Tottenham Hotspur have parted ways with head coach Ange Postecoglou, just over two weeks after he led the club to a historic Europa League triumph — their first trophy in 17 years and first European title in over four decades.
Despite guiding Spurs to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao, the club’s hierarchy made the decision to dismiss Ange Postecoglou following a disastrous domestic campaign.
Ange Postecoglou’s sacking comes after Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, suffering 22 defeats and collecting their lowest-ever points total of 38 in the Premier League era.
According to Sky Sports News, Brentford manager Thomas Frank is the frontrunner to take over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank is reported to have a release clause in his contract, although no formal talks have yet begun with the West London club.
The contrast between European glory and domestic failure appears to have played a decisive role in the board’s decision, as Spurs now look to rebuild under new leadership ahead of their return to the Champions League next season.
Spurs confirmed Ange Postecoglou’s sacking shortly after 5pm on Friday and cited the woeful domestic campaign as the reason for his exit.
A club statement read: “We are extremely grateful to Ange for his commitment and contribution during his two years at the Club. Ange will always be remembered as only the third manager in our history to deliver a European trophy, alongside legendary figures Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw.
“However, the Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place. Following a positive start in the 2023/24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games. This culminated in our worst-ever PL finish last season. At times there were extenuating circumstances – injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign. Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the Club’s greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.
“It is crucial that we are able to compete on multiple fronts and believe a change of approach will give us the strongest chance for the coming season and beyond. This has been one of the toughest decisions we have had to make and is not a decision that we have taken lightly, nor one we have rushed to conclude. We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision.
