After close to two weeks after winning the Europa League, Tottenham have made the decision to cut ties with former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. After bringing home their first major trophy in 20 years, the Australian will be leaving the post. Was this the right decision? Here’s a closer look.

17th-placed complacency

When the Premier League season started, Spurs were not in a position of danger. After Matchday 12, Spurs sat 6th in the table. Fast forward to the end of the season, and Spurs are sat just above the relegation zone and were bailed out by one of the worst relegation fights in Premier League history. It was one of their worst campaigns in their history and is certainly not an aspect to look over. While there was an issue with injuries throughout the season for Spurs and other Premier League clubs, it is certainly not something to scoff at.

Europa League Glory

On September 15, 2024, Postecoglou was quoted saying “I always win things in my second season” when talking to Sky Sports in an interview. In the end, he stayed true to his word. Brennan Johnson managed to score the winner against Manchester United that would earn the trophy for Spurs, and celebrations ensued as quickly as the referee could blow his whistle. It truly seemed like a huge accomplishment for the players as they could be pictured in jubilation. For Postecoglou, it helped reestablish a connection with fans that was quickly turning sour and one of frustration. It seemed like this trophy was the make or break.

Was it the right decision?

It seems as though Postecoglou’s poor Premier League finish came back to haunt him and was one of the major deciding factors in his sacking. The expectations are big at Spurs and Daniel Levy as well as many other fans will be disappointed after a fairly promising first campaign, but let’s not forget some aspects as well. Spurs fans have every right to be frustrated if they choose to be over Postecoglou being shown the door. It finally felt like Spurs had built something and they got the job done. They built a project around the Aussie and one that for the most part, felt like it was going the right direction. For some, the sacking will be seen as incredibly unfair and a product of impatience. The second half of the season for Spurs proved to be incredibly challenging, but we shouldn’t write off how the season finished as well as how the previous season had gone as well. For a top 6 Premier League team, 17th is unthinkable and that alone is enough to warrant a change in leadership. Couple that with a pragmatic system that struggled to adapt to oposition's tactics and that change becomes a bit more palatable.

In the end, it seems as though Postecoglou's efforts to retain his job were somewhat in vain and Spurs will reenter the manager search for the 8th time since sacking Mauricio Pochettino in 2019. Stay tuned for an announcement of who may take over soon.