An amazing victory could not change the fate of Ange Postecoglou. Tottenham Hotspur quickly dismissed him.

Tottenham announced on the 7th (Korea time) via the club's website, "After considerable thought, the club can announce that Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties," in an official statement.

Additionally, Tottenham stated, "Postecoglou returned the club to its attacking football tradition, leading change on the pitch after joining the club from Celtic in the summer of 2023. Last month, he wrote a new chapter in history by leading the team to victory in the Europa League in Bilbao. He leaves behind achievements that we will cherish forever. We are extremely grateful for the commitment and contributions he showed over the past two years. Postecoglou will always be remembered as the third manager in history to lift a European trophy alongside legends Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw."

Nevertheless, Postecoglou had no choice but to leave. Tottenham stated, "The board unanimously concluded that change is in the club's best interest. We only managed to earn 78 points in the last 66 Premier League matches, which peaked as the worst league performance last season. Sometimes injuries and Europa League priorities made this inevitable, and the victory in the Europa League is considered one of the club's great moments. However, we cannot make emotionally driven decisions because of a victory."

Finally, Tottenham said, "This was one of the hardest decisions we had to make, and it was not made lightly or hastily. It was not an easy decision, but we made the right decision to give ourselves the best chance for success moving forward. We have a talented and young team, and Postecoglou provided an excellent platform. We want to express our gratitude to him. We wish him the best in his future endeavors. He will always be welcomed back home. News regarding the appointment of a new manager will be announced in due time."

It was Chairman Daniel Levy's decision. Just before the official announcement, the British 'Telegraph' exclusively reported, "Postecoglou will be dismissed as Tottenham's manager. The decision came just weeks after he won the Europa League."

The media stated, "Tottenham is expected to finalize the conditions for Postecoglou's dismissal on Friday afternoon after he returns from vacation. Club officials learned that Chairman Daniel Levy made the final decision, and an official announcement is anticipated to follow."

Furthermore, the Telegraph added, "We reported in April that Postecoglou would leave Tottenham regardless of the Europa League victory. Chairman Levy watched him achieve Tottenham's first trophy since 2008 and the first European trophy in 41 years, yet he decided to change managers."

Following this, the British public broadcaster 'BBC' also reported, "Postecoglou is leaving Tottenham after winning the Europa League. He steps down from his position as Tottenham's manager just 16 days after leading them to victory in the Europa League final."

Australian-born Postecoglou took over as Tottenham's manager in the summer of 2023. He was the successor to Antonio Conte, who parted ways during the season. Concerns were raised due to Postecoglou's lack of European experience, except for his time at Celtic, but he created a sensation by bringing Tottenham to first place in the Premier League early in the season.

At that time, it seemed that Postecoglou's confident 'attacking football' was beginning to shine. However, this did not last long. The monotonous attacking tactics and excessive game management began to create cracks, and with injuries arising from the intense training and play, the second half collapsed.

This season was even worse. Tottenham suffered a 1-4 reverse defeat against Brighton in their final Premier League match, finishing the season with 11 wins, 5 draws, and 22 losses, earning 38 points and a goal difference of -1 (64 goals scored, 65 conceded). This placed them 17th, the worst in the club's Premier League history. The previous lowest record was 15th in the 1993-1994 season.

They also set a new record for the most losses in a single season. Tottenham had not recorded 20 losses in a 38-match format since the 1912-1913 season, before the Premier League was established in 1992. This time, however, they added two more losses to that total. The 22 losses tie for the club's all-time record for most losses in a single season.

However, Postecoglou always upheld his boast of winning in his second year. Tottenham topped the UEFA Europa League (UEL) last month, defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the final. Son Heung-min finally obtained his first career victory.

After that, Tottenham fans, who had shouted for Postecoglou's dismissal for months, began to change their sentiments. Nonetheless, Chairman Levy remained resolute and took action. The Telegraph reported, "The Europa League victory brought enthusiastic cheers from Tottenham fans, and many changed their thoughts about Postecoglou. Levy's decision to ignore these feelings faced backlash."

The media added, "This decision is the most brutal in Levy’s long tenure. Postecoglou kept his promises regarding success, changes in playing style, and the performance of young players."

Tottenham also has to pay a severance fee, as Postecoglou's contract was until the summer of 2027. The Telegraph reported, "Postecoglou is set to receive around £4 million (approximately 7.4 billion won) as a severance package. He also earned around £2 million (approximately 3.7 billion won) as a bonus for winning the Europa League and securing a spot in the Champions League."

Meanwhile, Thomas Frank, manager of Brentford, and Marco Silva, manager of Fulham, are being mentioned as potential successors for Tottenham. Originally, coach Andoni Iraola, who was reportedly the board’s first choice, is likely to re-sign with Bournemouth.

The Telegraph noted, "Levy is under immense pressure to appoint a successor who is better than Postecoglou. Frank lacks experience in major tournament victories and has no experience in European competitions, while Silva has Champions League experience from his time at Olympiacos."

Among these, Frank appears to be the top choice. Earlier, the French 'Foot Mercato' reported, "Tottenham is negotiating with Frank as the 'post-Postecoglou' option. He is in the lead." Famous Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri also reported, "Danish-born Frank has discussed the Tottenham project and summer transfer market goals."

Tottenham is interested in Frank because he is seen as the most realistic option. Silva is receiving interest from Saudi Arabia, making the competition for his acquisition intense. In contrast, Frank has a buyout clause in his contract, suggesting that Tottenham could feasibly acquire him.

[Photo] ©Gettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Tottenham social media.

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