Tottenham Hotdpur duo Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy
Gareth Bale has told Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy that he should not sack Ange Postecoglou after the club’s Europa League triumph, while Brennan Johnson and Alan Shearer have also waded into the debate over the Spurs head coach’s future.
Tottenham beat Premier League rivals Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Johnson’s goal in the 42nd minute of the match at San Mames Barria in Bilbao proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The triumph in Spain ended Tottenham’s 17-year wait for a trophy, as Postecoglou delivered major silverware to the north London club in his second season in charge – just as he said he would.
Despite winning the Europa League, Tottenham’s first European trophy in 41 years, questions remain about Postecoglou’s future.
Spurs have been dire in the Premier League this season and could end up 17th, but they will play in the Champions League in 2024-25 after their Europa League triumph.
TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Rudy Galetti, reported on May 15 that Tottenham are considering appointing Francesco Farioli as their head coach.
Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, that Brentford manager Thomas Frank is also on Tottenham’s radar.
Former Tottenham star Bale believes that club chairman Levy has to keep faith in Postecoglou, while Johnson has raved about his manager.
Bale told TNT Sports after the win in Bilbao: “I think only the chairman can decide [whether he stays], to be honest. There’s been so much talk about whether he goes or whether he doesn’t.
“I guess it’ll be interesting to see that because he’s won a trophy, the first Tottenham manager to do so in a long time. So I guess the board has some decisions to make.
“I like the football that he plays. Obviously he lacks a bit of a plan B. But tonight showed there is a plan B. There’s a different side to how he’s played.
“So I guess if he also matures as a manager and brings that defensive side to his teams, of course he can still have great success here.”
Johnson said: ‘He’s done his job. He said he wins in his second year and he has. If there was ever time for a mic drop, it’s now so I will be looking forward to his interview.
“I can’t thank the manager enough for how much trust he has had in us because some of the performances this season haven’t been good enough. Especially in the Europa League he has this really good way of getting everyone up for it and today it showed.”
What Ange Postecoglou has said about his Tottenham future
After Tottenham’s Europa League success, Postecoglou addressed speculation on his future.
When asked if he is hungry to take the club forward, Postecoglou said, as quoted in Football.London: “Very. Because we’ve got a really young group of players. And you can talk to them about success and what it means, but until they feel it, it doesn’t become real.
“I’ve got no doubt that all those boys tonight, having this feeling will want it again. And to get it again they’re going to have to make similar sacrifices. They’ve climbed the mountain now.
“They know what it takes to get to where we are. I think that does, it accelerates the opportunities to build a team who can be successful, and play at a high standard for years to come.
“As I said yesterday, I still feel there’s a lot of work to be done, I think that’s quite obvious. But not as much work as people may think.
“People can bang on about 20 league defeats and where we are, but they’re missing the point of what we’re trying to build, or what I’m trying to do anyway. I really feel that tonight can be a great platform for us to kick on.”
Alan Shearer reacted to Postecoglou’s comments on The Rest is Football podcast, with the Newcastle United legend suggesting that the former Celtic manager has sent a clear message to Levy.
Shearer noted: “It didn’t seem, I mean, they also asked him that as well afterwards, and it didn’t seem that it would be certain (that he’s leaving).
“He just said, well, if they choose to do whatever, then I’m fine with that. I’ve delivered the trophy, as I’ve said, and whatever happens, happens.
“But he also said that he felt it was a big opportunity for the club now to kick on. And I think that was the message that he was sending out. If you don’t kick on and back and spend this summer, then you’re never going to, you know?”
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