talkSPORT

Ange Postecoglou was quick to make light of his Tottenham Hotspur future after telling fans to expect a more successful season next year.

The 59-year-old guided Spurs to Europa League glory midweek as his side beat Manchester United 1-0 in the final to end the club's 17-year trophy drought.

In doing so, Postecoglou made good on the promise he made in September after he insisted he 'always' scoops silverware in his second campaign at a team.

It remains to be seen whether the Australian will remain charge of the north London outfit, who have endured a nightmare Premier League season.

Sitting 17th in the table with just one match remaining, Spurs are guaranteed to finish the term with their most defeats [21] and fewest points in a single Premier League season.

But having secured Champions League qualification as a result of their success in Europe's second-tier competition, Postecoglou has set his sights on bigger success.

Speaking to the club's fans during their open-top bus parade on Friday about his trophy promise, Postecoglou roared: "I told them and they laughed.

"I told them and they didn't believe. And here we are.

"I'll leave you with this, all the best television series, season three is better than season two."

His comment was put to him in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's home clash against Brighton.

Asked what supporters can expect in season three, Postecoglou immediately seemed to regret his impassioned message.

He quipped: "I should have thought about it a bit more because as somebody rightly pointed out, sometimes they kill off the main character.

"I could be in strife there!

"I said even before the game, I really believe we’re just building something and a significant win accelerates that.

"I really believe that is the case and I am not going to put a limit on what we can achieve.

"I certainly believe it’s exciting the possibilities of next year knowing I’ve got a group of players now and staff and a club that knows how to win and wants more of it."

Postecoglou's future remains at Spurs remains a hot topic, with many arguing that the club's Europa League triumph has papered over the cracks.

It isn't a view shared by Tottenham icon Robbie Keane, who believes Postecoglou has 'proven everybody wrong' and deserves to keep his spot in the dugout.

When commenting on his future, Postecoglou referenced American TV show Seinfeld, where one of the main characters, George Costanza, turned up for work after he left his job.

He joked: "I haven't given it a lot of thought.

"I refuse to be distracted by anything in terms of the opportunity that was before us, and since the game I just wanted to take the opportunity also to enjoy that as well.

"I haven’t thought about it. I assume at some point somebody will tell me something.

"If not, I'm just gonna roll up next year and be a bit like Costanza from Seinfeld.

"I'll just sit in the desk and get on with my job."

talkSPORT's Simon Jordan issued a swift response to James Maddison after the Tottenham star hit back at his criticism.

Maddison has become a Europa League winner with Spurs following a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the final on Wednesday night.

The 28-year-old didn't play in Bilbao due to a knee injury but scored three goals and assisted four throughout their European campaign.

Despite his absence, he was fully involved in the celebrations and bus parade before heading onto social media to embrace his triumph.

Maddison uploaded a clip of talkSPORT pundit and former Crystal Palace owner Jordan questioning his trophy-winning credentials.

"If you want to win something, you've got to bring players in that are able to operate at the highest level," he said in February.

"I look at players like James Maddison, I think they're good players, but I don't think you'll win things with James Maddison."

"Bookmarked it. Knew it would come in handy," Maddison said, with the end of the video including clips of him with the trophy.

However, Jordan responded by highlighting the midfielder's lack of minutes in the final against United.

He uploaded a screenshot of the Spurs team with Maddison nowhere to be seen, and sarcastically said: "Fair point."

Maddison was likened to Chelsea legend John Terry during the Spurs celebrations after wearing his full kit despite not playing.

Terry iconically did the same thing in 2012 when he was suspended for Chelsea's first Champions League title win against Bayern Munich.

Maddison tagged him in a post on his Instagram story and asked: "Anything to say tonight John?"

But Terry replied by boasting his incredible trophy success during his Chelsea spell and joked: "I remember my first trophy, ah bless them.

"Get the tequila out. Great season from you boys, you should all be proud! 16 [trophies] to go...

"After that performance I think you have a chance. You just have to live for 900 years."

Terry then took a picture of his replica trophy collection at home, with the Premier League and Champions League treasures on show.

Maddison also hit back at Roy Keane, who made a guest appearance on CBS Sports for the Europa League final.

Keane previously said on Stick to Football: "He got relegated with Leicester and he'll get relegated with Spurs."

Then during the post-final scenes, Maddison said: "I wasn't going to do any interviews but then I heard it was with Roy Keane."

