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Mathys Tel joins Tottenham on permanent deal after loan

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Tottenham Hotspur have signed Mathys Tel on a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich, the Premier League club has announced.

Sources told ESPN that Spurs agreed a fee of €40 million ($46.2m), including bonuses with Bayern for the forward.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Spurs and was part of the team that ended the club's 17-year trophy drought with success in the Europa League.

Tel scored two goals and registered one assist in 13 matches for the north London club.

The France under-21 international's future was unclear after the coach who signed him at Spurs, Ange Postecoglou, was relieved of his duties 16 days after the Europa League final victory over Manchester United in Bilbao.

But Tel has become new boss Thomas Frank's first signing since the former Brentford manager was named as Postecoglou's successor.

Spurs have confirmed that he has signed a contract until 2031.

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Tottenham agree permanent transfer for Bayern Munich's Mathys Tel

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Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with Bayern Munich to sign France under-21 international Mathys Tel on a permanent transfer, sources confirmed to ESPN.

After being loaned to Spurs in January with an option to buy of €60 million, the 20-year-old will now move permanently to the Europa League winners for a reduced fee of €40 million, including bonuses, after successful negotiations between the two clubs.

The Paris-born forward had already agreed personal terms with Tottenham and will sign a contract until June 2031.

Tel scored three goals and added one assist in 20 games in all competitions during his loan spell at Spurs. But new manager Thomas Frank made the decision to make him the first signing of his tenure.

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Tottenham Thomas Frank: 'Left a big piece of my heart in Brentford'

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Thomas Frank has penned an emotional letter to Brentford following the confirmation of his departure after nine years with the club.

The Danish manager was named the new Tottenham Hotspur boss on Thursday following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou last week.

Frank joined Brentford in 2016 as an assistant manager before being promoted to head coach in 2018. He guided the club to the Premier League in 2021 for the first time in their history and has successfully kept them in the top flight since.

"The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters," he said in a statement on Friday.

"I want to extend my profound gratitude to the club for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams and for everyone involved who made the journey such a memorable one.

"For my family and I, it has been a privilege to be allowed to be part of such a special community - it's an experience and adventure that we will cherish for life. So, thank you.

Brentford were in contention for a first-ever European place finish last season before eventually falling short and ending the season in 10th place.

Their push for Europe was reflective of the way the club Frank once dubbed "just a bus stop in Hounslow" routinely punched above their weight despite their meagre resources.

"Whatever we have achieved, we have achieved together, and our success is built on unity, spirit, courage and ambition at every level of the club and amongst the fans," he said.

"Everybody has contributed, and every contribution has been invaluable. I am not just leaving a football club, I am saying goodbye to friends whose support through good and bad times I will carry with me always.

"I would like to say a special word of thanks to [owner] Matthew Benham. His trust and friendship have meant so much and the fact he gave me a chance in English football means I will always owe him a debt of gratitude. Thank you, Matt.

"So, while this is a goodbye, I hope the relationships I have built with everybody will be lasting ones and, of course, we will meet again in the wonderful world of football."

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Thomas Frank succeeds Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham head coach

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Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Thomas Frank as the club's new head coach after prying the manager away from his previous post at Brentford.

Spurs made the announcement on Thursday.

ESPN reported that Spurs were hopeful of naming Frank, 51, as Ange Postecoglou's successor after also considering Fulham boss Marco Silva and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola.

Postecoglou was sacked just 16 days after leading Spurs to Europa League glory, ending a 17-year wait for silverware with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao.

"In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game," a club statement said. "He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead."

Postecoglou's achievement in the Europa League was overshadowed by a woeful Premier League season which saw Tottenham finish 17th with 22 defeats, their worst campaign since the club were relegated in 1977.

And Frank has now made the move across London after spending seven years at Brentford. He guided the club to promotion from the Championship in 2021 after Brentford beat Swansea City in the 2021 Championship playoff final.

Under the Danish head coach, Brentford have become an established Premier League team with a reputation for high intensity, forward-thinking football.

In their four Premier League seasons under Frank, Brentford finished 13th, 9th, 16th and 10th. Last term only four teams scored more than their 66 goals.

A keen user of player data, Frank and his backroom staff have proved especially adept at unearthing gems and moving those players on for huge profits, such as forwards Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Saïd Benrahma, plus goalkeeper David Raya

Despite the outgoings, Brentford have managed to remain competitive in the top flight under Frank and last season were in the mix for European qualification.

Forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored 39 Premier League goals between them last season and both could well be Spurs targets during the close season.

Frank has gained a reputation for his attention to detail and it is no surprise that his Brentford side scored inside 40 seconds in three successive league games last season.

"We have a kickoff strategy and we tweak it from game to game. And as a mindset and philosophy, we like to get straight on the front foot and be positive," Frank said at the time.

He now faces a completely different challenge at Tottenham and a fast start to his reign will be important to win over fans who felt Postecoglou should have been rewarded for winning a trophy by being given another season at the helm.

Brentford assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton are also joining Frank at Spurs, along with Andreas Georgson from Manchester United.

Information from Reuters was used in this story.

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Thomas Frank succeeds Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham head coach

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Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Thomas Frank as the club's new head coach after prying the manager away from his previous post at Brentford.

Spurs made the announcement on Thursday.

ESPN reported that Spurs were hopeful of naming Frank, 51, as Ange Postecoglou's successor after also considering Fulham boss Marco Silva and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola.

Postecoglou was sacked just 16 days after leading Spurs to Europa League glory, ending a 17-year wait for silverware with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao.

"In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game," a club statement said. "He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead."

Postecoglou's achievement in the Europa League was overshadowed by a woeful Premier League season which saw Tottenham finish 17th with 22 defeats, their worst campaign since the club were relegated in 1977.

And Frank has now made the move across London after spending seven years at Brentford. He guided the club to promotion from the Championship in 2021 after Brentford beat Swansea City in the 2021 Championship playoff final.

Under the Danish head coach, Brentford have become an established Premier League team with a reputation for high intensity, forward-thinking football.

In their four Premier League seasons under Frank, Brentford finished 13th, 9th, 16th and 10th. Last term only four teams scored more than their 66 goals.

A keen user of player data, Frank and his backroom staff have proved especially adept at unearthing gems and moving those players on for huge profits, such as forwards Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Saïd Benrahma, plus goalkeeper David Raya

Despite the outgoings, Brentford have managed to remain competitive in the top flight under Frank and last season were in the mix for European qualification.

Forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored 39 Premier League goals between them last season and both could well be Spurs targets during the close season.

Frank has gained a reputation for his attention to detail and it is no surprise that his Brentford side scored inside 40 seconds in three successive league games last season.

"We have a kickoff strategy and we tweak it from game to game. And as a mindset and philosophy, we like to get straight on the front foot and be positive," Frank said at the time.

He now faces a completely different challenge at Tottenham and a fast start to his reign will be important to win over fans who felt Postecoglou should have been rewarded for winning a trophy by being given another season at the helm.

Brentford assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton are also joining Frank at Spurs, along with Andreas Georgson from Manchester United.

Information from Reuters was used in this story.

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Tottenham's Micky van de Ven: 'Strange' to sack Ange Postecoglou

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Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has described the decision to sack manager Ange Postecoglou as "strange" in light of him ending the club's 17-year trophy drought, adding that it was the "club's choice."

Postecoglou made good on his long-standing record that he would win a trophy in his second season at the club by lifting the Europa League last month. However, it was not enough to save him his job, with the board looking unfavourably on Spurs finishing 17th in the Premier League.

"That was ultimately a choice from the club," he told Voetbal Zone. "We, as players, have little to say about that. Of course, he is the first coach in a long time who has won a trophy and 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 Brentford head coach [Thomas Frank], who it will probably be. So yes, a choice from the club about which we have little to say."

Van de Ven is not the only player to have wished Postecoglou well on his way out. Son Heung-Min, Yves Bissouma, Pedro Porro, Guglielmo Vicario and Dominic Solanke are among the players to have shown their appreciation for the Australian coach.

"I think many of the players got along with [Postecoglou] well. And of course, what I say, he is the first coach who has brought success to Spurs in a long time," Van de Ven added. "That also shows that he has a certain quality. That also means that he has a winning mentality, 100%.

"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."

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Tottenham hopeful of naming Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou's successor

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Tottenham Hotspur are increasingly hopeful of appointing Thomas Frank as their new head coach, sources have told ESPN.

Spurs are expected to step up discussions with Brentford over a compensation package for the 51-year-old, who is willing to move across London and wants to take several backroom staff members with him.

