First Tottenham star reacts to Ange Postecoglou sacking - just days after calling for him to stay | OneFootball

Spurs favourite pays tribute to departing manager, thanking him for his mentorship and trust

Spurs are hunting for a new head coach after sacking Postecoglou on Friday following exactly two years at the helm, just a fortnight after he ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.

That famous night in Bilbao that delivered Tottenham a first piece of major silverware since the 2007/08 League Cup and first in Europe since the 1983/84 UEFA Cup, as well as sealing a return to the Champions League next season, was ultimately not enough for the Australian to save his job following a disastrous Premier League campaign that saw the club finish just one spot above the relegation zone in 17th, amassing only 38 points as they lost 22 of their 38 matches.

Spurs said sacking Postecoglou had been one of their “toughest decisions” with the fanbase clearly divided, but insisted that they could not base the call on the emotion aligned to their Europa League success as the board unanimously decided that a change in approach was needed in order to compete on multiple fronts next season.

Brentford’s Thomas Frank has emerged as the leading early contender to take over in north London, though Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva of Fulham and Crystal Palace’s FA Cup-winning manager Oliver Glasner have also been linked with the job.

Postecoglou’s popularity among his players never seemed to waver despite Tottenham’s Premier League struggles this season and the strong external criticism he received, with right-back Porro starting the squad tributes to their former leader.

“Thank you for everything, boss,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of the two men embracing on the pitch. “For mentoring me early on, helping me settle into the club, and trusting me out on the pitch.

“I’ll always be grateful for the way you led us, defended us, and kept us going through all the highs and lows.

Porro had expressed his support for Postecoglou earlier this week in an interview with The Guardian ahead of Spain’s thrilling Nations League semi-final win over France in Stuttgart.

“Him continuing would be good for the dressing room,” Porro said. “He has built a very good group and coaches also need time. In the league things didn’t go well but he makes you win a trophy.

“That’s important too. The people in the dressing room with weight have to understand that.

“I’m not going to lie, it did impact me to see [people say] they were going to sack him to be honest. I’m very close to him. He’s been an important coach for me and it’s thanks to him that I have brought out my [best] football these two years.

“It’s complicated because in football in general things don’t always depend on you but, honestly, in the team – I think, in my opinion – we’re happy with him.”