He later replicated his darts celebration and shouted: "Roy Keane that's for you son!"

Keane then joked that Maddison played well against United in what was a cheeky dig at his absence from the pitch.

Spurs will return to their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday as European winners when they host Brighton.

Ange Postecoglou's side will arrive 17th in the table but after their Europa League win, they may not be too concerned on the result.

We need to talk about Kevin

Kevin De Bruyne has agreed terms with Napoli, talkSPORT understands.

A deal to join the Serie A champions is not done yet, but a final decision over his future is expected next week.

De Bruyne will start next season as part of another club for the first time in 10 years as he departs Manchester City.

In April, the Belgian announced he would be leaving Man City when his contract expires at the end of this campaign.

Nev-er gonna happen

Gary Neville won't be anywhere near the City Ground for the final game of the Premier League season on Sunday.

That's because Nottingham Forest have banned the Sky Sports pundit from their home ground.

Following the news, Neville then hit out at the 'disappointing' call from Forest on Instagram and labelled the ban an 'unprecedented action'.

Neville's co-host Jamie Carragher responded to his post with a series of laughing emojis, while David Beckham replied too.

In reference to a result in 1999, Beckham said: "Must have been something to do with that 7-1 game back in the day @gneville2 @manchesterunited."

A commentary team for Sky Sports will still be at the City Ground for the crunch clash, set to kick off at 4pm.

However, Sky will present the match from their studios in west London rather than from Forest's home ground, as had been intended.

Instant regret

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has admitted that he regrets his 'Season Three' comments during their trophy parade.

Postecoglou stated in front of fans on Friday: "In all of the best TV series, season three is always better than season two."

He then joked about those comments in his press conference today, laughing: "I should have thought about it a bit more because as somebody rightly pointed out, sometimes they kill off the main character. I could be in strife there!"

The Spurs manager then added: "I said even before the game, I really believe we're just building something and a significant win accelerates that. I really believe that is the case and I am not going to put a limit on what we can achieve.

"I certainly believe it's exciting the possibilities of next year knowing I've got a group of players now and staff and a club that knows how to win and wants more of it."

On his own future in north London, Postecoglou continued: "Similar to before the game, I haven't had any discussions with the club.

"Like I said, maybe they were just waiting for clear air to give me some guidance, but I haven't heard anything from the club."

Guard of honour

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has revealed that his side will give a guard of honour to Tottenham tomorrow.

Hurzeler has labelled Spurs boss a 'role model' and said he wants to applaud his opponents for winning the Europa League.

He explained: “I think both teams felt a lot of pressure and in the end Tottenham won.

"They played very mature, they scored one goal and that’s why they deserved to win. Congrats to them.

“I’m happy for [Postecoglou] because he’s a very good guy.

"He deserves it. He has a lot of pressure and how he deals with it I think he’s a role model for young coaches as well, like me."

Hurzeler continued to explain why he wants to give a guard of honour, saying: “Like we did against Liverpool, if great clubs achieve great things then it’s always a positive thing.

"I’m very happy for them. They deserve it, so we will do it.”

No comment

Ruben Amorim has refused to speak about transfer rumours surrounding Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho.

Fernandes is linked to Al Hilal who talkSPORT understands are willing to pay £100million to sign the Man United captain.

Meanwhile, Garnacho has been tipped for a move away after throwinf his future into doubt by expressing his frustation at his game time following the Europa League final.

When asked about the pair. Amorim said: "I always speak to my players, but the focus now is on the last game.

"We have a plan and we prepared for both situations, with Champions League and without.

"Now we have to focus on the last game."

He added: "We have an idea of the type of squad we want but now we focus on the game because we still have the last game.

"And we have time to address all these situations."

'Spiralled out of control'

Former Chelsea striker and talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino has discussed Scott McTominay's success at Napoli.

Cascarino pointed out that McTominay's glory in Serie A just brings further to light the drop-off for Manchester United as a club.

He pointed out that multiple ex-players have been thriving and winning trophies this campaign.

"The feeling around the club used to be, if you leave, it's always going downwards," he said on talkSPORT's Weekend Breakfast.

"When you leave United, you're going somewhere worse. That's always the expectation.

"But what I've found quite interesting is that not only Scott McTominay, who has left and reignited his career, but Lukaku has won the Serie A as well.

"And then you've got the Champions League final, you've got Mkhitaryan and Darmian at Inter.

