Frank, Iraola or Silva? Contenders to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham
Postecoglou delivered Spurs' first trophy in 17 years with Europa League success over Manchester United in Bilbao, but it failed to stop chairman Daniel Levy dismissing the Australian.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at candidates to replace Postecoglou, who presided over a 17th-placed Premier League finish last season.
"One of the best stories in English football" 💬
We sat down with Thomas Frank to get his review of the 2024/25 season as we secured a second top ten finish in three years ⤵️
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) May 30, 2025
Thomas Frank has a fine body of work behind him after he guided Brentford to promotion in 2021, while he has developed the likes of Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo during seven years in west London. Happy to mix pragmatism and a direct style of play with attacking intent, the 51-year-old was rumoured to be on Manchester United's shortlist last summer and continues to be linked with top-six vacancies. Tottenham's current technical director Johan Lange reportedly wanted to bring Frank to Aston Villa in 2022.
Bournemouth's decision to replace Gary O'Neil with Andoni Iraola in the summer of 2023 sparked criticism, but the Spaniard has been a resounding success. Last season saw the Cherries equal their best wins total in the Premier League and achieve a record points tally in the top flight. Iraola has kicked on again this term with more free-flowing football to earn an FA Cup quarter-final spot and push the club into European contention, but would he leave the south coast for north London like another coach did 11 years ago?
2024/25. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/zLSkMoU2Br
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) May 25, 2025
Another Premier League manager with a strong CV and knowhow for what it takes to thrive in English football, Marco Silva had Fulham in the battle for Europe after they also reached the last eight of the FA Cup for a second year in a row. A disappointing spell at Everton hangs over the Portuguese, who continues to be mooted for significant managerial roles around the globe.
🏆 @CPFC are your 2024-25 #EmiratesFACup winners 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ufAyghAUIS
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 17, 2025
Oliver Glasner was one of several coaches linked to Spurs in the summer of 2023, but no move materialised and he ended up at Crystal Palace where he has continued his cup pedigree with a historic FA Cup triumph – the club's first major trophy. Glasner, who won the Europa League with Frankfurt three years ago, prefers to use a wing-back system but has delighted the Selhurst Park faithful and helped bring out the best of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.
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Daily Record
27 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Ange casts a Celtic return shadow until Brendan Rodgers cracks a light on sticky contract situation
Ange Postecoglou told everyone he always delivers in the second season and was true to his word. He also promised Tottenham fans the third was going to be a blockbuster – only for his show to get cancelled. Football isn't a funny old game these days, it's a brutal one. Postecoglou getting the mallet soon after securing the first piece of silverware at Tottenham in 17 years just about sums it up. There's gratitude for you. An open top bus and then launched under it. The big Aussie might be better off out of there anyway and you'd think it won't be long before his phone rings again with some club chairman or owner somewhere fancying an adventure. And you just know there will be a fair few folk in these parts who will be hoping the call comes from the east end of Glasgow. It didn't take long for Celtic fans to join some of the dots. Brendan Rodgers is going into the final year of his contract and there's a suspicion the Irishman will decide the three year second stint is plenty. Hoops fans would be more than happy to let Ange lie on the beach for a year enjoying his Spurs pay-off before welcoming him back to Parkhead. It all sounds so seamless – but in reality even the suggestion would create instability. The longer Postecoglou sits out of work, the bigger shadow he'd cast over Parkhead. And this is the problem with Rodgers keeping his cards close to his chest too. The longer he stays silent on his future, the more folk will be second guessing. The second there's a goalless draw at Easter Road or, worse, a loss to Rangers, a section of the support will jerk the knees and jump on it and be talking about getting big Ange back sharpish. The whole managerial issue was always going to be a total distraction this coming season but it will be a whole level of awkwardness if the former gaffer is sitting idle. Rodgers said a few times he'll sit down with Dermot Desmond over the summer and see where they all are and what the plan is for next term and beyond. If the boss thinks this is his last dance, it might be better making it public and gearing up to going out with a bang. If he's undecided and wants to see how he feels down the line, it could create that uncertainty that can cause problems. It's a sticky one. Postecoglou himself could make it easier – and he could do Celtic and Rodgers a favour – by declaring he's not interested in making a return at any time, he wants to stay in England or try his luck on the continent. Taking himself off the board would be a slight boot in the delicates to punters but it would be a heck of a lot less hassle for his old club in the short term. Postecoglou will do what suits himself, mind you. That's how he rolls. He's been pretty ruthless with his career decisions over the years and you can bet an Aussie buck if he's won a trophy in his first season at Spurs and then Liverpool came calling post Klopp, he would have been at Anfield in a heartbeat. Quite right too. It's a two way street and survival of the fittest. Daniel Levy didn't show him any sentiment, despite the manager delivering the goods. Postecoglou gets the game too and has the ability to be cold and clinical. He raced out of Celtic when his big chance of a crack at the EPL came, but you can hardly blame him. It was a lifetime ambition to manage at that level and become the first Aussie to achieve it. Yet he's admitted there is still a connection with Celtic. It was Desmond who was the first European bigwig to take the punt and give him his chance, and set him on his way on this side of the planet. No one expected the Irish money man to be able to talk Rodgers into coming back, so anything is possible.
