Tottenham Hotspur has ultimately decided to draw the sword. According to reports, despite having won a trophy, the club has made up its mind to dismiss manager Ange Postecoglou.
Football Insider reported on the 1st (Korea time), "According to sources, Tottenham has decided to fire Postecoglou. Currently, Tottenham's official position is that a final decision has not yet been made, as Chairman Daniel Levy has been overseas for the past few weeks."
The outlet explained, "However, we have heard that the Tottenham hierarchy has decided to end Postecoglou's command of the North London club about a week after securing their first trophy in 17 years. The Tottenham board has been waiting to see the euphoria of the Europa League victory fade in Bilbao and to test the atmosphere among the supporters."
And now is the time. Football Insider added, "Tottenham is currently hastening to find a new manager. An official announcement regarding the dismissal of Postecoglou is expected in the coming days. The 59-year-old Australian Postecoglou will pay the price for a season that saw the club tumble to a record low of 17th, with 22 losses and 65 goals conceded in the Premier League."
This season, Tottenham cannot be considered to have had a successful season, even after escaping a 17-year trophy drought. The contrasts between highs and lows were stark.
First, they lifted the trophy by defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final. It was their first title since winning the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season.
However, they could not escape the worst slump in the Premier League. Tottenham concluded the season with a record of 11 wins, 5 draws, and 22 losses, finishing with 38 points and a goal difference of -1 (64 goals scored and 65 conceded). Their ranking of 17th marked the worst performance in the club's history in the Premier League, surpassing their previous low of 15th in the 1993-1994 season.
They also set a new record for the most losses in a single season. Looking back even before the Premier League was established in 1992, the last instance of 20 losses in a 38-match system was in the 1912-1913 season; however, this time they racked up 22 losses. This number ties as the most losses in a single season in the club's history across all formats.
As a result, manager Postecoglou's future is uncertain, even after delivering a trophy to Tottenham. Local reports in the UK suggested that regardless of the trophy, he was likely to leave the team after this season. In the last match, disappointed Tottenham fans also booed Chairman Levy.
Of course, Postecoglou has strongly expressed his desire to remain at Tottenham. During the victory parade on the 24th, he stated, "The best drama is that season 3 is better than season 2," appealing for his stay.
He also protested the calls for his dismissal, saying, "How would you assess it? This season was incredible! We won a trophy that we hadn't obtained in 17 years and qualified for the Champions League. I am sure that if you had asked someone at Tottenham at the start of the season whether they would accept these results, no one would have said no."
Additionally, he expressed that he could not understand the uncertainty surrounding his future. Postecoglou emphasized, "To be honest, I thought it was really strange to be discussing my future after accomplishing something unprecedented. I had to answer these questions because no one else at the club is in a position to do so. However, I cannot answer questions about myself and my future. On the one hand, I also wonder, 'Why am I receiving such questions?'"
But the reality is harsh. Football Insider reported, "Tottenham is targeting three proven managers in the Premier League. They seem to have made some progress in seeking Postecoglou's successor, which will be confirmed when his dismissal is finalized." Names mentioned include Thomas Frank, manager of Brentford, Marco Silva of Fulham, and Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth.
The outlet noted, "All three are favorites among the Tottenham board and have proven their abilities in the Premier League. They possess one of the most preferred traits, the ability to develop players." They also mentioned that a month ago, Silva seemed to be the most discussed candidate while weighing his future at Fulham, but currently, there are no standout candidates.
Football Insider further stated, "Postecoglou's plans at Tottenham have collapsed. His future has been in jeopardy since the club began to plummet sharply midway through the season. Simply prioritizing the Europa League will not be enough for Postecoglou to keep his job."
Finally, the outlet stated, "Iraola is on the verge of signing a new contract at Bournemouth. Tottenham's interest may soon shift to Silva and Frank, who are more certain options to succeed Postecoglou." It added that "Frank's contract includes a buyout clause. However, Levy has historically hesitated to trigger buyout clauses. Silva is also attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, which could put Tottenham at a financial disadvantage."
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Football Insider, Tottenham, Sky Sports, BBC.
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