Daily Mail

Tottenham have included a reference to the infamous 'lasagna-gate' saga that ended their hopes of Champions League qualification in an overserious unveiling of their 2025-26 home jersey.

The north Londoners missed the chance to qualify for the Europe's premier competition after suffering defeat to West Ham on the final day of the 2005-06 campaign, with their misery further compounded by arch rivals Arsenal taking their spot.

In the lead up to the match, the Spurs camp had been plagued by sickness, with as many as ten stars falling ill with suspected food poisoning, which was blamed on a dodgy hotel lasagna.

Spurs legend Ledley King took centre stage in the unveiling film that took a solemn tone, yet still had room for the rather bizarre nod amid calls from the former defender for fans to make a vow of allegiance to the club.

As audio of the pledge played over footage of stars including Micky van de Ven, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, King could be heard saying: 'In sickness'. At this point the camera panned to a portion of lasagna on a table.

It quickly contrasted the subsequent 'and in health' line, that was illustrated by Van de Ven flexing his muscles to the camera in the slightly altered strip.

The short reference was undoubtedly the highlight of an otherwise tedious 80 second clip.

Spurs themselves labelled their 2025-26 jersey as a 'subtle tweak'. Precious few football fans are likely to notice the amendments when the new seasons gets underway in August.

The unveiling comes amid the ongoing uncertainty over the future of manager Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian has two years left on his contract with Tottenham but it is no secret that club chiefs are looking at possible replacements this summer.

Postecoglou led Spurs to glory in the UEFA Europa League last month, ending the club's 17-year trophy drought and delivering on his promise of 'always' winning silverware during his second year in a job.

However, Tottenham's success in Europe was in stark contrast to their Premier League form, which resulted in an embarrassing finish of 17th place. It has been reported that Spurs made direct contact with Thomas Frank earlier this week, with the Brentford boss widely touted as a strong candidate to take over from Postecoglou.

That is according to Foot Mercato, who claim that Frank discussed his vision for Spurs during the talks, as well as identifying some possible transfer targets.

However, it is also noted that, although Frank ranks high on Tottenham's shortlist of managers, chairman Daniel Levy is considering several candidates.

Ryan Mason has left Tottenham to launch his managerial career at West Bromwich Albion, signing a three-year contract at the Hawthorns.

Mason spent seven years coaching at Spurs after a playing career which included England honours was ended prematurely due to a serious head injury suffered when playing for Hull City.

He quickly impressed and graduated from coaching roles in the academy to the first team, working closely with Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and then Ange Postecoglou.

Mason twice stepped in to lead Tottenham as interim head coach — in 2021 and 2023 — but, at the age of 33, he has left to fulfil his managerial ambitions.

'Albion is the perfect place for me to be and I can't wait to get started,' said Mason.

'This is a huge club with a fantastic infrastructure and an incredible fan base and I am excited about what we can achieve together.'

Former Spurs coaches Nigel Gibbs and Sam Pooley will join Mason at West Brom, who finished ninth in the Championship last season and sacked boss Tony Mowbray in April.

Baggies chairman Shilen Patel said: 'We are delighted to welcome Ryan to The Hawthorns as our new Head Coach, along with Nigel and Sam.

'We have undertaken a thoughtful and expansive search and Ryan always stood out to us among an incredibly strong group of candidates.

'We are excited to have someone whose skillset means he has the aptitude to help us further establish elite standards in both preparation and player development for the first team and across all our team programmes.

'His experiences as both a first team player and coach under some of the game's most respected minds, along with his time leading academy sides, will be instrumental as we shape a clear philosophy and unified identity at all levels at the Albion.'

Meanwhile, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: 'Ryan has been an integral part of Tottenham Hotspur for a number of years, both as a player and a coach.

'I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Ryan for all his dedication and hard work over the years, and we wish him every success for the future.'

Mason is following the path of Scott Parker and Kieran McKenna, who also progressed to management after coaching in the Spurs academy.

It marks another significant exit from the Tottenham camp in what is shaping up to be a summer of great change.

The north London club announced on Monday that executive director Donna-Marie Cullen would step down from the board after many years working closely with chairman Levy.

Scott Munn is set to be ousted after two years as chief football officer. And Postecoglou is also increasingly likely to be fired despite winning the Europa League, with more clarity expected this week.

Daniel Levy's 'right-hand woman' Donna-Maria Cullen is set to leave Tottenham after holding a seat on the board for 20 years.

The executive director has worked closely with the Spurs chairman, and leaves ahead of a proposed summer shake-up at the club in the wake of their historic Europa League win.

In a statement shared with the club, Cullen said that the decision to depart had been a 'hard one', with Spurs having been her 'life' over the past three decades.

'This has been such a hard decision to make,' Cullen's statement read. 'The Club has been my life for the past three decades.

'I have had the privilege of working with Daniel, whose vision and energy has driven the Club forward, and so many talented and wonderful colleagues.

'It has been quite some journey, starting at White Hart Lane, with a brief stay at Wembley and finally our new home - amazing memories home and away. Ending this season with the Europa League Trophy was a dream come true.

'The time is now right for me to gather more time for myself and my family, whom I thank for all their support over the years. I shall spend the coming months ensuring there is a smooth handover with my staff.

'Thank you all. I wish everyone at the Club all the success in the world.'

