Tottenham star Yves Bissouma reveals emotional private messages with Ange Postecoglou after his Spurs sacking
Yves Bissouma has posted on social media the private messages he shared with Ange Postecoglou after the Aussie manager was sacked by Tottenham last week.
Postecoglou was relieved of his duties on Friday, just 16 days after leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years as they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.
Many of the Tottenham squad - including captain Son Heung-min and James Maddison - were quick to post emotional messages of gratitude to Postecoglou, and Bissouma has now revealed his own text exchange with his former manager on Snapchat.
The conversation begins with Postecoglou writing: 'Hi Biss. Sorry I missed your call. I am very proud of you. It was an honour to share a dressing room with you and appreciate how much you believed in what we were trying to achieve.
'I wish you only the best for the future. I will always be following. Much love from my family to yours.'
Bissouma replied: 'Thank you gaffer and thank you really much for everything on and off the pitch I'll always be grateful. The way you believed me and trusted me was incredible.
'I'm gonna miss you but it's football life. Got a lot to be said but I think you know what I'm thinking about you already so I'm just wishing you all the best for the future and may God protect you and your family. #bigboss love.'
The exchange ended with Postecoglou responding: 'Always by your side Biss'.
The heartfelt farewell message from Bissouma indicates how popular Postecoglou was with his players who are reportedly furious with the decision to sack him.
Spurs finished down in 17th and suffered 22 league defeats in the 2024-25 season, but many felt Postecoglou deserved a chance to put their domestic form right after their Europa League triumph in Bilbao.
However, chairman Daniel Levy opted to axe Postecoglou, and the search to find his successor is gathering pace.
Mail Sport understands that the north London club are closing in on appointing Brentford boss Thomas Frank as their new manager after positive talks.
Spurs will have to pay a hefty compensation fee for the Dane, but appear ready to finalise a deal as they look to move on from Postecoglou quickly.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Erin Phillips and Daisy Pearce become first AFLW players inducted to hall of fame
Erin Phillips paid an emotional tribute to her father Greg as she joined him in the Australian Football Hall Of Fame. Phillips and Daisy Pearce are the first AFLW players to be inducted, joining trailblazer Debbie Lee as female inductees. South Australian goalkicking machine Ken Farmer was elevated to legend status at Tuesday night's annual dinner in Melbourne. St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt, whose induction was delayed because of his family move to the United States, joined the Hall of Fame, along with four-time Hawthorn premiership hard nut Luke Hodge and former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon. South Adelaide ruckman Peter Darley, a key member of the club's most recent SANFL premiership in 1964, Tasmanian team of the century vice-captain John Leedham and seven-time East Perth premiership player George Owens are this year's historical inductees. Darley's larrikin speech was one of the highlights of the evening, but Phillips' words to her father were particularly special. 'To Dad, I can't imagine how hard it would have been to tell your 13-year-old daughter that she couldn't play the game she loves any more,' she said. 'And 27 years later, she's standing next to you in the Hall of Fame.' Greg Phillips, a Port Adelaide great, was inducted in 2020, and he and Erin are the first father-daughter selections. Fos and Mark Williams, Hayden Bunton Sr and Jr and umpires Jack McMurray Sr and Jr are the father-son inductees. Pearce and Phillips ended their stellar playing careers at the end of 2022. The five-year player eligibility rule for the hall of fame was changed for women last year. AFLW players can now be inducted within a year of retirement. They were the two obvious players who would benefit first from the rule change. In her speech, Phillips also thanked the 'incredible women' who made the AFLW possible and singled out Lee. 'You kicked down this door so others could walk through,' she said. 'I'm so proud to be by your side and I can't wait to kick down more doors with you Deb.' Pearce's last AFLW game was the Melbourne 2022 grand final victory and she called it the best day of her life, even though her twin children Sylvie and Roy were in the room, hamming it up for the TV cameras. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion 'It's controversial to say this, as a mother ... don't get me wrong, they're the best thing that's ever happened to me, but on a technicality, the day itself is not that good,' she said. 'Give me grand final day every day of the week.' Phillips was Adelaide's inaugural captain and the first women's best and fairest winner, playing in three Crows flags despite needing a knee reconstruction. She then switched to Port Adelaide when they joined the league in 2022. When the women's league started in 2017, marquee players such as Pearce and Phillips were crucial for its profile and credibility. Pearce returned from having the twins in 2019 to captain Melbourne to the flag. Farmer, who died in 1982, is the SANFL's most prolific goalkicker, with 1417 for North Adelaide from 1929-41 in 224 games at an extraordinary average of 6.33 per game. He was never goalless in a game and coached the Roosters to two premierships. Riewolt went agonisingly close to a premiership, playing in St Kilda's draw and two losses across 2009-10. He said he had made his peace with not being able to help the Saints win their elusive second flag 'Rather than feeling like I walked away with the game still owing me something, I walk away feeling like the game gave me absolutely everything,' he said.
