James Maddison backs Ange Postecoglou despite sack rumours | OneFootball

Maddison Backs Postecoglou as Spurs Look to Salvage Season in Europe

Collective Accountability and Backing in Turbulent Times

Football’s theatre of pressure rarely hesitates. When things go wrong, fingers point, doubts creep in, and headlines write themselves. Yet, amid Tottenham’s erratic Premier League campaign, there remains a voice of calm and conviction. That voice is James Maddison, and his message is unequivocal: Ange Postecoglou still has the backing of the Spurs dressing room.

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“We’re behind the manager 100 per cent. He’s a great man,” Maddison said ahead of their Europa League semi-final against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. “He’s the first person to tell you, and I’ll tell you myself, we’ve had a poor season in the league.”

The numbers don’t flatter. Tottenham’s 19th league defeat of the season came at Anfield — a bruising 5-1 loss that mathematically confirmed Liverpool’s coronation as champions and sent Spurs spiralling further into scrutiny. Postecoglou, once hailed for his expansive attacking ethos, now faces questions over his future, even with the prospect of silverware still within reach.

Spurs Season on the Brink — but Not Lost

European nights offer football’s most curious contradiction. A team can be in disarray domestically and yet flirt with greatness on the continental stage. This is the paradox Spurs now inhabit. For all their league frailties, they remain in the last four of the Europa League, with a Champions League place potentially just three games away.

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“We’ve been very good in Europe but the league season has probably been unacceptable and we can all take a collective responsibility for that,” Maddison admitted. “But he’s my manager, he’s my gaffer, and I respect him an awful amount.”

This is not blind loyalty. It is rooted in Maddison’s view of a dressing room that continues to engage with Postecoglou’s methods, and a recognition that individual errors and collective lapses have undermined the manager’s intent. “I come into work every day and see the lads listening, taking on the messages, how he wants to play … we’re in a very good position in Europe where we can still have a special season under his management.”

From Embarrassment to Opportunity

If there was a moment that symbolised the depths of Tottenham’s frustrations, it came at Anfield. Not just the scoreline, but the post-match obligations. “I had to do an interview at Liverpool on Sunday and we have lost 5-1. It is a little bit embarrassing,” Maddison reflected. “And I know no one actually wants to hear what I have to say because they want to see the reaction.”

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That reaction must begin on Thursday night. The fixture, set against a backdrop of domestic discontent, is not just about reaching a final. It is about Spurs showing that they still have fire in their lungs, fight in their legs, and belief in their project.

“We have got to go and do it and we have got to show them we are just as hungry as they are to win something,” Maddison said. These are not hollow soundbites. They come from a player who understands how quickly European chances can vanish.

Maddison’s European Perspective Shapes Urgency

Maddison’s own continental past lends weight to his words. He was part of the Leicester squad that reached the Europa Conference League semi-final in 2021–22 before falling to Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who went on to lift the trophy.

“It’s huge,” he said. “When you get to the end of your career and look back, there’s probably not many times any player’s been in a European semi-final. Maybe once, twice, a few times if you’re lucky, if you’re at the real big clubs.”

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That awareness now fuels his desire to ensure Tottenham don’t let another opportunity slip through their fingers. “We have to use the fact that we’re in the final four of a massive competition in Europe as motivation,” Maddison urged. “Because we’ve got a really special opportunity.”

He added: “At the time, it was a few years ago, I probably didn’t realise the magnitude of what we were trying to achieve until now. That’s what gaining experience is, I guess, right?”

Spurs’ Season Rests on a Knife-Edge

What becomes clear through Maddison’s comments is not just his endorsement of Postecoglou, but his belief in the project, however fragile its current form. The Europa League now carries the weight of vindication. It offers Spurs an escape from domestic disappointment and perhaps a reason for continuity.

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Postecoglou’s vision may have blurred under pressure, but it has not broken. Maddison’s backing is not so much defiance as it is faith in the man, in the process, and in the idea that success doesn’t always follow a linear path.

In a season defined by inconsistency, there is still clarity in the dressing room. Postecoglou remains “the gaffer.” And for now, that still matters.