The future of Ange Postecoglou (60) has once again come under scrutiny, as "even a championship victory after 17 years may not secure his position."
The Telegraph reported on the 1st (Korea time) that "Tottenham Hotspur is expected to decide on Postecoglou's future next week," stating, "Despite the Europa League victory, his position within the club is extremely unstable."
Postecoglou left Celtic in 2023 to take over at Tottenham. In his second year in charge, he fulfilled his 'promise' by raising a European competition trophy, but poor league performance held him back.
This season, Tottenham recorded a staggering 22 losses in the Premier League, concluding the season with the most losses in its history, and a meager 17th place finish in the Premier League has become a critical factor for Chairman Daniel Levy to consider replacing the manager.
Levy had been abroad until recently, and Postecoglou is also on holiday. Although no official decision regarding a dismissal has been made, significant changes across the club’s operations are expected this summer. Some departments are considering a change in leadership.
Candidates mentioned for the successor include Thomas Frank of Brentford, Marco Silva of Fulham, and Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth. Particularly, Frank is highly regarded for his stable management centered around young players at Brentford. However, Oliver Glasner of Crystal Palace is likely to stay due to the firm commitment of the Palace's leadership.
Postecoglou is the only manager to have brought a title to Tottenham this century since Juande Ramos led the team to the League Cup in 2008. After the victory in the Europa League final, he expressed confidence by saying, "Season 3 is better than Season 2" during an open-top bus parade with fans, but the 1-4 loss in the final league match against Brighton & Hove Albion left a deep impression.
After the season concluded, he questioned, "Why should I be asked about my future?" while acknowledging, "The league performance is at an unacceptable level." His forthright comments hint that the time for change is approaching.
Postecoglou is the fourth official manager following Mauricio Pochettino, José Mourinho, and Nuno Espírito Santo. Although he is the only one among them to achieve a victory, Tottenham is a place where that alone cannot guarantee survival.
Meanwhile, Ryan Mason, who was part of his staff, has become likely to take over as the next manager of West Brom in the Championship. The dismantling of the Postecoglou regime is already becoming a reality for some.
[OSEN]