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Too early to tell if I will remain Scotland boss
Gregor Townsend says it is too early to say if he will remain as Scotland head coach beyond the end of his current contract, which expires next the immediate aftermath of the Six Nations, in which Scotland finished fourth, Townsend said he had no plans to step down and that the job – which he has held since 2017 – "gives me a big purpose in my life".Townsend says no discussions have taken place with Scottish Rugby over any new deal."If you get more into the year, those discussions would have to happen, whether they're initiated by my bosses or by myself," Townsend told the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast."I think there's obviously a lot of discussions around the Six Nations, the reviews of that, where we believe we need to improve, but also the longer-term future, what are the challenges coming up for Scotland and that ties in with the pathway and the longer-term strategy."But I feel there's a lot to be optimistic about with the current group we have, the players that are coming through and the experiences the players had this year."Yes, we're disappointed we didn't win more games, but I know the performances that the players are delivering are putting us in positions to beat the best teams in the world and that's a good foundation to have. "The next step is making sure we win those games we put that effort into winning."Townsend also expects to retain the services of his assistant, Steve Tandy, who has been linked with the vacant Wales job."He's a brilliant coach, he's very connected with our players, he's excited about this summer tour," he added."He's buzzing about working with the players again and there's nothing but speculation about him and other people that have been linked to the job outside of Scotland."We're very lucky to have Steve, we know that, and the players love working with him."
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
We can't ask any more in terms of character – Northern Ireland's Michael O'Neill
Michael O'Neill praised the character of his young Northern Ireland team after they hung on for a 1-0 friendly win over Iceland despite playing the final half an hour with 10 men in Belfast. Isaac Price fired Northern Ireland in front in the 36th minute, but then had to make a goal-line clearance to deny Andri Gudjohnsen in the second half as O'Neill's side came under pressure following the sending-off of Brodie Spencer. That dismissal changed the game completely, but O'Neill was proud of the way his players responded as Northern Ireland won a match they finished with 10 men for the first time since their famous win over Spain in 1982. 'We didn't start the game well, we gave the ball away a lot,' O'Neill said. 'They pressed us and we didn't deal with that as well as we could… 'We struggled to get pressure on the ball, but really they didn't cause us any threat either. It's frustrating when you're at home that you're not having a bit more of a foothold and dominance. 'But we're going to have to play like that so I think this team, they've got a strong character and desire when things are going against them to stay in the game… 'There's a lot of things we can do better, but in terms of character, we can't ask any more. In terms of defending as a team and as a unit without the ball, I thought we were excellent.' Spencer was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity after tangling with Iceland skipper Hakon Haraldsson as he tried to break into the box, a decision which infuriated the Northern Ireland players as they surrounded referee Morten Krogh, and frustrated O'Neill. 'I think it's a poor decision,' O'Neill said. 'The referee doesn't have a very good view of it. Brodie and the attacking player, it's more like their legs get tangled than anything else. 'Daniel (Ballard) is a covering defender as well. And the first touch of the Iceland player goes right through Pierce (Charles), he doesn't have the ball under control. 'But you see when the incident happens the referee (isn't close) so he was very, very quick to produce a red card given he doesn't have the benefit of VAR. I was disappointed with it because it obviously changes the game.' Northern Ireland hung on well. As well as Price's clearance off the line, Charles made a stoppage-time save to keep out Isak Johannesson's header. Price's goal was another quality finish from the 21-year-old West Brom forward – his ninth international goal. George Saville won a challenge to prod it to him and after a couple of touches he bent a shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. 'I don't think there's too many players come in and play international football and adapt to it as quickly as Isaac has,' O'Neill said. 'He has that ability just to do something a little bit different, a little bit special. The goal is an example of that. 'But his biggest contribution to the team is off the ball and his running ability, his ability to press. 'When you've got that type of player who can score goals and has that level of technical ability, you're always concerned about their off-the-ball play, but for him, it's not a problem.'