Scottish Sun
32 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Spurs facing ‘dressing room revolt over Ange Postecoglou sacking as players threaten to quit' after backing Aussie boss
ANGE-R MANAGEMENT Spurs facing 'dressing room revolt over Ange Postecoglou sacking as players threaten to quit' after backing Aussie boss ANGE POSTECOGLOU'S replacement could walk into a dressing room revolt at Tottenham, according to reports. The Aussie was axed just two weeks after lifting the Europa League to end the club's 17-year trophy drought. 3 Players are fuming over Ange Postecoglou's sacking Credit: Getty 3 Spurs chief Daniel Levy is facing a dressing room revolt Credit: PA Brentford's Thomas Frank is the leading candidate to take over, with Fulham boss Marco Silva and Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola also in the running. And the new man's first job could be to lift spirits in a devastated dressing room full of players that have spoken out in support of Postecoglou. The Telegraph claim the sacking has angered many and some stars now want to leave this summer. A "player revolt" is a worry for chief Daniel Levy as players are unhappy over the way "Postecoglou's exit has been handled". READ MORE IN FOOTBALL BEING FRANK How Tottenham could line up under Thomas Frank with star loved by Ruben Amorim The Spurs squad penned touching goodbyes to their boss on social media, possibly hinting at their dismay over the decision. Captain Son Heung-min called him a "legend", who "changed the trajectory of the club and believed in us". Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario wrote: "You are not only a top manager, you are an incredible person to work for, a real leader, a mentor, and someone I'll always look up to. "What we achieved TOGETHER will stay in the history books." JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 3 Pedro Porro said: "For mentoring me early on, helping me settle into the club, and trusting me out on the pitch. "I'll always be grateful for the way you led us, defended us, and kept us going through all the highs and lows. "Above everything, you gave us one of the greatest moments in the club's history and for that, you'll always be celebrated." Dominic Solanke added: "Thank you for bringing me to this wonderful club, thank you for bringing us a wonderful trophy. "Won't ever forget the convo we had before I signed and we achieved a dream! All the best in your next adventure." An official Spurs statement said it was a unanimous decision to get rid of Postecoglou despite it being a "tough" decision. They said: "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." Ange Breaks Silence On Tottenham Sacking ANGE Postecoglou issued a statement just moments after being axed. It read: "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 the foundations that means 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. 'We are forever connected. Audere est Facere.' THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Scottish Sun
33 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Clarke's men drained the enthusiasm of every Scotland fan with a catalogue of calamities vs Iceland writes Bill Leckie
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Behind his blackout sunglasses, Easterhouse-born actor Tommy Flanagan, scarfaced Chibs Telford to the eight million who watched the motorcycle gang drama for eight seasons, sat shaking his head with the rest of us. And, like most the 32,000-plus who'd forked out hard cash for this sorry Friday night, he'd exited stage left long before the end. How young Slicker must have wished he could have done the same. The kid with 21 on his back, three times the number of senior games he's played at the age of 22, had a horrible, horrible night from the moment his first clearance went straight to an Icelandic shirt and led to the opening goal minutes after he'd come on for the crocked Angus Gunn. Advertisement But this defeat wasn't his doing; far from it, given that in front of him were ten outfield players who will be pretty close to our first picks for that World Cup qualifying cavalry charge of six ties in 74 days. We had Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, fresh from winning Serie A with Napoli. We had Andy Robertson, off the back of his second English title with Liverpool. Tartan Army fan who walked to Germany embarking on new challenge for the World Cup We had John McGinn, skipper of the Aston Villa side who stormed to the last eight of the Champions League. We had Lewis Ferguson, who led Bologna to their first Italian silverware in half a century. Advertisement We had Kieran Tierney, ready for a hero's return to Celtic. Along with Austrian league champion Max Johnston and English League One winner Grant Hanley, they were all applauded to the rafters pre-match when the big screens hailed their individual achievements. Sadly, as a collective they weren't so much champs as chumps. Clarke had said it himself – this was no time for experimentation. It was a night for his tried and tested stalwarts