
Thursday's briefing: Differing fortunes for Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglu is by no means safe after a terrible domestic season, but the Australian feels he can take the club into the Champions League.
Ange eager for another shot
Under-fire Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglu insists he has unfinished business at the club after they won their first trophy in 17 years with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.
For weeks the Australian has looked set for the exit as woeful domestic form has left Spurs 17th in the Premier League and even bringing home a trophy may not be enough to save him.
'That decision is not in my hands,' he told TNT Sports.
'I don't feel I've completed the job yet, we are still building, but the moment I accepted the role I had one thing in my mind and that was to win something.
'We've done that now and I want to build on it. I think there is an opportunity here, that's my belief.'
Europa League defeat leaves Amorim under scrutiny
Ruben Amorim says he will leave without a pay-off if Manchester United's board and fans want him to after the painful Europa League final loss.
The Red Devils, 16th in the Premier League, will be without European football for the first time since 2014/15.
'In this moment I am not going to be here defending myself. It's not my style, I cannot do it,' said the United head coach, who has won just six Premier League matches since succeeding Erik ten Hag in November.
'If the board and the fans feel that I am not the right guy, I will go in the next day without any conversation about compensation. But I will not quit.
'I am really confident in my job and, as you can see, I will not change anything in how I do things.'
Ferdinand says European failure will impact United's transfer plans
Rio Ferdinand believes a 'disaster of a season' will result in Manchester United missing out on top targets now their Champions League hopes have disappeared.
Ferdinand told TNT Sports: 'It's been a disaster of a season which has ended on a bad note but I don't think they did enough to deserve it. I thought both teams looked scared to lose it.
'You can't expect to win a trophy when you are playing a little bit reserved and conservative, you have to be brave in these moments. It's going to be a long, long summer.
'That recruitment list they had will have to be scrapped now because they are not going to have Champions League football. It is a completely different list to recruit from.'
Foden opens up on mental struggles
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden wants to get 'mentally right' after admitting off-field issues contributed to a difficult season personally.
The 24-year-old, who swept up the individual awards after last season's Premier League title win, sustained an ankle injury in April at Old Trafford and was targeted with derogatory chants about his mother.
'I've had a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally,' said Foden, who has reportedly asked to be left out of the next England squad.
'Sometimes there's things in life that's bigger than football and this season I've struggled a little bit, but hopefully next year I can get my head mentally right.'
What's on today?
A place in the Scottish Premiership is at stake as Livingston host Ross County in the play-off final first leg.
Livi are looking for an immediate return to the top flight after relegation last season while County are trying to avoid the drop for the third successive year.
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Daily Record
31 minutes ago
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Adam Idah must crack Celtic contrast for Ireland as country striker battle could shift to Parkhead
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Scottish Sun
40 minutes ago
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‘Not a football club' – Former Man Utd boss launches scathing attack on old side while heaping praise on bitter rivals
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The Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Not a football club' – Former Man Utd boss launches scathing attack on old side while heaping praise on bitter rivals
LOUIS VAN GAAL has launched a stunning broadside on former club Manchester United. The Dutchman was in the Old Trafford hot seat between 2014 and 2016. 3 3 Van Gaal, 73, won a solitary FA Cup during his tenure as United boss. And he's been watching their horror 2024/25 season from afar with interest. The Red Devils finished without silverware last term, languishing 15th in the Premier League. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe - who has embarked on controversial cost-cutting across the club - employed Ruben Amorim midway through the season to stop the rot. But results continued to slide under the former Sporting Lisbon chief. Van Gaal told Sky Sports:"It is still a commercial club. "It is not a football club. I have said that before - and that's always difficult." The 73-year-old believes United will never find success unless Amorim is given the chance to choose his own players. He continued: "When [it's] not the manager deciding which player has to come, it's very difficult. "I think that is the way it should be. Bruno Fernandes reveals role his wife played in £200m Al-Hilal transfer snub even though Man Utd were ready to cash in "Because then you can fire the manager because he's not getting results. "When other people buy the players, then you have a problem. "You need to have the knowledge [of the manager] because he has to train them." Van Gaal also begged United chiefs to "pay attention" to the way Premier League champions Liverpool are operating under Arne Slot. He added: "Arne Slot is the man who says to his technical manager, you need to buy this player. "Pay attention to [that]." Van Gaal won 54 of his 103 games in charge at Old Trafford. His overall win percentage with the club stands at 52.43 per cent. That figure is lower than three United managers who have followed him through the door at Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Erik ten Hag all boast higher win percentages. But current boss Amorim has the lowest of all five. The Portuguese manager has won just 16 of his 42 games in charge - a paltry win percentage of 38.10 per cent. That's the worst of any permanent United manager since Frank O'Farrell in 1971.