"In the FA Cup final, you had Dean Henderson."

He continued: "There will be plenty of United fans that say they weren't good enough, and maybe they didn't play as good as they could do.

"But there has to be something deeper in this with the club, that never happened in years gone by when players left the club and then excelled and went on to win things.

"You were always winning things with your club, Man United. It just shows you how the club have spiralled out of control."

Extension

Newcastle have confirmed that Dan Burn has signed a new contract at the club, extending his stay until 2027.

Burn, whose original deal was set to run out this summer, joined the club in 2022 and has played a major part in their success.

He scored in the Carabao Cup final, in which the Magpies claimed their first major trophy in 70 years.

Speaking about his extension, the centre-back said: "I'm delighted to sign a new deal here. I knew that I was going into my last year and I really wanted to get my future tied down.

"I've said before that I would love to finish my career here, so to be given that opportunity, I'm very grateful.

"I still feel like I'm getting better and I don't feel that I've hit the top of the hill yet.

"It'll be tough to top this season but hopefully we can do that over the next couple of years.

"It's a dream come true to be playing for this club and I'm delighted that I get to keep doing it."

'I could not have been more disappointed'

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticised fans for their treatment of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Alexander-Arnold, who will depart Anfield this summer to join Real Madrid, has been booed since announcing his decision to leave when his contract expires.

It has been widely debated whether that was the right thing for supporters to do to a player born and bred in Liverpool who went on to win many major trophies.

But Klopp is certainly on the side that didn't think it was right.

He told the LFC Foundation Gala Ball on Friday: "I don't want to tell anyone what they should think, I don't want to say what you have to think, but I can tell you what you think is wrong.

"I am an old man and I don't waste time with hiding my opinion.

"I watched the game when he came on and I heard the booing. I'm old, so it may be my hearing, so I turned up the volume and said 'That's booing'.

"I needed another 10 seconds to realise and then I switched the telly off. I honestly could not have been more disappointed in this moment. This is not us, 100 per cent.

"I don't tell you you should not be disappointed or angry, I tell you 'Don't forget'. This club does not forget. We are famous for not forgetting.

"We don't forget anything: we don't forget the good thing and we don't forget the bad thing. But we ignore the bad things and remember the good things.

"You don't have to be happy he is going but don't forget what he did for this club because I can't forget it."

'The Voice of Anfield' to retire after more than 50 years

Liverpool have confirmed George Sephton, affectionately known as 'The Voice of Anfield', will step down at the end of the season.

Since taking his place in the Anfield gantry in 1971, Sephton's tones have become synonymous with the Reds for more than five decades.

From announcing the teams to playing the perfect track to match the mood, his tenure will end this weekend.

On Sunday, Liverpool hosts Crystal Palace before lifting the Premier League trophy at the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign finale.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com about stepping down, George said: "It's been the honour of a lifetime to be known as 'The Voice of Anfield'.

"I've been privileged to have a front-row seat at some of the greatest occasions in football history – memories I will cherish forever.

"Anfield has been my second home for over 50 years, and I've loved every moment. But the time is right to pass the microphone on."

Paul Cuttill, vice president of stadium operations at LFC, added: "George Sephton is more than just a stadium announcer – he is a part of the fabric of Anfield.

"His voice has soundtracked countless unforgettable moments in our club's history, and his presence in the gantry will be deeply missed. We thank him for his remarkable tenure and dedication to the club."

Making Emil of it

Unai Emery has insisted that Emiliano Martinez is focused on Aston Villa’s next game rather than transfer speculation over his future.

The Argentine international looked emotional after the 1-0 win over Tottenham in the club's final home match of the season.

However, Emery played down talk linking the 32-year-old with a move away

He said: “He is so focused, he showed last week against Tottenham, he is performing very well now he is in his best moment.

“It is difficult for the team, it has been difficult for some players, for myself I was struggling five months ago with not enough results we achieved in that moment.

“But now I am so so happy with the individual responses of the players, how the team is focused in each match – as well some players with some speculation.

“But my only speculation is to play on Sunday, to be ready for Sunday and to get our best performances on Sunday.”

Hammer it home

West Ham boss Graham Potter has reacted to his captain Jarrod Bowen being excluded from Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

The 28-year-old has been the one leading light for the Hammers this term, who are down in 15 in the table following a horror season.

