Ange Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham Hotspur remains uncertain, with the Australian manager heading toward the exit whether or not his team secures the Europa League title, according to the Telegraph.
Tottenham suffered their 18th Premier League defeat of the season in a 3-1 loss to Nottingham Forest on Monday, leaving the club 16th in the table.
Postecoglou’s side are on course to surpass their club record of 19 defeats in a Premier League campaign, but they still have the chance to salvage the season by winning the Europa League and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
While this could delay his departure, there’s a growing sense that Postecoglou may leave at the end of the season, whether through dismissal or mutual agreement.
Tottenham are set to face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals, and Postecoglou could be sacked if his team fails to progress or loses in the final to either Athletic Bilbao or Manchester United.
Lifting the Europa League trophy would allow Postecoglou to leave on a high note, maintaining his record of winning silverware in his second season at clubs.
This would fulfill his promise of revamping Tottenham’s playing style and achieving success, making him the club’s first trophy-winning manager since Juande Ramos in 2008.
However, even if he falls short in the Europa League, Postecoglou will be aware that several highly rated coaches have succeeded before and after their time at Spurs.
There has been sympathy for Postecoglou due to the injury struggles his team has faced this season, while the Australian manager also revealed he has been investigating a suspected internal leak.
In addition, he has had to manage the team amid protests targeting chairman Daniel Levy and the club’s owners, ENIC, alongside dissatisfaction with some of the club’s decision-making.
Postecoglou has admitted that he is uncertain whether he will remain in charge beyond this season. “You’re going to have to put up with me for a bit longer,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham could be influenced by a strong finish to the season or a Europa League victory, which would boost optimism about the club’s future prospects under his leadership.
Tottenham will be cautious not to find themselves in a situation similar to Manchester United’s, who were reportedly set to sack Erik ten Hag last season before he led them to an FA Cup victory.
Instead, United extended his contract by a year after their 2-1 win over Manchester City, but dismissed him less than four months later following a poor start to the season.
Tottenham themselves sacked Ramos just eight months after he guided them to League Cup success.
Reports suggest that one of Postecoglou’s main supporters, chief football officer Scott Munn, is set to leave Tottenham this summer, and the club have already confirmed the appointment of former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham.
Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva are among the leading candidates to replace Postecoglou, though Bournemouth are hopeful of keeping Iraola.
Mauricio Pochettino has expressed interest in returning to Tottenham in the future, though his focus is currently on leading the USA national team to next summer’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, technical director Johan Lange is reportedly a fan of Brentford’s Thomas Frank.
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