One source told ESPN there is a release fee within Frank's Brentford contract which could be worth more than £10 million ($13.5m).

Talks will center on whether that figure will be met in full or a compromise can be reached but there is now optimism that Frank could soon become Ange Postecoglou's successor.

Postecoglou was sacked on Friday just 16 days after leading Spurs to Europa League glory, ending a 17-year wait for silverware with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao.

The club suffered their worst-ever Premier League season at the same time, slumping to 22 defeats -- a record for a team that was not relegated -- and finished in 17th place.

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Tottenham hopeful of naming Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou's successor

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Tottenham Hotspur are increasingly hopeful of appointing Thomas Frank as their new head coach, sources have told ESPN.

Spurs are expected to step up discussions with Brentford over a compensation package for the 51-year-old, who is willing to move across London and wants to take several backroom staff members with him.

One source told ESPN there is a release fee within Frank's Brentford contract which could be worth more than £10 million ($13.5m).

Talks will center on whether that figure will be met in full or a compromise can be reached but there is now optimism that Frank could soon become Ange Postecoglou's successor.

Postecoglou was sacked on Friday just 16 days after leading Spurs to Europa League glory, ending a 17-year wait for silverware with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao.

The club suffered their worst-ever Premier League season at the same time, slumping to 22 defeats -- a record for a team that was not relegated -- and finished in 17th place.

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Legend Ange Postecoglou thanked by Tottenham Hotspur players after being sacked

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Tottenham Hotspur players including Son Heung-Min, Guglielmo Vicario, Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven have paid tribute to Ange Postecoglou following his dismissal on Friday.

Postecoglou was sacked with the club saying a change was necessary in order "to compete on multiple fronts."

The Australian guided Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, beating Manchester United in last month's Europa League final, a result that also secured Champions League qualification for next season. But also oversaw 22 league defeats -- the worst Premier League record for a team to avoid relegation -- as Tottenham finished 17th.

Son, the Tottenham captain, described Postecoglou as a "legend" and said he was "a better player and a better person" for having worked under the former Celtic and Australia coach.

"Gaffer. You've changed the trajectory of this club," Son said in an Instagram post. "You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did.

"You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it's had in decades. We will have those memories for life.

"You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It's been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close. I am a better player and a better person because of you.

"Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate."

Vicario was similarly glowing in his tribute, writing on Instagram: "Boss, I just want to say a massive thank you for everything you have done for me and for all of us.

"From that very first call, right from the beginning, you always showed so much belief in me.

"Giving me the opportunity to be part of the leadership group... those moments, and many others, will stay with me forever.

"You are not only a top manager, you are an incredible person to work for, a real leader, a mentor, and someone I'll always look up to.

"What we achieved TOGETHER will stay in the history books.

"Wishing you nothing but success as I know you will go on to achieve more and more.

"Thank you, Boss. Forever grateful, Vic."

Solanke, who joined Spurs last summer in a £65 million transfer from Bournemouth, said: "Thank you for bringing me to this wonderful club, thank you for bringing us a wonderful trophy.

"Won't ever forget the convo we had before I signed and we achieved a dream! All the best in your next adventure."

Meanwhile, Netherlands defender Van de Van said: "Gaffer, Thank you for everything!

"Believed in me from the first day I arrived at the club. Many ups and downs in the last two years but you kept believing in us and kept pushing us.

"Big part of the success from the club this year, and forever grateful that u made me part of it.

"All the best."

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Postecoglou ending Spurs' trophy drought came at too great a cost

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It is what it is, mate. Ange Postecoglou was finally put out of his misery Friday as Tottenham Hotspur confirmed what had been an open secret for some time: The 59-year-old had been sacked after a season of tumultuous extremes.

Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a trophy by lifting the UEFA Europa League following a 1-0 win over Manchester United in last month's final. Postecoglou said all along he would deliver silverware in his second season at the club and, despite widespread ridicule, he did just that, joining Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw as only the third Tottenham manager to guide them to European glory.

But chairman Daniel Levy and the rest of the board believed it came at too high of a price. Spurs suffered 22 Premier League defeats -- a division record for a team not relegated -- and finished 17th in the table.

The club statement, when it came, was a mixture of sincere gratitude and pointed fact.

"Following a positive start in the 2023-24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games," it read. "This culminated in our worst-ever PL finish last season.

