Ange Postecoglou strengthens position as Daniel Levy faces dilemma that could define Tottenham's future | OneFootball

Ange Postecoglou has done what his predecessors such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte couldn't at Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou had presumably been sitting on his riposte for the best part of two years, waiting for the moment which he was always convinced would come.

"I remember even when I signed...Daniel [Levy] said, 'We went after winners, it didn't work and now we've got Ange'. But mate, I'm a winner. I have been a serial-winner my whole career," Postecoglou said in the auditorium at San Mames, a Europa League winners' medal draped around his neck.

Postecoglou appeared to be referring to Levy's comments at the fan forum in September 2023, when the chairman said "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.

Well, now Postecoglou has done what Mourinho, Conte, Mauricio Pochettino and the rest could not, and proved his credentials as a winner at the highest level by guiding Spurs to a first European trophy in 41 years.

There is an irony that the progressive coach recruited to play beautiful football won in a style benefitting a great Mourinho team, as Spurs ground out a 1-0 win over United on Wednesday in Bilbao; not Ange-ball but Ange-wall, as Chris Sutton quipped on 5-Live.

Pretty or not, however, Postecoglou deserves enormous credit for fulfilling his promise to deliver silverware in his second season.

Levy now has a decision to make, perhaps one of the more difficult and emotionally-charged of his 24-year chairmanship.

I'm a winner. I have been a serial-winner my whole career

Ange Postecoglou

Perceived wisdom before the final was that Postecoglou was doomed regardless of the result, set to pay the price for Spurs' historically-poor league campaign and what has appeared to be a strained relationship with supporters.

Certainly, Spurs' league season has been a disaster, with 21 defeats from 37 matches and counting, and at multiple points during the campaign it has been hard to see how Postecoglou could possibly continue long-term.

In the euphoria of Wednesday, as Spurs' squad and staff danced on the pitch in front of a sea of white shirts and savoured an historic triumph, Postecoglou's exit appeared far from certain, however.

Their failure in the league has now been consigned to history – try finding a supporter who gives two hoots that they are 17th in the table – and can be viewed in the context of their success in Europe.

Postecoglou explained that he had decided to go all out to win the Europa League from the end of January, which had inevitably "come at a cost in the league".

The Australian, who insisted he has never had a "fractious" relationship with fans, will have also won over many of the undecideds with the conviction of his side's performances in Europe, surely leaving him with the backing of the majority of the fanbase.

There is still another day of celebration to come at Friday's trophy parade through north London, when Postecoglou will have the stage and a chance to address supporters, further entrenching his position if he chooses.

Ange Postecoglou celebrates with the Europa League trophy

AP

There is little doubt, too, that his players support him to the hilt and many said as much either side of the final.

"Look, it's not up to me or the players but we just have to look at the facts," said Spurs captain Heung-min Son. "We haven't won a trophy in 17 years and today we finally won it. It's the manager who wins the trophy."

Postecoglou, for his part, had already said before the game that he wanted to stay on to finish what he started and build on his first two seasons in charge and what is now one of the best campaigns in the club's modern history. He reiterated the point several times in the aftermath of the match.

There seems little chance, then, of Postecoglou walking away in a blaze of glory, as Pochettino had intended to do if Spurs won the 2019 Champions League final, leaving Levy with a choice between sacking the 59-year-old and backing him.

The obvious question is how Levy, who has professed to want to win trophies as much as any fan, could possibly sack the manager who finally ended Spurs' 17-year trophy drought, and that was put directly to Postecoglou after the game.

"I understand [with] obviously the way things have gone in the league, people are right to be concerned, but I don't think that's a true reflection of where [the club] is at," he said. "Whatever happens, my own belief in what I do doesn't waver and I'll continue to push on and do what I do."

You could make the case that Postecoglou has done his job in changing the style of play, lowering the age-profile of the squad and bringing success, and should be thanked and succeeded by a coach more willing or more able to compete on multiple fronts.

But there are no especially compelling alternatives out there, at least no more compelling than a man who can now be considered a club legend.

And anyway, Postecoglou has answered one of the biggest questions about his ability to succeed at this level by successfully adapting his approach in Europe.

Judging from the turnout at fan protests in recent months, as well as the scale of chanting at matches since December, there is an increasing number of supporters who are disgruntled with Levy's running of the club, adding to the stakes for the chairman.

Postecoglou is now in a position of supreme strength; Levy, at least from a PR-perspective, is not.

There is, of course, the Erik ten Hag factor to consider; United reversed their decision to sack the Dutchman when he won last season's FA Cup, only to eventually dismiss him in October after a poor start. Spurs did not have to look far on Wednesday night to see the wreckage of that decision for United.

Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy shared a moment during the Europa League final

Getty Images

As the celebrations raged, Levy and Postecoglou shared a hug on the winners' podium in Bilbao in a rare show of emotion from the chairman.

There is an argument that Levy cannot afford to be governed by emotion in deciding the manager's future and should act with clear-headed ruthlessness in the club's best interests, whatever he believes that to be.

Football, though, would be meaningless without emotion and Postecoglou was the chief architect of Spurs' tears of joy on Wednesday. Levy must have felt some of the magic in Bilbao, which may influence his decision.

And even if he did not, the bottom line is surely that Postecoglou has earned the right to continue his work if he wants to.