Micky van de Ven has revealed what he thinks of Tottenham’s decision to sack Ange Postecoglou despite winning the Europa League trophy, and his comments suggest that the Dutchman certainly does not approve.
Tributes have been pouring in from Spurs players for Postecoglou since Tottenham confirmed that he had been relieved of his duties.
The reaction has proven beyond any doubt that the Australian retains the full support of the Tottenham Hotspur dressing room.
In fact, there have even been suggestions that some Spurs players could demand an exit this summer in light of how Postecoglou has been treated by the club.
Van de Ven’s latest comments about the 59-year-old do little to dispel the rumours that there is a lot of dissatisfaction in the dressing room.
Micky van de Ven says Ange Postecoglou showed his winning mentality
Many Spurs fans wanted to see Postecoglou given a chance to build on his Europa League success, and it appears that the Dutch defender feels the same way.
Following Netherlands’ 8-0 win over Malta in a World Cup qualifier, where Van de Ven chipped in with a goal and an assist, the Tottenham defender was very candid on what he felt about the decision to sack the Australian coach.
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When asked about Postecoglou’s departure, he told Voetbal Zone: “That was ultimately a choice from the club. We, as players, have little to say about that. Of course, he is the first coach in a long time who has won a prize and has had success at Spurs. So if you look at it that way, it is of course a strange choice.
“It is a choice from the club about which we have little to say, so we will see what happens now. Of course, we see some rumours about the coach of Brentford (Thomas Frank), who it will probably be. So yes, it is a choice from the club about which we have little to say.
“I think a lot of players were good with him (Postecoglou). And of course, what I say, he is the first coach who has brought success to Spurs in a long time. That also shows that he has a certain quality. That also means that he has a winning mentality. 100 per cent.
“From that, you would of course say that it is strange that he was fired. What we have shown in the Premier League is, of course, unacceptable. That would, of course, have multiple factors, but that would not only have been the coach.”
Will Thomas Frank face a difficult challenge in winning over the players?
The noises coming out of the Tottenham squad certainly suggest that the players are very unhappy with the decision to sack Postecoglou.
That might add to the challenges that Thomas Frank is likely to face at N17, with the Dane needing to win the players over and prove that he is an upgrade on his predecessor.
That will become even harder if results are poor at the start of his reign. The fear is that the players and the fans could turn on him early, just like they did on Nuno Espirito Santo.
However, having said that, it is clear that man-management is one of the Danish coach’s best traits and he would back himself to be able to win over the Tottenham squad.