The amazing XI Tottenham would’ve had if they’d backed Ange Postecoglou | OneFootball

Ange Postecoglou has caused shockwaves by claiming that Tottenham aren’t a big club by the way in which they operate in the transfer market, and threw out several names of players that he wanted the club to sign that they failed to get over the line.

“They’ve built an unbelievable stadium, unbelievable training facilities but when you look at the expenditure, particularly their wages structure, they’re not a big club,” Postecoglou told the Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast.

“I saw that because when we were trying to sign players we weren’t in the market for those players.

We’ve put together a full XI of players Tottenham could have today if they’d backed Postecoglou more.

GK: David Raya

There’s little to suggest that Postecoglou wasn’t happy with Guglielmo Vicario, who has had his dodgy moments but is a world-class shot-stopper on his day and has proven an upgrade on late-era Hugo Lloris.

But the Italian doesn’t appear to have been Spurs’ first-choice target in Postecoglou’s first summer.

There are conflicting reports over whether they actually made an official bid for Raya, but weeks before the club sealed Vicario’s signing, they’re said to have approached Brentford. Fabrizio Romano even reported that he’d agreed personal terms.

The Spanish ‘keeper was approaching the final year of his contract and was set on a departure, but Spurs baulked at the Bees’ £40million asking price.

Raya ended up getting his move later that summer, joining Arsenal on an initial season-long loan before a £27million move the following summer. He’s now chasing down a third successive Golden Glove since signing for the Gunners.

RB: Pedro Porro

Djed Spence was reintegrated into Postecoglou’s first-team set-up after spending the 2023-24 campaign out on loan to Leeds United and Genoa, but the coach appeared more than satisfied with Porro at right-back.

Only two players made more appearances for Spurs under Postecoglou.

“He’s worked awfully hard on his game on both the offensive and defensive side,” the former manager told SPURSPLAY after a well-deserved Spain call-up in March 2024.

“We’ve obviously put some different demands on that position, but he’s adapted so well and credit to him, he’s worked really hard.”

CB: Micky van de Ven

We ummed and ahhed over which of Spurs’ existing centre-backs to include in his hypothetical dream backline, but ultimately decided on Van de Ven.

The Dutch defender’s blistering pace was almost like a cheat code when playing Postecoglou’s daring high line.

It’s easy to forget now that Spurs finished within a whisker of Champions League qualification in his first season, while nowadays fifth place would be enough.

Van de Ven and his recovery pace was absolutely integral when Angeball was clicking.

CB: Marc Guehi

Postecoglou’s admission that he wanted the club to go out and sign Guehi raises an interesting question over who’d have featured in his first-choice backline.

He could have played Guehi alongside two other centre-backs, as Oliver Glasner did so effectively at Crystal Palace, but we just can’t imagine a deviation from the 4-3-3 he favoured at Spurs. It’s just who we are, mate.

Such talk is probably academic, given the defensive injury headache Postecoglou had in his final season. But having Van de Ven, Guehi and Cristian Romero – man of the match in Postecoglou’s finest hour – would leave one quality defender out.

Perhaps had they got Guehi over the line, they’d instead have cashed in on Romero. The interest in the World Cup winner is well established, and it would’ve made the kind of cold, hard financial sense that was always music to Daniel Levy’s ears.

LB: Destiny Udogie

There’s been little in the transfer rumour mill to suggest that Spurs were planning anything but integrating Udogie into Postecoglou’s set-up after his impressive loan to Udinese in 2022-23.

Like Van de Ven, the left-back was often exceptional in the period where it looked like Angeball was the future.

Given Udogie’s recent injury record, a quality alternative wouldn’t have gone amiss, but if fit and available this spot belongs to the Italy international.

DM: Joao Palhinha

Six was an ongoing problem position in the Postecoglou era. Pierre Emile Hojbjerg’s limitations were exposed in his final season, while Yves Bissouma has never really kicked on.

It would have been interesting to see how Joao Palhinha would have fared under Postecoglou. The Portuguese midfielder’s progressive passing has left a lot to be desired, but his engine and out-of-possession play would have made him a useful asset for Angeball.

Getting in a world-class defensive midfielder might have been the difference in the Postecoglou project ever taking off, but linked players are relatively thin on the ground. We’ll stick Palhinha in here, but really this is the biggest question mark in the XI.

CM: Pape Matar Sarr

The Senegalese midfielder might not be the flashiest name, but he had Postecoglou’s trust. Surprisingly, no player made more appearances for Spurs under the Australian than Sarr.

“He’s been great from the moment I arrived,” Postecoglou told reporters after he shone in an early statement victory over Manchester United.

“He’s got a great energy about him, but he’s got quality there too. He’s one of those midfielders who causes the opposition real problems because, whether it’s him running with the ball or without the ball, he runs forward, he runs aggressively, and he disrupts the opposition.

“He’s just got a great temperament for a young guy. So really pleased for him.”

Sarr hasn’t quite kicked on as many would have expected since Postecoglou’s departure, but there’s undoubtedly a player there.

Conor Gallagher, now with Spurs of course, is an alternative option. But moving directly from Chelsea was always unlikely.

CM: Eberechi Eze

We’re surprised that Eze’s name wasn’t one mentioned by Postecoglou in his recent appearance on Stick To Football, because according to media reports he was very keen on the playmaker long before Tottenham’s knocked-back approach last summer.

“There is also the fact that Postecoglou wanted to buy Eberechi Eze and got Timo Werner on loan instead,” wrote BBC pundit Pat Nevin in his defence of Postecoglou after he departed the club last summer.

“I was going to explain this disparity further but if you know football at all, you have got the point already.”

Say no more, Pat.

FWL: Antoine Semenyo

Postecoglou spoke of wanting to sign “Premier League proven” players, with Semenyo one of the specific players he namechecked.

The forward had enjoyed an eye-catching 2023-24 campaign at Bournemouth, but it was really from that point onwards – under the guidance of Andoni Iraola – that he really exploded into life.

Now he’s chasing down trophies with Manchester City, with five goals in his first eight appearances since arriving in January. Tottenham got a bitter taste of his extraordinary talent with his last act for Cherries, notching a brilliant injury-time match-winner back in early January.

Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, eh?

ST: Bryan Mbeumo

“We ended up signing Dom Solanke and three teenagers,” Postecoglou bemoaned of Tottenham’s business in the summer of 2024.

It was then that he levelled the charge that they’re not operated like a big club. Ouch.

He did go on to say that he was very happy with Solanke (and that the teenagers would be great players for the future). He also claimed that he’d have loved to have had a season with Harry Kane (“the best player I’ve worked with”) after their pre-season together in 2013 – but the England captain always appeared destined for Bayern Munich.

Mbeumo has only lined up as a centre-forward for a fraction of his career appearances to date and we don’t imagine that would’ve been Spurs’ plan for him.

But we’re sticking him here as Postecoglou mentioned his name explicitly, and he offers a nice illustration of Tottenham missing out on players on the ascendancy who have gone on to thrive for their immediate rivals.

FWR: Pedro Neto

The last of four names mentioned by Postecoglou on his recent Stick To Football appearance (after Guehi, Semenyo and Mbeumo).

In fairness, the former Tottenham coach probably wasn’t suggesting that he wanted to sign all of those players together, especially given that three of them play similar roles, but it’d make an interesting forward line, wouldn’t it? You’d probably take it over their current one.

Neto hasn’t exactly pulled up any trees at Stamford Bridge, and his record of 20 goals and 28 assists in 172 Premier League appearances isn’t anything to write home about, but he’s featured regularly for a Chelsea side that did what Spurs failed to do and made the step up to the top four.