“I always win a trophy in my second year,” ‘Big’ Ange Postecoglou declared, and he did with Tottenham Hotspur winning the Europa League Trophy in Bilbao last month, beating Manchester United 1-0.

The Australian Ange Postecoglou was appointed as manager of the Spurs team in 2023 and brought exciting, attacking flair football to the club. His style and football philosophy were in stark contrast to big managers who had gone to Tottenham and failed to deliver silverware, more notably Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, who favoured defensive pragmatism.

In his first season, Spurs missed out on a Champions League spot, finishing fifth, having begun the season notching up win after win. They amassed 26 points from their first ten games. There was talk that the north London team could be in contention to win the EPL that season. Then the team slumped in the second half of the season.

In his second season, Postecoglou’s brand of football was found wanting. The all-out attacking kamikaze style, plus an injury list that blighted performances for most of the season, saw the team finish 17th, with one point separating them from the relegated teams. The EPL form was horrendous, with Tottenham losing 22 games. Only Wolves were worse off than Spurs in Postecoglou’s final 66 games.

However, the team did win the Europa Cup with Postecoglou delivering on his promise to deliver a trophy to the club. The last time they won silverware was in 2008. Part of his mandate was to win something and end the Spurs’ drought, and that he did.

But it wasn’t enough to prevent him from getting the sack today, and so he got his marching orders on returning from his holiday in Greece. Many of the players wanted him to stay for a third season, but the top brass upstairs and Chairman Daniel Levy decided the league performance was woeful, and so Big Ange had to go.

The club issued a statement which read in part: “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 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.”

After delivering a first European trophy in 41 years, the decision to sack him is a bit harsh. Yes, the team were poor in the league, but it was ravaged by injuries, and Postecoglou did see them over the line in winning Europa. Perhaps he deserved a third season.

The talk now is that Thomas Frank, who manages Brentford, will replace Postecoglou. Though Brentford has done well in recent seasons, this would be a huge step up for Frank, to a level he has yet to perform at. One is talking Champions League next season, plus the expectation of making the top four.

Tottenham now needs a proven winner, a coach that commands international respect… someone like Jurgen Klopp, or Zinedine  Zidane. What is needed is a coach who can stick around, not someone who gets sacked in their first or second season.

Postecoglou wanted to remain at Spurs and bring more silverware. He had a good team with which he could work. He was committed to the club.

“I didn’t want us to just enjoy the moment. I also wanted us to think about what’s next, you know, don’t settle for this. We’ve got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club has got a taste for it. Well, let’s make sure we’re here again,” he said after winning the Europa League Trophy.

That didn’t matter to the club, and Postecoglou was sacked two years to the day of his appointment as coach. He won in Scotland with Celtic, and he delivered a trophy in England with Tottenham, winning the Europa League. He can hold his head up high

Tottenham legend Teddy Sheringham is of the view that the decision to sack Postecoglou was the wrong one. He points to his attacking football style, which aligns with the club’s traditions and the Australian winning the Europa  Cup as reasons for him to continue in the job. Only three managers in the club’s history have won a European trophy.