Tottenham news: Can Europa League glory save Ange Postecoglou? Or is it too late?
Three games of football are all that separate Tottenham from ending their infamous silverware drought amidst a disastrous Premier League campaign.
In this article, Sports News Blitz writer Gabriel Mills takes a look at whether Spurs’ only shot at a trophy may just save Ange Postecoglou.
Through thick and thin
Tottenham Hotspur currently sit 16th in the Premier League table ahead of their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg against Norwegian underdog, Bodø/Glimt.
This will be the Lilywhite’s first league finish outside of the top half since the 2007/08 season but unlike that 11th place finish, Postecoglou’s men have accumulated a huge 19 losses so far which is only beaten by an abnormally poor bottom three this season.
However, the decision-makers at the top of the Tottenham hierarchy have stuck with their Aussie manager to the shock of most English football fans.
It is somewhat refreshing to see a Premier League side, especially one this size, stick by a manager through such poor results in a time where managers seemingly change each week.
This being said, an air of inevitability over his sacking has clouded Ange for what feels like his entire tenure as Head Coach as he stumbles towards the end of his second season at the helm.
Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and the return of Pochettino are the three front runners according to the bookies if/when Postecoglue’s time is up.
‘I always win things in my second year’
Are Spurs holding out to see if he can bring home the Europa League? Would winning the trophy make a difference to their decision?
Major outlets like TNT Sport have reported that Postecoglou is ‘almost certain to leave’ whether or not this title is won.
This feels like the end of Erik Ten Hag’s time at Manchester United as he looked certain to be sacked before a U-turn by Manchester United after an FA Cup victory kept his job, albeit only for another five months.
‘Big Ange’ will hope for similar treatment if his men can get past Bodø/Glimt and one of Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao in the final to end their 17-year wait for a trophy.
But would he really be the man to lead them next season?
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It was good until it wasn’t
It is easy to forget the start of the 2023/24 season as the former Celtic manager picked up a hat-trick of Manager of the Month Awards in August, September and October.
Spurs were unbeaten and sitting top of the table after 10 matches, winning eight of them, just three behind their win tally in the league this season.
A damaging 4-1 drubbing by rivals Chelsea seemed to completely derail their start, highlighting the downside of the high line that Postecoglou had adopted.
A fifth-place finish in that season looks like an awfully long way up the table for Tottenham now as they look likely to finish between 17th and 14th.
They trail Wolves (13th) by four points, Crystal Palace (12th) by eight and Brentford (11th) by ninth.
The semi-final first leg kicks off in London on Thursday, May 1, as Spurs’ one hope of salvation rests on their European campaign.
They are, without a doubt, the favourites for this tie. However, no match at this stage will be a walk in the park as the Norwegian side knocked Lazio out in the previous round and may even look at Tottenham as a less challenging matchup than the Italians.
