Tottenham: Emotion of Bilbao can't save Ange Postecoglou as head rules heart for Daniel Levy | OneFootball

Worst-ever Premier League finish exposed Postecoglou’s flaws but Australian goes out a Spurs great after ending 17-year wait for trophy

Levy has been exploring alternative options for some time, with Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner, Thomas Frank and Marco Silva all considered as domestic form unravelled.

The dilemma for Levy was whether to let the emotion of Bilbao, and the reaction of fans towards Postecoglou after the game and during the celebrations back in north London, overrule the evidence of the downward curve Spurs have been on domestically.

Postecoglou guided Spurs to Europa League glory in Bilbao last month

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Even some of Levy’s harshest critics have had sympathy for the Spurs chairman, with supporters split over the difficult decision of whether Postecoglou should continue.

Postecoglou’s season three has been decommissioned, with Spurs confirming his departure in a statement on Friday.

The Australian will go down as a Spurs great after Bilbao but Levy felt a change was needed after a 17th-placed finish and concerning domestic results stretching back to November 2023.

Back then, Spurs had started Postecoglou’s first season in brilliant form and were looking like title challengers when they went 1-0 up at home against Chelsea and going top of the table.

But Spurs lost 4-1, ended the game with nine men, suffered injuries to Micky van de Ven and James Maddison, and flaws in Postecoglou’s football then began to be exposed.

His critics argued Postecoglou was tactically too rigid and out of his depth in the Premier League. Spurs have also had a wretched injury record, which has raised questions over his training regimes and whether his exhausting style of play is to blame.

The Europa League run showed Postecoglou was willing to adapt, with “Ange-ball” nowhere to be seen during streetwise performances against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt and then Manchester United in the final.

Parting ways with Postecoglou has been one of Levy’s toughest decisions at Spurs

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Postecoglou claimed he gave up on the Premier League some time ago to focus on Europe and that decision was proved right.

But Levy felt he was not the right man to take Spurs forward after 22 top-flight defeats last season. Postecoglou certainly left his mark at Spurs.

Saying he “always wins something in his second season” is one of English football's most memorable quotes, while his brand of football often made Spurs box-office viewing, particularly early in his tenure.

Besides the Europa League success, he led Spurs to a fifth-placed finish and masterminded a memorable 4-0 win away at Manchester City in November.

He has played a key role in developing the club’s talented young players, including Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Archie Gray. The young core of the squad have exciting futures, but Postecoglou will not be the man to guide them through it.

Postecoglou leaves Spurs with his stock high after their Europa League triumph

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Levy said at a fans’ forum in summer 2023 that “a trophy manager” was “maybe not right for this club” in explaining the decision to appoint Postecoglou as the antidote to Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

“Daniel said we went after winners and that didn’t work and now we’ve got Ange. Mate, I’m a winner. I’ve been a serial winner my whole career,” said Postecoglou in Bilbao last month.

Asked about winning the Europa League, he said: “It’s definitely been the toughest thing I’ve ever done.” He was possibly talking about managing Spurs more broadly.

Postecoglou lost Harry Kane on the eve of his first season and bigger issues remain at Spurs, with the squad needing more quality and the fans staging protests against Levy.

After Bilbao, Postecoglou leaves with his stock high and a place in Spurs history forever.