Europa League news: ‘I always win things in my second year’ – Ange Postecoglou
In the late hours of May 21, under the bright lights of Bilbao’s Estadio de San Mamés, Tottenham Hotspur finally tasted long-awaited silverware that for 17 years has evaded the club and its fans.
Contrastingly, Manchester United’s season sank to new depths in what was already their worst season of the Premier League era.
Sports News Blitz’s Aidan Leo shares his insights on the Europa League final and the resulting managerial quotes and reaction.
Postecoglou’s prophecy rings true
Back in September 2024, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou infamously stated, “I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don't say things unless I believe them,” per the BBC.
Postecoglou’s belief and affirmation has now struck the chord of truth as a result of him leading Spurs to their first trophy since a Carabao Cup triumph back in 2008.
Having now felt the exhilaration of European glory before their bitter local rivals, Arsenal, their likely 16th or 17th-placed Premier League season with a Europa League win will not just go down in the history books, but in infamy too.
Postecoglou adapted his ‘Angeball’ philosophy and harnessed his inner Jose Mourinho-like pragmatism to stifle Ruben Amorim’s possession-heavy gameplan on the night.
Speaking with TNT Sports regarding the final result, his future and the fans, he said, “After an unlikely victory, this is one for the true believers.”
“The supporters, I know people think I’ve got this sort of fractious relationship but every supporter I’ve ever bumped into was just so kind in reassuring me that, you know, they believed in what I was doing.
“I understand the disappointment we’ve put them through this year, particularly in the league, but just seeing them tonight, the impact it has on them, it’s obviously 17 years since our last trophy, 41 [years] in Europe for some of them.
“Some of them have never had a night like this so you know, it’s a reward for them.
“Finally, to my beautiful wife, my boys, and my family, my friends, you know, they’re all my inspiration because I’m kind of the front man. It's easy for me to sort of take on the responsibility, but they’ve got no choice but to come along for the ride.
“Just seeing them out there now on the pitch, with smiles on their faces, I couldn’t be happier.”
READ MORE: Europa League news: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United - Live Europa League Final reaction
Despair and uncertainty for Amorim
Immediate questions of the Portuguese manager’s future with United were posed after the devastating Europa League final loss that represents the cherry on top of a heartbreakingly distressing season.
“I’m not going to talk about the future because tonight we need to deal with this loss and the pain of losing this match,” said Amorim via his press conference with TNT.
“I think it was clear we were the better team but then we managed to not score again.
“The guys tried everything. In the future we’ll have time to assess everything.”
A reporter addressed Amorim regarding the season’s failures and how far the team have fallen from Champions League places since he took the helm.
He responded by saying, “We have to see. We have to see. I know everything that you’ve just said. I’ve said it before you. In this moment, I’m not going to be here defending myself. It’s not my style. I cannot do it.
“I have nothing to show to the fans and say I’m going to improve because of this. In this moment, it [requires] a little bit of faith.
“I’m always open. If the board and the fans feel I am not the right guy, I’ll go in the next day without any conversation about compensation.
“But I will not quit. Again, I am really confident in my job. I will not change nothing in the way I do things.”
What’s next for both managers
Regardless of which team claimed the Europa League trophy, it should still have been considered a horrendously bad season for both sets of managers, teams and players.
“I'm a winner. Win is what I do the most. Even when I signed, Daniel [Levy] said 'we've gone after winners and it didn't work, now we've got Ange'. Mate, I'm a winner,” Postecoglou is reported as saying by the BBC.
Although Postecoglou’s comments reflect someone with a winning mentality and outlook, the team’s league performance and cup run was dismal and that needs to be acknowledged along with their Europa League efforts.
Some suggest that Postecoglou was set to leave regardless of the result, but maybe the result of the final has, for the time being, mended the discontent amongst fans going into next season.
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Contrastingly, although Amorim was optically under less pressure than Postecoglou prior to the final, the overall complexion of the season does not look good for the Red Devils.
Sympathetically, and even empathetically, many understand that Amorim’s situation has somewhat been unprecedented considering the circumstances he walked into. As a young manager, coming from a winning Sporting team, that must have been tough to navigate through.
However, his detractors have asserted, whether among fans or the media, that he has not done well enough to warrant a pre-season and five to 10 games at the beginning of next season.
And that in short, he has taken the team backwards.
Truthfully, both those viewpoints hold validity. Going into next season, both Daniel Levy and Sir Jim Ratcliffe (along with Ineos) have massive calls to make come the summer window.
From managers to players and staff, it is difficult to see a clear road ahead for both teams without more change needed to alleviate the prevailing uncertainty.
Although, with that said, this is rock bottom. So the only way is up, really.
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