Postecoglou sure Tottenham will build without him
Ange Postecoglou is sure Tottenham Hotspur will build on the foundations laid by its UEFA Europa League triumph, having been relieved of his duties by the club.
The Australian ended Spurs' 17-year wait for a major trophy last month, as his now former team overcame Manchester United in an all-English UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao.
That made him just the third Spurs manager to win a continental trophy, after Bill Nicholson (1962-1963 Cup Winners' Cup and 1971-1972 UEFA Cup) and Keith Burkinshaw (1983-1984 UEFA Cup).
However, Tottenham's European adventure came against the backdrop of its worst Premier League campaign in the club's history, as it finished 17th, above only the relegated bottom three of Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City.
After the club conducted a review of the 2024-2025 campaign, Postecoglou became the first Premier League manager to be sacked at the end of a season in which he won a major trophy since Antonio Conte, who was fired by Chelsea after winning the 2017-2018 FA Cup.
Postecoglou subsequently released a statement via his agents, CAA Base, outlining his pride at having helped Spurs' current crop become club "legends".
Postecoglou wrote: "When I reflect on my time as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride.
"The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime.
"Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.
"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream.
"There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.
"We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success.
"I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.
"I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times, but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed, and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on.
"It's important to acknowledge the hard-working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.
"And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special."
Postecoglou took charge of Spurs in 101 matches, winning 47, losing 39 and drawing 15, while finishing his tenure with a 46.5 per cent win rate.
But in the Premier League, that win percentage drops to 40.8 per cent, with 31 victories in 76 games, with Spurs averaging 1.4 points per game in the competition.
There were 3.47 goals per game in Postecoglou's Premier League matches in charge of Tottenham – 264 in 76 games – the highest goals-per-game ratio of any manager to take charge of 50 or more games in the competition's history.
Brentford's Thomas Frank, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Fulham's Marco Silva and Crystal Palace's FA Cup-winning boss Oliver Glasner have been touted as possible successors.