However, Bowen has had nine goal involvements in his last 11 Premier League games, seven more than Chelsea's Noni Madueke, who has just two, but was called-up by Tuchel.

Irons boss Potter said: "Well, it is not my thing to pick that squad. I have full respect for the England manager.

"[I'm] disappointed for Jarrod, but we will support him and he’ll carry on doing what he’s doing for us.

"He will be naturally disappointed. Of course, every player wants to play for their country.

"He has trained well for us and he will be looking forward to the game [on Sunday]."

Talk of the Town

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has confirmed that Liam Delap was given permission to hold talks with clubs this week.

As talkSPORT reported on Monday, Delap has already met Manchester United and will also speak to top brass at Chelsea.

The England Under-21 striker, who has scored 12 goals for relegated Ipswich, has also attracted interest from Newcastle.

The former Manchester City youngster has a £30million release clause following the Tractor Boys' drop into the Championship.

Delap would ideally prefer to return to the north west, but will consider several factors, including the chance to play in Europe next season.

Asked about his star man's future, McKenna said: "Liam's looking at his options for next year, which I think he's entitled to do, and we support him with that.

"So, yes, we've given him the permission to do that this week.

"It's a very important decision for his future. Of course, there's a lot of interest and rightly so. So that's been part of his week, he's been having some of those conversations.

"It looks, I think more likely than not, that he'll move on this summer. He has interest from pretty much every club in the league. I don't think there's many clubs in the world who wouldn't want to have him. So I think it's more likely than not that he'll move on.

"Of course, nothing's sorted, nothing's done or completed or even I think very, very, very close. That process will take its course.

"We'll, of course, be proud of the part that we've had in terms of Liam's development and his contribution this season.

"If he stays with us, we'll be delighted. If he does move on this summer, then it will be a positive sign for the club, a positive step for the club, to have developed and sold a player at that sort of level. Hopefully, it will be a good move for him."

Asked if he'll advise Delap on where he thinks he should go, McKenna replied: "Yeah, though that had to stay private. I've spoken to Liam and he knows that I'll always try and help him anywhere possible.

"He has a fantastic relationship with the other staff here and other people around the club. He knows that we're here to support him and help him and guide him as we have done from the first day."

Ruud awakening

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy on his Foxes future: "If you look at the job, my job, I'm responsible for the good of the football club.

"It could be an opportunity to start planning early, which would have benefited the club.

"It is not about me and my future - it's about what's good for the club. Of course, it is up to them with how they want to deal with it. Then I will focus and continue to do so over the coming days. That's the job.

"They (Leicester's board) know what I think and how I see things - it is up to them to respond to that. We will all find out, hopefully sooner rather than later."

He added: "Those six weeks we have been working on a certain development and preparation for next season.

"That came with development of individuals, with [positive] results and good performance, closing cycles, and bringing some positivity to the support. That is what my focus is."

Pep talk

On Phil Foden having a difficult season and saying he has had mental fatigue, Pep Guardiola said: "That is true, Phil has said that.

"A baby, baby, baby boy from the Academy becoming a star for us, and we want to help him. He needs rest, and it's going to happen after Sunday, and step by step, it's going to happen.

"It's what we want, we want to help, I want to help.

"I don't care about his performance on the pitch, I want him to feel good and the rest will come in an easy way."

On Foden being omitted from the England squad after carrying an ankle injury: "For a long time, he has been struggling with his ankle.

"What happens with the international team is down to Thomas Tuchel."

Guardiola added that "in principle", Foden will go to the Club World Cup this summer, despite this ankle injury.

'Some missing players will be a big part of U21s tournament'

England boss Thomas Tuchel on players like Adam Wharton missing out: "We had Adam Wharton train with us in the last camp.

"He was with the Under 21s but trained with us and was very, very good.

"At the moment, there is a little injury problem - a concussion protocol going on from the FA Cup final.

"Together with Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, Elliott Anderson, and Liam Delap - all names who could play a role for us but a major tournament comes up for the Under-21s, and the intention is they play a big part in this tournament.

"I like it a lot that they have chances to be leaders in this group, to be players we hopefully will rely on.

"We will monitor them closely, but we decided that with these players, they take the responsibility for the Under-21s."

Brighton will again be without their joint top-scorer, Joao Pedro, for their final Premier League game of the season this weekend.

The Seagulls striker was left out of the 3-2 win over champions Liverpool on Monday, and won't play against Tottenham either.

