Ange Postecoglou admitted he would love to “see through” his work at Tottenham Hotspur, after giving his strongest hint yet that the Europa League final will be his penultimate game in charge.
Spurs play Manchester United in Bilbao on Wednesday, with a chance to win their first trophy since 2008, before they conclude their Premier League season against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. Postecoglou is widely expected to leave at the end of this season, his second in charge at Tottenham. But in his pre-match news conference in Bilbao on Tuesday evening, he came closer than ever before to saying that this is his last week.
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“I’ve been in this position before, where the big game was the last game that I managed,” Postecoglou said. “It’s not unusual territory for me. I’ve always navigated that pretty well. Because for me, nothing is more important than my responsibility to this football and its fans, that tomorrow, me and the players, our minds are only on one thing. And that’s trying to create something special.”
Postecoglou referenced his departure from the Australia job after qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, his departure from Celtic after winning the treble in May 2023, and leaving Brisbane Roar after winning the A League Grand Final in April 2012.
The 59-year-old was asked whether he might feel that his job was done at Spurs if they lift the Europa League on Wednesday night. “I don’t think my job is done here, I really feel like we’re building something,” he said. “A trophy hopefully accelerates that. I still think there’s a lot of work to be done.
“It’s quite obvious that we’ve had challenges this year, which are well-chronicled, but I think there’s some reasons and context for that. But I also think there’s been some growth that I would like to see through. Whether that happens or not is not that important right now. But I don’t think this job’s finished. I certainly feel like there is some growth there. We can take this club to where it needs to be.”
Postecoglou gave another hint he could be in his last week when he was asked about whether his future was “assured”. “My future is assured,” Postecoglou smiled. “I wouldn’t be the first person who changes jobs. We all change jobs. My future is assured. I’ve got a beautiful family, a great life, I will keep on winning trophies until I finish, wherever that is.
“Don’t worry about my future. My future is not entwined with anything. My future is assured. Provided, god willing, my health remains and with my beautiful family beside me and my friends. There’s nothing wrong with my future, mate.”
Ahead of the game that will define his Spurs legacy, Postecoglou gave a strong defence of his Spurs record, angrily insisting that he was “not a clown” and “never will be”.
(Photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
