Postecoglou says he leaves with pride intact after Tottenham axe
LONDON :Ange Postecoglou spoke of his intense pride at his two-year stint as Tottenham Hotspur manager after it ended with him being sacked by the Premier League club on Friday.
The 59-year-old Australian took the club to their first trophy for 17 years last month when Tottenham beat Manchester United to win the Europa League.
But the club have axed him after their worst top-flight campaign since 1976-77, finishing one place above the Premier League's relegation zone after losing 22 games.
"When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride," he said in a statement released shortly after his dismissal was confirmed.
"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."
Postecoglou spoke in the build-up to the Europa League final about changing the way the club is perceived and he said his accomplishments should ensure that Tottenham will not have to wait so long for their next trophy.
"We have laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success," he said. "I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them."
While Tottenham fans were split over Postecoglou's future, he had a message for the supporters.
"I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters," he said. "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.
"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. We are forever connected."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Will it be deja vu as Spurs' Daniel Levy presses reset button again?
Tottenham Hotspur's head coach Ange Postecoglou gestures on the touchline during the match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur on April 13. PHOTO: AFP Spurs' first trophy in 17 years did not protect Ange Postecoglou. At the party held in the streets of north London, speaking from a dais at Tottenham town hall he declared the third season would be better than the second, like 'all the best television series'. Daniel Levy chose not to recommission the Australian. The real damage was done in the 22 games they lost in the Premier League, an unrepeatable situation. Those who paid good money at the Tottenham Stadium to watch such historic mediocrity had seen their fill, the glory of winning the Europa League in Bilbao was probably not enough. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Jorginho leaves Arsenal, signs for Flamengo before Club World Cup
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 12, 2025 Arsenal's Jorginho applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo REUTERS Italy midfielder Jorginho has joined Brazilian side Flamengo ahead of this month's Club World Cup, following a mutual termination of his contract with Arsenal, both clubs said. Jorginho, whose Arsenal deal was set to expire at the end of the month, has joined Flamengo on a contract until July 2028. The 33-year-old Brazil-born Italy international moved to North London from Chelsea in January 2023, making 78 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. Arsenal finished second to champions Liverpool in the Premier League in the recently-concluded season. "We can confirm that we have reached a mutual agreement with Jorginho to end his contract with immediate effect to become a free agent," Arsenal said in a statement late on Friday. Having started his career at Italian side Hellas Verona before switching to Napoli in 2014, Jorginho won the Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup and Club World Cup titles during his time at Chelsea. Capped 57 times for Italy, he won the European Championship in 2020. "Jorginho's first assignment with Flamengo will be at the Club World Cup," the Brazilian Serie A club said. Flamengo will begin their Club World Cup campaign against Tunisian side ES Tunis on June 16 in Philadelphia. The expanded 32-team Club World Cup runs from June 14 to July 13 in the United States with $1 billion in prize money at stake. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Hong keeps focus on World Cup after successful end to fraught campaign
Hong keeps focus on World Cup after successful end to fraught campaign South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo sought to focus on his team's preparations for next year's World Cup rather than the fraught campaign that eventually ended with the country celebrating qualification for an 11th consecutive finals. A 2-0 victory over Iraq in Basra on Thursday confirmed South Korea's progress as one of two automatic qualifiers from Group B of Asia's preliminaries, and came 11 months on from Hong's controversial reappointment as head coach. "It's an opportunity for us to test young guys who may be able to play at the World Cup next year," Hong said of Tuesday's remaining qualifier against Kuwait in Seoul. "We won't have too many opportunities like this. It's one thing for those guys to watch from the bench, and quite another for them to play." Ex-national team captain Hong returned for a second spell in charge in July last year after a series of caretakers had been appointed following Juergen Klinsmann's underwhelming tenure, the German leaving in the aftermath of South Korea's Asian Cup elimination. The 56-year-old's appointment was greeted by protests among hardcore fans, many mindful of the team's performance under Hong at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, when a highly-fancied squad crashed out in the group phase. Relations with supporters were further damaged by early struggles in qualifying, with players booed off the field in Seoul following an opening 0-0 draw with Palestine in September. That showing was one of several that highlighted the team's issues on native soil. While Hong's side are unbeaten across the nine matches played so far in the third phase of qualifying, the Koreans have won just one of four matches at home. The poor quality of the pitches used was blamed by players for their underwhelming performances and was another reason tensions increased between the country's football hierarchy and the support base. Despite those issues, qualification means the Koreans will extend a run of unbroken World Cup appearances that stretches back to 1986, with Hong now charged with building his squad for the challenge that lies ahead in North America. That will mean giving opportunities to less experienced performers as he looks for long-term options to stalwarts such as Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers. "From this moment on, everything we do will be geared toward preparing for the World Cup," said Hong. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