Pedro, who equals Danny Welbeck with 10 league goals this season, has been linked with a transfer to the Reds and Chelsea.

However, any chance of an early audition for the Brazilian was nixed by his removal from the matchday squad despite being fit.

Brighton boss Fabian Huerzeler has now confirmed that the 23-year-old won't be involved in gameweek 38 against Spurs either.

Why is Pedro not playing against Tottenham?

The former Watford forward won't be involved in north London this Sunday due to a training ground bust-up with Jan Paul van Hecke.

talkSPORT understands the incident actually took place over a week ago, showing how severe the ramifications were.

It's said to have happened the week before a 2-0 away win over Wolves on May 10, at least ten days before the win over Liverpool.

Pedro missed that fixture due to a three-game suspension handed down for lashing out at Brentford’s Nathan Collins on April 19.

He was available to return against Arne Slot’s Premier League champions, but was instead sidelined and won't play here either.

"With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn't uncommon from time to time in all football clubs," Brighton boss Huerzeler said during his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"We dealt with it internally, and the matter is closed."

Huerzeler continued: "Joao is an incredible football player. He is a match winner for us. That's why we invested in him.

"But there are principles, there are values... they are non-negotiable.

"Joao is still a young player, and (there's) still a lot of potential that he will grow.

"I'm sure he'll learn from this and come back stronger next season."

Pedro, 23, joined the Seagulls from Watford in 2023 for a then-club record £30million.

John Terry ensured he had the last laugh after James Maddison poked fun at the Chelsea legend during Tottenham's title celebrations.

Maddison was in the thick of it as Tottenham rejoiced in ending their 17-year trophy drought with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final.

The 28-year-old was a spectator for Wednesday's final in Bilbao having picked up a season-ending knee injury in the first leg of Tottenham's semi-final win over Bodo/Glimt.

Despite playing no part, it didn't stop Maddison from dressing up in full kit for the trophy lift.

Scenes of Maddison in full kit despite not playing a single second of the final evoked memories of when Terry did the same when Chelsea won the Champions League in 2012.

The Blues hero was suspended for the final but still donned a Chelsea kit and socks in the post-match celebrations.

In an Instagram story following the win, Maddison poked fun at the fact he was in full kit and tagged Terry in his caption.

Maddison wrote: "To kit. Full @johnterry.26 mode. Anything to say tonight John?"

It didn't take long for Terry to bite back and he did so in ruthless fashion with a brutal reminder of how many trophies he won in his time at Stamford Bridge.

"I remember my first trophy, ah bless them," Terry wrote on Instagram.

"Get the tequila out. Great season from you boys, you should all be proud! 16 (trophies) to go...

"After that performance I think you have a chance. You just have to live for 900 years."

Terry then took it a step further when he showed off the inside of his home office adorned with trophies, England caps and celebratory champagne galore.

The 44-year-old wrote: "Good morning everyone, have a lovely day."

During Terry's 19 years at Stamford Bridge, he collected an impressive 17 trophies.

Of those 17, five came in the form of Premier League titles, while Terry won five FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields, the Europa League and the Champions League.

Terry's tally of 17 trophies is ten shy of the amount Tottenham have won in their entire history.

As for Maddison, he now has three trophies in his collection having won the FA Cup and Community Shield with Leicester City.

The attacking midfielder was in fine form when speaking to the CBS panel, including United great Roy Keane.

Keane had taken a number of swipes at Maddison throughout the season, but it was the latter who had the last laugh.

"I wasn't gonna do any interviews but I heard Roy Keane was in the studio tonight," Maddison said.

Maddison was then asked by Micah Richards to show off his trademark darts celebration and the Tottenham ace was more than happy to oblige, adding: "Oh I will, Micah, with pleasure!"

But Keane cheekily got the last word in: "I always said he was a good player but he needs to be more consistent. And he played well tonight."

Ange Postecoglou in or out? The answer is undoubtedly in, according to a number of club greats.

The Australian did what he promised and won a trophy in his second season at Tottenham Hotspur, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final.

The triumph is Spurs’ first piece of silverware since 2008, but comes during their worst-ever Premier League campaign as they sit just one place above the relegation zone.

Given the domestic disaster, there’s talk Postecoglou could still be cut loose by chairman Daniel Levy, who has already drawn up a shortlist of replacements.

However, the European triumph should change that for various reasons.

