Speaking at Tottenham Hotspur`s Europa League trophy parade, Ange Postecoglou issued another defiant statement. He noted how he always wins something in his second season, a box that has now been emphatically ticked. Now, he`s suggested that season three is invariably worse than season two. Hold on, Ange, your job isn`t even secure yet.
Despite securing the club`s first major trophy in 17 years, the Australian coach could still face dismissal by Daniel Levy and the board. This comes as little surprise given the team finished 17th in the league with just 38 points.
Update on Ange Postecoglou`s Future at Spurs
What a truly peculiar season it was. Postecoglou himself described it as an `outstanding season` in his final post-match conference a week prior. Outstandingly strange, without question. While the Europa League trophy is in the cabinet, their league performance was chaotic, and the Spurs manager might well pay the ultimate price for it.
According to The Telegraph, the future of the former Celtic boss in north London is expected to be decided this week, with his position reported to be `under extreme risk`. As Daniel Levy has been out of the UK recently and Postecoglou is on holiday, a final decision regarding the Australian`s tenure is yet to be made.
Should the club decide to make a change, Spurs reportedly have a shortlist of four potential candidates: Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Thomas Frank, and Oliver Glasner. The report indicates that Iraola is set to remain at Bournemouth, and securing Glasner from Crystal Palace following his FA Cup triumph would also be challenging. Consequently, the two primary contenders for the position are Silva and Frank, with the Brentford manager specifically mentioned as being `in the frame`.
How Frank Could Emulate Pochettino at Spurs
While Ange Postecoglou may have been the one to break Spurs` trophy drought, Mauricio Pochettino remains the most iconic figure in this part of North London for many fans. After all, it was Pochettino who orchestrated that memorable journey to the Champions League final, ultimately losing to Liverpool in Madrid.
How did that remarkable period unfold? For Pochettino in English football, it began at Southampton, in a manner quite similar to Thomas Frank`s experience in the top flight. The Dane himself has achieved legendary status at Brentford, guiding them to a 13th-place finish in their debut Premier League season before elevating them to an unprecedented ninth place.
He achieved this by implementing an exciting, counter-attacking style of play and notably developing players into some of the Premier League`s finest. The striking partnership of Bryan Mbeumo (20 goals) and Yoanne Wissa (19 goals) serves as a prime example.
This mirrors Pochettino`s trajectory closely. After taking over mid-season in 2012/13 and finishing 14th, he steered Southampton to their highest-ever Premier League finish of eighth in 2013/14. Like Frank, he transformed his team from potential relegation candidates into a stable top-half side.
Furthermore, similar to Frank, Pochettino was exceptional at developing young talent. Players like Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana rose to prominence at St Mary`s under his guidance. It was also during Pochettino`s tenure that Dele Alli experienced the peak years of his career.
