Ange Postecoglou defied all odds to lead Tottenham Hotspur to Europa League glory last season
Tottenham fans will forever be grateful to Ange Postecoglou for delivering on his promise of winning a major trophy in his second season at N17. The Australian tactician managed to overcome all the odds and beat Manchester United to win the Europa League in May. And the historic achievement also meant that the Lilywhites ended their 17-year wait for silverware.
The cherry on top was that the North London club qualified for Champions League football for this season as well. However, winning the European competition was not enough for Big Ange to retain his job at Spurs. And the ex-Celtic boss was harshly sacked by Daniel Levy just a few days after the trophy parade.
In hindsight, it might have been the right decision by Levy as the Lilywhites endured a disastrous domestic campaign. Ange’s men finished just a place above the relegation zone in the Premier League, registering 22 losses along the way. It is truly a miracle how Spurs managed to get themselves back up and win the Europa League despite the horrendous outing in the league.
Ange Postecoglou ‘knew’ Tottenham sack was imminent
At the time, many fans were outraged by the fact that Daniel Levy took a bold step and sacked a manager that finally ended the club’s trophy drought. However, the decision was absolutely correct in hindsight, as the football Spurs played under Ange Postecoglou was not sustainable at all. Not even big Ange can complain that he got sacked after a poor showing in the Premier League last season.
Now, Ange Postecoglou has shared his thoughts on the sacking after becoming the new Nottingham Forest manager. Speaking in his first presser for Forest (via Beanyman Sports), Ange said,
“It wasn’t great. I knew it was coming, so it wasn’t a surprise, so that’s one thing. I knew it was coming a fair way before the final. But we won it, and we had the parade. So, it was a great three days. I didn’t want it to tarnish that. But after that, I kind of knew it was done.”
The Australian tactician added,
“So, yeah, from my perspective, you have a chance to process that. Whether I feel it was unjust, other people make those decisions, they make those determinations. That’s up to them. You have to ask them their reasoning for it.”
Although it did not feel great, Ange Postecoglou admitted that he knew he was getting the sack at Tottenham before the Europa League final took place. The ex-Celtic boss stated that he kept his spirits up during the trophy parade after the historic win as he wanted to live in the moment. The Australian tactician did not give out any hints on whether he felt the decision was ‘unjust’, and instead insisted that a new chapter at Forest awaits now.
Well, Spurs fans should also look to move on now and back their new manager, Thomas Frank, as we approach an important part of the new campaign. The fans can take solace from the fact that Big Ange left N17 on a high, and his last memory as the Tottenham manager was to win the Europa League and end the club’s long-standing trophy drought.