Club icon Robbie Keane who won their previous title with the League Cup 17 years ago believes stability is key going forward.

Currently coaching himself in Hungary with Ferencvarosi who are just one game from winning the league, the Irishman told talkSPORT: “It’s an unbelievable moment for Spurs, Daniel Levy and the manager, people asked me today do you think the manager will go, but how can you get rid of a manager who just won a European Cup?

“You need stability at the club and you’re not going to get that if you keep changing every couple of years, they need to build on this and build on momentum now.

“There’s no way they can have a season like that next year with the squad that they have, no way, so hopefully they add two or three players and can achieve something.

“Maybe he’s got all the power now by winning the cup. I’m sure they would’ve identified some players that they want to bring into the club and get the injury list down and add some more players.

“I’m sure Daniel will back him. He does back the managers, he’s spent a lot of money but they definitely need two or three players.”

Keane added to his praise of the Australian, saying: “I think he put himself under a lot of pressure with those comments so if he didn’t win something it would’ve come back to haunt him. But he did it, he’s proven everybody wrong.

“What I do like about Ange is his confidence, he believes in himself and his group of players, yes the season hasn’t been great, I’m not making excuses but when you’re missing three or four key players it can be difficult, especially when it’s guys at the back.”

Former Swiss Spurs defender Ramon Vega was in agreement, picking Postecoglou’s mentality as the reason he should stay.

The Australian arrived after elite serial winners like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, and triumphed where they failed.

Vega puts that down to his attitude, telling talkSPORT: “The league form was terrible, but sacking him now would be one of the worst mistakes.

“He has to continue the work he’s done, these players with his mentality and principles and quality of putting a team together, you can see they’re a team.

“If the dressing room was not there I’d tell you sack the manager, but this dressing room works for the manager.

“Without a doubt he deserved this win, from the first day everybody was hammering him, but he stuck to his guns and when someone has the mentality of saying he’s going to win in his second season and everyone is laughing, this is the mentality I like. It’s confidence, it’s not arrogance.

“Ange’s mentality really brought a winning formula into this club. When he came to the club, who actually really wanted to come? It’s very, very difficult to manage, he took the risk and winning is the only answer.”

You also have to look at it from the players’ perspective too, says former Spurs academy graduate Steven Caulker, who came to talkSPORT Towers to give his view.

“It’s not nice to see a change in management, there are times when I’ve wanted it but the majority of times it’s not nice,” Caulker explained.

“So I think the players who have shared this season with him, the highs and lows, the way they were hugging him, I think they’ll want him to stay.

“I’d be very, very surprised to see him go, it’s not been their best season in the league, there’s no hiding from that, but it ended with a trophy and ultimately I’d say that’s a successful season.”

Over to you, Mr. Levy...

Harry Kane could have some regrets about lifting his first career silverware away from Tottenham.

This is according to former Tottenham defender Steven Caulker, who suggested Kane will wish he was part of the club's Europa League-winning celebrations.

Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Bilbao, while Kane won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich to land his first ever major honours.

A goal claimed by Brennan Johnson on the stroke of half time was enough to give the north Londoners the perfect ending to a trying season.

Tottenham's first piece of silverware since the 2008 League Cup means they will now play in next season's Champions League, despite currently sitting 17th in the Premier League table.

But there was perhaps a sense of injustice that Kane and Spurs celebrated an end to their respective trophy droughts separately.

Despite a glittering 14-year career with his boyhood club, the England skipper left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having fallen short of major success on several occasions.

Kane twice finished as runner-up in the League Cup, in 2015 and 2021, and as well as losing the Champions League final in 2019.

And while he may now have banished his personal trophy demons in Germany, former Spurs teammate Steven Caulker admitted it seemed harsh that their all-time record goalscorer wasn't part of the European success.

Appearing on talkSPORT alongside Alex Brooker and Charlie Baker, the defender was asked if Kane would have any regrets over joining Bayern, and lifting his first trophy there, instead of with Tottenham.

To this, Caulker replied: "That's a good question.

"I think it would have been nice for him to have done it at Spurs. And he deserved that because he's been so good for so long.

“But it's worked out the way it's worked out. I'm just glad that he's got his trophy because if he didn't, you could imagine the stick he'd be getting now that Spurs have won it without him.

