Ange Postecoglou sacked: Tottenham face player revolt over coach's sacking
In the aftermath of winning his first trophy with Tottenham, captain Son Heung-min said: 'He [Postecoglou] won the trophy. Nobody did it, so …. look, it is not up to me or the players, but we just have to look at the facts, at the fact that we have not won in 17 years, today is the day we finally won it. It is the manager who wins the trophy. So we see what is going to happen.'
Son left some teammates and staff with the impression that he could leave Tottenham this summer and there is believed to be interest in the South Korean from Saudi Arabia. Atletico Madrid want to sign defender Cristian Romero, another player who was close to Postecoglou.
Levy was not directly quoted in the Tottenham statement that confirmed Postecoglou's sacking. It said: 'Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties.
'We are extremely grateful to Ange for his commitment and contribution during his two years at the club. Ange will always be remembered as only the third manager in our history to deliver a European trophy, alongside legendary figures Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw.
'However, the Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place. Following a positive start in the 2023-24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games. This culminated in our worst ever PL finish last season. At times there were extenuating circumstances – injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign. Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the club's greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.
'It is crucial that we are able to compete on multiple fronts and believe a change of approach will give us the strongest chance for the coming season and beyond. This has been one of the toughest decisions we have had to make and is not a decision that we have taken lightly, nor one we have rushed to conclude. We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision.'
Following Tottenham's announcement, Postecoglou released his own statement: '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.
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'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.'
He added: '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.'
Tottenham's Europa League success changed the minds of many supporters over Postecoglou's future. But a 17th place Premier League finish, alongside the Europa League win, ultimately cost him his job, even though his squad was decimated by injuries.
Levy has put himself under huge pressure to appoint a successor to Postecoglou who can out-perform the Australian. Frank has never won a major trophy as a manager and has not managed in a full European competition. Silva won the Greek title with Olympiacos and coached them in the Champions League.
Sacking Postecoglou will cost Tottenham in the region of £4 million ($8.33 million) in compensation.
The Telegraph, London
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"The culture surrounding the team is such that they always want to win, and motivating them is no problem at all." Auckland City's players aren't full-time professionals and many have taken annual leave to compete in the Club World Cup, where they face what coach Paul Posa calls "the toughest group". New Zealand's champions, fresh from winning the OFC Champions League, will face Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors in Group C of the revamped tournament, which starts at various US venues on Saturday, and Posa acknowledged their uphill battle. "It's quite possibly the toughest group we could have drawn," said Posa, who guided them to fifth place in the old Club World Cup in 2009. "We have two traditional European powerhouses in Bayern Munich and Benfica, and Boca Juniors, who are also capable of going all the way. "We have competed in many of the previous versions of the CWC competition, which has given us a broad range of experience allowing us to punch above our weight in the past. Our goals are to be prepared, and compete, to the best of our ability.'' Auckland enter the 32-team tournament months after claiming their 13th Oceania title and fourth in succession. Despite continental success, football remains a part-time commitment for the squad. "All of the players have other jobs alongside their football commitments," Posa said. "However, they have an extraordinary dedication to their football outside of their working hours. "Players have had to take annual leave from their jobs. Indeed, some of the players were unable to take time to attend both the OFC Champions League competition and the Club World Cup." The mid-June to mid-July tournament timing means it falls during Auckland's season rather than after it, as the previous version of the competition did. "The challenge of having the CWC fall in the middle of the season has been ensuring that players are in top form at the right times. However, I believe we're on track to achieve this," Posa said. 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