Ange Postecoglou in or out? The answer is undoubtedly in, according to a number of club greats.
The Australian did what he promised and won a trophy in his second season at Tottenham Hotspur, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final.
The triumph is Spurs’ first piece of silverware since 2008, but comes during their worst-ever Premier League campaign as they sit just one place above the relegation zone.
Given the domestic disaster, there’s talk Postecoglou could still be cut loose by chairman Daniel Levy, who has already drawn up a shortlist of replacements.
However, the European triumph should change that for various reasons.
Club icon Robbie Keane who won their previous title with the League Cup 17 years ago believes stability is key going forward.
Currently coaching himself in Hungary with Ferencvarosi who are just one game from winning the league, the Irishman told talkSPORT: “It’s an unbelievable moment for Spurs, Daniel Levy and the manager, people asked me today do you think the manager will go, but how can you get rid of a manager who just won a European Cup?
“You need stability at the club and you’re not going to get that if you keep changing every couple of years, they need to build on this and build on momentum now.
“There’s no way they can have a season like that next year with the squad that they have, no way, so hopefully they add two or three players and can achieve something.
“Maybe he’s got all the power now by winning the cup. I’m sure they would’ve identified some players that they want to bring into the club and get the injury list down and add some more players.
“I’m sure Daniel will back him. He does back the managers, he’s spent a lot of money but they definitely need two or three players.”
Keane added to his praise of the Australian, saying: “I think he put himself under a lot of pressure with those comments so if he didn’t win something it would’ve come back to haunt him. But he did it, he’s proven everybody wrong.
“What I do like about Ange is his confidence, he believes in himself and his group of players, yes the season hasn’t been great, I’m not making excuses but when you’re missing three or four key players it can be difficult, especially when it’s guys at the back.”
Former Swiss Spurs defender Ramon Vega was in agreement, picking Postecoglou’s mentality as the reason he should stay.
The Australian arrived after elite serial winners like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, and triumphed where they failed.
Vega puts that down to his attitude, telling talkSPORT: “The league form was terrible, but sacking him now would be one of the worst mistakes.
“He has to continue the work he’s done, these players with his mentality and principles and quality of putting a team together, you can see they’re a team.
“If the dressing room was not there I’d tell you sack the manager, but this dressing room works for the manager.
“Without a doubt he deserved this win, from the first day everybody was hammering him, but he stuck to his guns and when someone has the mentality of saying he’s going to win in his second season and everyone is laughing, this is the mentality I like. It’s confidence, it’s not arrogance.
“Ange’s mentality really brought a winning formula into this club. When he came to the club, who actually really wanted to come? It’s very, very difficult to manage, he took the risk and winning is the only answer.”
You also have to look at it from the players’ perspective too, says former Spurs academy graduate Steven Caulker, who came to talkSPORT Towers to give his view.
“It’s not nice to see a change in management, there are times when I’ve wanted it but the majority of times it’s not nice,” Caulker explained.
“So I think the players who have shared this season with him, the highs and lows, the way they were hugging him, I think they’ll want him to stay.
“I’d be very, very surprised to see him go, it’s not been their best season in the league, there’s no hiding from that, but it ended with a trophy and ultimately I’d say that’s a successful season.”
Over to you, Mr. Levy…