“So, listen, he's been a huge part of Spurs and I'm still hoping that there'll be some kind of reunion in a couple of years from now.“

Despite not being part of Spurs' success, Kane was quick to congratulate his former club on their triumph on social media.

Taking to Instagram, the Bayern goal machine reposted the north Londoners' full-time winners' graphic to his story, commenting: "Congratulations," alongside a white heart emoji.

And he later delivered a touching video message to Tottenham, as he shared his delight at their achievement on his Cleats Club app.

Kane said: “Massive congratulations to Spurs. To all the boys, to the staff, I know how much it means to them.

“It's been a long time coming and [I'm] just buzzing for everyone there. Buzzing for all the fans as well.

England's all-time leading goalscorer then reserved special praise for two of his long-time former teammates, club captain Heung-Min Son, and Ben Davies, who both lifted their first career silverware.

Kane continued: “European champions is a massive, massive achievement, so really proud, obviously for the boys I know well like Sonny and Ben, those boys who have been part of the journey for a long time, they deserve it.

"They deserve to have that moment they had last night, and over the next weeks as well.

“Massive congratulations to everyone involved - it was nerve-wracking watching it, but what an ending so I hope they enjoy it, I hope the fans enjoy it, make the most of it.

“And hopefully that’s the start of many more to come.”

Tottenham's Europa League final display was far from vintage 'Ange-ball' - in fact, it was a defensive performance for the ages.

Spurs ended a 17-year wait for a major trophy with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Bilbao, with Ange Postecoglou swapping his all-out attacking philosophy for 90 minutes of pragmatism.

The north Londoners showed a totally different side, as they nullified the Red Devils with a resolute, defensive game plan.

After taking the lead through Brennan Johnson on the stroke of half-time, Spurs effectively surrendered possession in the second-half, weathering an onslaught from United to cling on for victory.

There was no shortage of commitment to the cause, with Micky van de Ven denying Rasmus Hojlund with an incredible goal-line clearance, while Guglielmo Vicario made a big save from Luke Shaw late on.

And their display wasn't just outstanding for how far it deviated from the free-flowing football we have come to expect from Postecoglou's side.

Tottenham's uncharacteristic performance saw them register record-lows in several attacking metrics.

They had just three shots, 27.7 per cent possession and completed only 115 passes – all the lowest recorded by Opta, since 2010, for any team in a major European final.

On top of this, in the second half, Spurs had just one touch inside the opposition box, did not manage a shot on or off target, while their possession stood at just 19.8 per cent.

It represented a total shift from the style of play Postecoglou has previously been uncompromising in delivering.

The Australian has long faced criticism for his insistence on a high-pressing, attacking game, with many pointing to his infamous 'It's just who we are, mate," after a 4-1 loss to Chelsea in 2023 where Spurs continued to bomb forward, even with nine men.

But Postecoglou was only too happy to adapt his style against United, who claimed the big occasion called for a different approach.

Speaking after the final win, he said: "I've always felt that knockout football is different from your league football.

"When you're in that situation, it comes down really to good organisation, belief, having a good game plan and then moments; if you can minimise the moments the opposition have by having a really strong foundation.

"I always felt comfortable that if we got ahead, we could negate most of what Manchester United were going to throw at us."

The defensive masterclass means Postecoglou has now delivered on a huge promise he made back in September.

Following a 1-0 loss to rivals Arsenal, the 59-year-old said: "I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don't say things unless I believe them."

It was a statement that threatened to blow up in the Spurs' boss' face, whose side have endured a tough campaign domestically.

Despite languishing in 17th in the Premier League table, Postecoglou's group will now play in the Champions League next season thanks to their third European triumph.

They previously won the competition in 1972 and 1984, when it was known as the UEFA Cup.

Victory also means Spurs will compete in the UEFA Super Cup final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Inter Milan in Udine in August.

Tottenham will celebrate in style upon their return home after ending their 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League.

Ange Postecoglou's side beat Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao to claim their first piece of European silverware since 1984.

Brennan Johnson's scrappy first-half goal saw Spurs triumph in the San Mames and seal their spot in next year's Champions League.

The Lilywhites, who haven't won any trophy since the 2008 League Cup, conclude their dismal Premier League campaign this weekend.

Tottenham, who have lost 21 English top-flight games so far, return to north London to take on European hopefuls Brighton.

Despite Spurs sitting in 17th, it will be party time in N17, as unlike Man United, the club have already confirmed they will stage a parade.

