?
Is it really his tactics that’s to blame or the lack of any decent midfield cover for the defence?
Is the transfer policy correctly aligned with what he wants/needs? And will it ever be?
What happens to that winning vibe if we off him?
Does his style of play result in more injuries?
Are the medical staff to blame?
Is Thomas Frank the answer?
Am I losing my fucking mind?
Among the evidence for the prosecution…
Losing to Leicester/Ipswich/Nearly everyone
Finishing 17th
The continual chaos in our penalty area
The continual chaos in my noggin which says this should be cut and dried. No manager should be allowed to have such a terrible league season and keep his job. The club has to set standards.
And yet…the vibes, mate. The vibes. WTF? Sack him. No….don’t. Hnnnnng.
06/06/2025 @ 2:39 pm
I’m with you ange has to stay! for all the reasons you quoted. there is more reason to keep him. That is the recruitment and the development of the academy players. The ones out on loan need to be integrated into the first team. Had they been there to begin with they would have filled in for the injured. Also the under 18 and under 21 have adopted the same style of play that Ange wants so it would be easier to bring them on. Instead they go out on loan and learn bad habits which will have to be rectified when they come back to Spurs.
the whole point of having an academy to bring n talent good enough for the first team, not block them off by spending money on players their age and not as good from other academy’s. I want to see these young guys getting some very important first team experience, So that would be ready to step in, also it would ease the pressure on experienced players playing too many games in short periods of time. Hence recovery time keeping them fit and away from the treatment table.
06/06/2025 @ 3:01 pm
If the fans players are behind him it would be bad fire him
06/06/2025 @ 3:23 pm
I would lean towards sacking him – but there is just the chance that properly backed in this window, he will address some of the obvious flaws.
I would back him to see what happens – he and his obviously united supportive players have earned the right to see the “project” through.
I want an end to the dithering – he should be backed – the quality of the players is obvious – it’s learning to manage them in the most demanding league in the world.
06/06/2025 @ 3:40 pm
Postecoglou had very little to do with the Europa League Cup win. The major credit for the Semi-final and Final wins should go to Romero. The player who had never lost a final was not going to lose this one. World class team and game management, particularly being on the case of Porro.
To be fair Postecoglou tried very hard to win relegation with outstanding losses to Ipswich and Leicester at home. I have no doubt given another season he would succeed.
The trophy brigade who do not care about playing competitively in the league I guess would be happy playing in the Championship
In his first season Ange boasted that he could not manage. “ I have not got the players to play my system”. In his second he demonstrated it. Using tactics and formation according to the players you have available, their strengths and weaknesses, the team coherence and the opposition apparently was not worth considering. Some people learn from experience not Postecoglou.
16/06/2025 @ 8:01 am
I agree that he deserves a chance, especially with the clear support from his players. With proper backing in the transfer window, he might fix the team’s key weaknesses. It’s time to commit fully and see where this project can go.