"At times there were extenuating circumstances -- injuries and then a decision to prioritize our European campaign. Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the club's greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph."

And they did not.

Postecoglou's last public address to supporters from their open-top bus parade defiantly declared that in "all the best TV series, Season 3 is better than Season 2." Instead, the moneymen pulled the plug.

ESPN looks at how Tottenham came to part company with their history-making head coach.

Fast start

Postecoglou walked into a difficult situation from the outset. On his first day at the club, July 12, 2023, talismanic striker Harry Kane told him he wanted to leave.

Kane eventually departed -- a day before the Premier League season started -- in a €120 million move to Bayern Munich. Rather than languish in turmoil, though, Spurs shot out of the blocks.

Eight wins and two draws from their opening 10 games put Tottenham atop the Premier League, and the sense of liberation was palpable. A fan base suffocated by the turgid, regressive football of Antonio Conte was suddenly watching a team reborn. Goals, pressing, dynamism and -- most importantly -- wins. In late September, Levy was sufficiently moved to tell a fans forum that "we've got our Tottenham back."

Postecoglou became the first manager in Premier League history to win three consecutive manager of the month awards at the start of a season.

His first defeat was a remarkable event to witness firsthand. Spurs lost 4-1 at home to Chelsea in the most chaotic of circumstances: two red cards, two injuries, nine VAR checks and 21 minutes of added time. With nine men, Spurs continued to defend on the halfway line in a stark demonstration of their commitment to "Angeball," and the fans lapped it up.

Mauricio Pochettino, the darling of many Spurs fans after his 5½ years in charge, was in the opposite dugout and watched on as thousands of Tottenham fans greeted full time, not with the boos you might expect, but a reworked rendition of Robbie Williams' song "Angels," which declares: "We're loving Big Ange instead." The belief was total.

First season finale and second season promise

Spurs were unable to maintain that relentless early-season pace. Two wins from their final seven matches meant they missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification and Postecoglou faced a bizarre situation near the end of the campaign in which many Spurs fans wanted their own team to lose to Manchester City in order to deny Arsenal a Premier League title.

"The foundations are really fragile," he said after that game May 14. "The last 48 hours have shown me that. It's inside the club, outside the club."

Sources say Postecoglou was at least in part referring to the absence of a winning mentality, which he believed permeated the club and contributed to their lack of silverware. It was, he believed, symptomatic of a club that needed to view itself differently, as one that can determine its own destiny rather than have it defined by others.

That belief was in part behind why Postecoglou delivered what turned out to be an iconic line following September's 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal.

"I'll correct myself -- I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year," he said. Postecoglou bristled at the backlash to that comment but took it upon himself to embody the change he was trying to implement: that Spurs should have the courage of their convictions to believe silverware was within their grasp and not kept beyond some sort of psychological barrier they were perpetually unable to break.

Sources have suggested to ESPN that Postecoglou's determination to instill that mentality may have contributed to the dogma that followed, believing the only way he could convince those skeptical around him was to double down on his principles: chiefly the commitment to attacking football and a style that increasingly felt incompatible with the hectic demands of English football.

Injuries and instability

Spurs were rocked around the turn of the year by a devastating injury record.

There were too many cases to mention in full, but key center backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were sidelined for almost four months. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was absent for three months. Richarlison was out for two months, twice. Destiny Udogie was out for six weeks at the turn of the year. Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall missed the climax of the campaign.

Postecoglou would rue their absences -- understandably -- but increasingly seemed to separate himself from the situation while sources have told ESPN that some at the club began to question whether his methods were a contributing factor. Some of the injuries were undoubtedly bad luck, but sources say playing a high defensive line, asking players to put in more high-intensity sprints per game, may have played a role in the muscular injuries that followed.

Equally, the club's sports science and medical departments had been overhauled in the summer of 2024, with head of performance Adam Brett appointed to lead a reshaped structure, but without the success they had hoped for. Sources say the club plan to review their medical team once again following Postecoglou's departure is further recognition of the issues that remain.

The January window was also a pivotal moment.

Postecoglou openly spoke of the need for reinforcements, but it was only in the final days that Tottenham added an outfield player (Kevin Danso from Lens) in addition to goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague. A late loan move for Bayern Munich's Mathys Tel eventually bolstered their attacking options, but asking a 19-year-old with limited experience -- albeit boasting significant potential -- to hit the ground running and contribute in a new league midway through the campaign was a tall order.