When is Tottenham's trophy parade?

The 2024/25 Europa League winners have confirmed their victory parade will be held this Friday - May 23.

That is a day after Postecoglou and his players return to England, having stayed overnight following their historic win in Bilbao.

An open-top bus parade is due to get underway at 5:30pm, and is expected to last between an hour and 90 minutes.

The route will start at Edmonton Green, with the bus travelling down Fore Street and the High Road.

It will then continue down Lansdowne Road, along Willoughby Lane and Northumberland Park.

The parade will conclude at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, before a presentation with the players, coaching staff, and trophy takes place.

"Dear Neighbour, we hope this finds you well," a Tottenham statement to their local community began.

"As you may be aware, Tottenham Hotspur will face Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday 21st May.

"We should like to make residents, schools and businesses aware that, if we are successful and bring the trophy home to Tottenham, our first team squad will take part in an open-top bus victory parade through the local area on Friday 23rd May, as is customary.

"Should the historic celebratory event go ahead, residents, please take note of the following information:

"The parade will begin at Edmonton Green at 3pm and proceed south down Fore Street and the High Road past the stadium before turning left at Lansdowne Road, along Willoughby Lane and Northumberland Park, finishing at approximately 4.30pm.

"Our players will present the trophy to crowds gathered from a staging area outside the Stadium on the High Road at approximately 5pm."

It isn’t often a manager is hired by Real Madrid after being sacked by Tottenham with the club bottom of the Premier League.

But this was the case for Juande Ramos, who endured a rollercoaster 12-month stint of charge of Spurs, which peaked when he delivered a first major trophy in nine years with League Cup glory in 2008.

As Ange Postecoglou bids to become the first manager to deliver major silverware since the Spaniard, there could be some striking similarities between the pair should he achieve this.

The Australian leads the north Londoners into their Europa League final against Manchester United with his future very much up in the air.

A torrid Premier League campaign sees Spurs 17th in the table, and talkSPORT understands that even European glory may not be enough to keep Postecoglou in the job.

Should he depart having landed silverware, he would follow in the footsteps of both of Tottenham's last trophy-winning managers.

Both Ramos and 1999 League Cup winner George Graham were sacked shortly after ending respective trophy droughts.

And while Graham's sacking spelled the end of his managerial career, it had the opposite effect on Ramos, who arguably went on to land football's dream job.

In December 2008, the well-travelled Spanish coach was named as Real Madrid's new manager, taking charge of a squad filled with superstars including Sergio Ramos, Raul and Fabio Cannavaro.

But this would have looked inconceivable six weeks earlier, when he was shown the door with Spurs bottom of the Premier League.

It drew the curtain on a short but eventful spell at White Hart Lane, which at first promised great things following his appointment in October 2007.

Just four months into his tenure, Ramos delivered a long-awaited trophy when his side beat Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final.

The 2-1 extra-time victory appeared to have secured the former Sevilla boss legend status in north London, especially given that Spurs had battered bitter rivals Arsenal 5-1 to book their spot at Wembley.

But things took a turn for the worse, as an 11th-place finish in thePremier League and a dreadful start to the 2008/09 campaign piled the pressure on Ramos.

During this time, Ramos' brutal training and dietary regime also made the headlines, with the Spaniard banning ketchup, salt and pepper in the canteen.

In fact, his methods were so tough that they left one player in hospital on a drip, according to former Spurs striker Darren Bent.

Ultimately, this was all too much for chairman Daniel Levy, who dismissed the Spaniard with his side at the foot of the league table.

But the disappointment certainly didn't hinder Ramos' job prospects, who secured an immediate return to football when he was surprisingly unveiled by Real Madrid weeks later.

With the Spanish giants sitting a disappointing fifth in the LaLiga table at the time of his appointment, the ex-Spurs boss managed to turn the tide in spectacular fashion.

He brought Los Blancos back into the title race after winning 52 points out of a possible 54 in 18 consecutive games.

Ultimately however, Real fell just short at the end of the season, finishing second in the league, nine points behind champions Barcelona.

And despite steadying the ship at the Santiago Bernabeu, a lack of league success and a 5-0 aggregate exit to Liverpool in the Champions League wasn't enough to earn Ramos an extension on his short-term deal until the end of the season.

This brought to an end a whirlwind period for the 70-year-old, who went on to see out the rest of his managerial career with spells at CSKA Moscow, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Malaga.