to step up one last time for the season in front of the Tartan Army and give them a shot in the arm of optimism that would last right through the summer, a right good dose of footballing Vitamin D. Instead, this was like touching down in Majorca to find it's peeing down and the hotel's only half-built. Advertisement It started badly when Angus Gunn landed awkwardly taking his first catch of the night with only a couple of minutes on the clock. Still, at least he can say that everything he was asked to do while he was on the pitch, he did flawlessly. The rest? Wow. Where do we start. How they rated Angus Gunn - Came for a cross in the first minute but crumpled with an ankle problem so was unable to continue. Terrible timing given he is without a club having left Norwich. 1 Max Johnston - Given his chance on the right hand side and made a positive impact. Will be disappointed he didn't make more of a back post chance to score. A decent start. 6 John Souttar - Showed great strength inside the box to hold off his marker and head home Max Johnston's wicked corner. Will be furious at the goals Scotland lost. 5 Grant Hanley - Tried to show Andri Gudjohnsen inside after Cieran Slicker's poor kick but ended up with egg on his face as he whipped it into the top corner from 25 yards. Grim night. 4 Kieran Tierney - 50th cap and a poor occasion to hit that milestone. Matched Albert Gudmindsson's runs all night before going off for debut man Lennon Miller in the closing stages. 5 Andy Robertson - Bombed up and down the left flank as he usually does but final balls were lacking the precision to really hurt Iceland. Skipper has to drag Scotland's defence out of this rot. 5 John McGinn - Patrolled the middle of the park as he usually does but nothing really came off for him high up the pitch. Scotland will need him refreshed and flying in September. 5 Billy Gilmour - Did precisely what you expect from him now. Kept possession and the ball ticking over as the link man all over the pitch. Below his best like so many. 5 Lewis Ferguson - Didn't know much about it at the own goal which put Iceland back in front. Unlucky as a comedy pinball moment saw the ball crack off him and squirm past Cieran Slicker. 5 Scott McTominay - Started on the left of midfield, tasked with supporting George Hirst. Few flashes of what he can do but a big game player so he keeps the real heroics for when it counts. 5 George Hirst - Missed an early header then denied his first Scotland goal by two great saves from the Iceland goalie then an offside call after scoring. Showed he's got some promise. 6 Subs: Cieran Slicker (Gunn 6) - Debut didn't go to plan, that's for sure. Poor kick for the opener, flailing at the second, even worse at the third. Difficult not to feel sorry for him at times. 2 Lennon Miller (Tierney 67) - First cap. 3 Scott McKenna (Hanley 67) - Shored it up a bit late on. 3 Che Adams (Hirst 67) - No chances. 3 Nathan Patterson (Johnston 79) - Replaced Johnston. 2 Tommy Conway (McTominay 79) - On for McTominay. 2 There was George Hirst's header over an empty net from three yards out. There was the catalogue of calamities that saw John Souttar and Ferguson combine to deflect the second Icelandic past the floundering Slicker. There was a countless number of slack passes. There was a tempo that rarely got above jogging pace. There was a total lack of the togetherness that had pulled us back from that terrible start to the Nations League and very nearly kept us in the elite group – replaced, worryingly, by so much more of the disjointed, disorganised nonsense we'd shown in THAT Hampden hammering by the Greeks on the night we were eventually relegated. It was woeful. It was hugely worrying with those fast-improving Greeks to face along with Denmark if we want to make it to the top table across the Pond next summer. Advertisement And, as much as I'm a huge fan of the guy, it's another bad night on Clarke's CV as his record extends to just four wins from his last 21. Again, I've backed him through thick and thin, but it has to be said that previous gaffers have been hunted out the door with better records than that. He has a massive rebuilding job to do on this squad's confidence before Copenhagen on September 5 – and, yes, I know we're in Liechtenstein on Monday night, but what that will tell us about ourselves goodness along knows. Except maybe which players have the character not to pull out by the time you read this. As for young Slicker? He doesn't need anyone to tell him he had a nightmare. He's already a joke pub quiz question about the only guy to win two caps on the same night: His first and his last. Advertisement It wasn't his fault, though. He's played nine minutes of first team football this season for Ipswich Town, he's played six first team games in total for them and Rochdale and he's never played one single minute of top flight league action. How do you end up playing international football with that little experience? Answers on the back of a postcard from Vaduz. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