Postecoglou later revealed that around this time he made the decision to prioritize the Europa League campaign, and not everybody in the club agreed with his call. The Australian simply took the view that Spurs were not well-enough equipped to compete on multiple fronts, and although he would go on to be vindicated in the most emphatic way possible, sources say the Spurs hierarchy fundamentally disagreed with the view that the Premier League campaign had to be sacrificed.

There were also grumblings about Postecoglou's training methods. Sources say some players voiced concerns about how open the team was in matches and also questioned whether they should do more work focused on specific opponents rather than concentrate on their own game so much. The lack of a specialist set-piece coach became an easy stick to beat him with.

Although clips of Postecoglou clashing with media regularly went viral, he was a usually warm and engaging presence in his prematch news conferences, always good for a quote and willing to tackle any question put to him. He was refreshingly candid about what he deemed an old-school approach to many topics, most obviously VAR, but the willingness to shun the modern trend for specialist set-piece coaches looked misguided as his team conceded regularly from dead ball situations.

And sources say rival clubs noted the familiar patterns to the goals Tottenham often conceded, regularly occurring when their full backs were caught out of position high up the pitch as Spurs lost the ball and looked alarmingly vulnerable in transition.

As the league defeats racked up, Postecoglou started to exhibit signs that the pressure of the high-stakes, all-or-nothing approach he had created for himself was beginning to tell. Thinking his team had equalized at Chelsea in early April, Postecoglou cupped his ear to the away fans who had voiced their dissent at his substitutions a few minutes earlier. The goal was disallowed on VAR review and Postecoglou tried to explain away the incident, but few were buying his argument that he had been misinterpreted.

It was the latest in a series of flashpoints with supporters, particularly away from home. He was confronted most vociferously after losing at AFC Bournemouth in December by fans furious at another underwhelming display. Yet inside the dressing room, sources say Postecoglou remained broadly supported. His motivational team talks regularly impressed many within the group and others spoke positively of Postecoglou's man management.

Sources say he was often distant, deliberately so, allowing his coaches to take training sessions. That was in part designed to give those prematch addresses maximum impact, and sources suggest his team talk ahead of the Europa League final, which featured a special video including messages to the squad from family members, was one of his best. He never played favorites but, on occasion, would show his warmer side.

Sources have told ESPN that the new contract Bergvall agreed to at the end of April was not triggered by his previous agreement but a desire from within the club to reward the teenager for his efforts to date. Sources say Postecoglou was influential in that decision and spent a lengthy period with the player's family around the time his contract was announced.

Bilbao and bust

Postecoglou spent the final few weeks of the season talking like a man who knew his time was up, no matter what the outcome of the Europa League final.

Spurs edged a dreadful game in Bilbao, Spain, with a performance that was the antithesis of "Angeball": dour, defensive and disciplined. It was, in fact, more in keeping with many of their European performances in the latter stages when beating Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt. Postecoglou had proved he could adapt.

One source questioned whether that was the product of internal pressure demanding change, but either way, Postecoglou delivered one of the greatest nights in the club's history. And he did so by fostering a togetherness that endured despite a wretched domestic campaign.

In the aftermath of victory, Postecoglou admitted he had no idea about his future, signing off his final news conference and a question about whether he wanted clarity with "que sera, sera" and insisting he could hold his head up high no matter what the verdict.

The chance to celebrate with more than 200,000 Spurs fans who lined the streets of north London for a trophy parade will, in time if it hasn't already, cement his status as a manager who delivered the most memorable moment Spurs have enjoyed in 17 years. Whatever the divisions that exist within the fan base now, he will likely be cheered whenever he does return.

And yet, Levy felt the success came at too big a cost. Once the last of the ticker tape fell to the floor, the view was taken that Postecoglou's high-risk style could not deliver the sort of sustained success that Tottenham have long craved.

For years, the Spurs hierarchy have faced accusations of lacking the hunger to win trophies, of compromising the football for the finances or greater pragmatism. Inadvertently, Postecoglou ended up distilling this question down to the starkest terms of all: After almost two decades without any silverware, would you sacrifice an entire league campaign to win a trophy?

The answer, it turns out, is, Thank you for a glorious night, but no.

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