Ange Postecoglou reveals why Tottenham will be much better in Premier League next season
Ange Postecoglou sits at a fascinating crossroads in his Tottenham tenure. Fresh from delivering the club’s first trophy in 16 years, the Australian manager has shifted from doubters’ target to cult hero status.
Yet beneath the Europa League celebrations lies an uncomfortable truth – this season’s 17th-place Premier League finish represents the worst league campaign in Spurs’ modern history.
The defiant manager offered a compelling case for improvement during his season-ending press conference, pointing to several key factors that derailed their domestic form.
“I made decisions that gave us the best chance of achieving our goals this year,” Postecoglou stated, referencing the calculated prioritization of European success that came at a league cost. His argument carries weight – no manager in recent memory has balanced such extreme highs and lows within a single campaign.
Postecoglou’s track record suggests his confidence isn’t misplaced. In his debut season, he guided Tottenham to fifth place despite losing Harry Kane – outperforming expectations with a squad transitioning from Antonio Conte’s pragmatic style to his attacking philosophy.
“They had no European football to speak of when I arrived,” he reminded critics. “We lost the one player who guaranteed European qualification.”
The manager’s blueprint for improvement rests on three pillars:
- European Distraction Removed – No more juggling Thursday-Sunday schedules that stretched Spurs’ thin squad
- Champions League Attraction – Enhanced pulling power in the transfer market to address key weaknesses
- Tactical Evolution – Another preseason to ingrain his philosophy after this year’s interrupted preparations
However, reports suggest Postecoglou himself remains skeptical about his chances of seeing this vision through. The Independent recently claimed the manager believes he has just a 5% chance of retaining his job – a startling assessment for a coach who just delivered silverware.
This disconnect highlights Tottenham’s dilemma: can they dismiss a trophy-winning manager who underperformed domestically, or risk another transitional season by starting anew?
Postecoglou’s message to doubters was characteristically blunt: “If people haven’t seen what I can deliver after two years, nothing I say will convince them.” His record shows both sides of the coin – European glory proving his ceiling, while league struggles reveal concerning floors.
As Daniel Levy weighs this complex equation, one truth remains – Postecoglou has already achieved what eleven predecessors couldn’t. Whether that’s enough to earn another shot at fixing Tottenham’s Premier League form may define the club’s direction for years to come.