Ange Postecoglou Sacked: Tottenham Hotspur Decides to End the Manager’s Era
The football world was shocked on Friday when Tottenham Hotspur announced the dismissal of Ange Postecoglou, ending a period full of ups and downs. Despite having managed to break a 17-year title drought with the conquest of the UEFA Europa League, the board made the decision to dispense with the services of the Australian coach.
The triumph in the Europa League, after defeating Manchester United in the final, represented a milestone for the club and a personal achievement for Postecoglou, who joined legends like Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw in guiding Tottenham to European glory. However, the board, led by Daniel Levy, considered that the success came at too high a price.
The club’s official statement expressed sincere gratitude, but also highlighted key aspects. “After a positive start to the 2023-24 Premier League season, we obtained 78 points in the last 66 matches,” the statement reads. “This culminated in our worst finish in the Premier League last season.” The statement also mentioned mitigating circumstances, such as injuries and the decision to prioritize the European campaign, but concluded that victory in the Europa League could not be the only determining factor.
The directive’s decision to dispense with Postecoglou came despite his promise of a “Season 3 better than Season 2”, as the coach had expressed in his last public appearance. The directive opted for a change of course.
Postecoglou arrived at Tottenham at a complicated time. On his first day, July 12, 2023, star striker Harry Kane informed him of his desire to leave the club. Kane’s departure, which materialized in a transfer of 120 million euros to Bayern Munich, did not curb the team’s initial momentum.
Tottenham had a blistering start to the season, with eight wins and two draws in their first ten matches, placing them at the top of the Premier League. The fans, tired of Antonio Conte’s conservative football, witnessed a renewed team, with goals, pressure, and dynamism. Postecoglou became the first coach in Premier League history to win three consecutive Manager of the Month awards at the start of a season.
The team’s first defeat, a 4-1 at home against Chelsea, was a chaotic event, with two red cards, two injuries, nine VAR reviews, and 21 minutes of added time. Despite playing with nine men, Tottenham maintained their commitment to “Angeball”, earning the support of the fans.
Despite a strong start, Tottenham couldn’t maintain the pace. Two wins in the last seven matches of the season left them out of the UEFA Champions League qualification. Postecoglou faced an unusual situation where some fans wanted the team to lose to prevent Arsenal from winning the Premier League title.
Sources suggest that Postecoglou was referring to the lack of a winning mentality at the club, which, in his opinion, was preventing success. The coach tried to change this mentality, believing that Tottenham should be the masters of their own destiny. This determination was reflected in his statements, such as the iconic phrase: “I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year.”“The foundations are really fragile,” Postecoglou said after that match. “The last 48 hours have shown me that. It’s inside the club, outside the club.”
Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham was affected by a series of injuries at the beginning of the year. Key players like Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison, Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Lucas Bergvall missed a large part of the season. Postecoglou lamented these absences, but some sources suggest that his methods might have contributed to the muscle injuries.
The January transfer market was also a crucial moment. Postecoglou was looking for reinforcements, but the club only brought in Kevin Danso and Antonin Kinsky. Mathys Tel arrived on loan, but much was expected of a young player with little experience. Postecoglou revealed that he decided to prioritize the Europa League, a decision that not everyone in the club supported.
Criticism also arose regarding Postecoglou’s training methods. Some players questioned the team’s openness in matches and suggested focusing more on opponents. The lack of a specialist coach for set pieces was also a weak point.
Despite the friction with the media, Postecoglou was a warm and approachable figure in press conferences. However, the pressure of his “all or nothing” approach began to show. In a match against Chelsea, Postecoglou reacted to criticism from the fans, which generated controversy.
Inside the locker room, Postecoglou had the support of many players. His motivational talks were well received, and his management of the players was valued. However, he was also considered distant, allowing his coaches to lead the training sessions to give more impact to his speeches before the matches.
After the victory, Postecoglou admitted he had no idea about his future. The celebration with over 200,000 fans solidified his legacy. However, the board considered that the success came at too high a cost. The Tottenham hierarchy questioned whether Postecoglou’s style could ensure long-term success.
The final question was whether the club was willing to sacrifice a complete league campaign to win a trophy. The answer was no.