Levy also shared that he would 'greatly miss' the support of his associate, writing: 'Donna has made an immense contribution to the Club, over an extensive period. Her diverse responsibilities grew significantly and replacing her roles with a single individual will be impossible.

'While many may associate her primarily with marketing and communications, Donna's impact extends far beyond those areas. Notably, her leadership and political acumen at planning committees, was instrumental in the Club being able to build one of the finest stadiums and training centres in the world.

'She deserves recognition for the contribution she played in the formation of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, which has positively impacted countless individuals in our communities, and in establishing the London Academy of Excellence, providing children with exceptional educational opportunities.

'Donna has pushed the conscience of the Club to be at the forefront of environmental and diversity initiatives. She also played a crucial role in supporting the amateur part-time Spurs Ladies, enabling the development of our professional women's team.

'Her daily input will be greatly missed, however she fully deserves to take time for herself, and I know that we shall be able to call upon her advice when needed. We wish her well for the future.'

During the 2024-25 season, Cullen spearheaded the redesign of the club's badge and branding - but more recently focus has shifted to wholesale changes which could happen elsewhere in north London.

Despite leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years in Bilbao, Ange Postecoglou's job could yet be under threat after finishing a woeful 17th in the Premier League.

Tottenham are believed to have already held talks with possible successors, including Brentford head coach Thomas Frank.

But Postecoglou broke his silence with a defiant statement, insisting in an interview given on holiday in Greece that winning the Europa League was only the first step for the club.

'I didn't want us to just enjoy the moment,' he said. 'I also wanted us to think about what's next, you know, don't settle for this.

'We've got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club's got a taste for it. Well, let's make sure we're back here again.'

Postecoglou has two years left on his contract but admitted before departing for his post-season break that he was unsure whether he would still be in charge for the 2025–26 campaign.

Ange Postecoglou has broken his silence while on holiday in Greece, delivering a powerful message about ambition and resilience as speculation continues to swirl over his future at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Australian manager led Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years by winning the UEFA Europa League final last month, defeating Manchester United in Bilbao and sparking scenes of jubilation across half of north London.

Yet despite ending the club's long wait for silverware, Postecoglou's job remains under threat - with reports claiming Tottenham have already held talks with possible successors.

Speaking to ABC's Australian Story while spending time with his family, Postecoglou insisted that lifting the Europa League must be just the beginning for Spurs not the peak.

'I didn't want us to just enjoy the moment,' he said. 'I also wanted us to think about what's next, you know, don't settle for this. We've got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club's got a taste for it. Well, let's make sure we're back here again.'

Postecoglou has two years left on his contract but admitted before departing for his post-season break that he was unsure whether he would still be in charge for the 2025–26 campaign.

Despite his European triumph, Postecoglou oversaw Tottenham's lowest finish in the top flight since 1977 as his side ended up 17th in the Premier League, just one place above the relegation zone.

And, according to Foot Mercato, Tottenham have already made direct contact with Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

Frank is said to have discussed his vision for Spurs in early talks and even shared some suggested transfer targets.

While Frank is believed to be high on the shortlist, Levy is also understood to be considering multiple other candidates.

Frank has been in charge of Brentford since October 2018. He won promotion via the EFL Championship play-offs in 2021 and has since established the west London club in England's top division, delivering finishes of 13th, ninth, 16th and most recently 10th.

His Premier League win percentage stands at 35.53% — slightly lower than Postecoglou's 40.79% — but achieved with a vastly smaller budget.

Postecoglou, however, remains confident in the path he has set out for Spurs and in the trajectory of his own career.

'When we sat down 10 years ago and did the initial Australian Story, I think maybe even you guys thought that that was the culmination of what I was about to achieve,' he reflected.

'In 10 years' time, if we sit down again, I've got no doubt in my mind that there'll be more stories to tell.'

Tottenham's Europa League triumph saw Postecoglou make good on his promise of 'always' winning silverware during his second year in a job.

At the subsequent trophy parade last month, the 59-year-old addressed thousands of supporters to deliver another killer quote.

'In all the best television series, season three is better than season two,' he told the crowd, hinting at his hopes of continuing the project he began in 2023.

Ange Postecoglou has two years left on his contract with Tottenham Hotspur but it is no secret that club chiefs are looking at possible replacements this summer.

Postecoglou led Spurs to glory in the UEFA Europa League last month, ending the club's 17-year trophy drought and delivering on his promise of 'always' winning silverware during his second year in a job.

However, Tottenham's success in Europe was in stark contrast to their Premier League form, which resulted in an embarrassing finish of 17th place.

Postecoglou admitted prior to going on a post-season holiday that he was not sure whether he would still be in charge come the start of the 2025-26 campaign.

Now it has been reported that Spurs made direct contact with Thomas Frank earlier this week, with the Brentford boss widely touted as a strong candidate to take over from Postecoglou.

That is according to Foot Mercato, who claim that Frank discussed his vision for Spurs during the talks, as well as identifying some possible transfer targets.

However, it is also noted that, although Frank ranks high on Tottenham's shortlist of managers, chairman Daniel Levy is considering several candidates.

Frank has been in charge of Brentford since October 2018. His only other job in senior management came with Danish club Brondby between 2013 and 2016.

He won promotion with Brentford via the EFL Championship play-offs in 2021 and has since established the west London club in England's top flight, delivering finishes of 13th, ninth, 16th and most recently 10th.

Frank's Premier League win percentage with Brentford is 35.53%, having overseen 54 victories, 38 draws and 60 losses in 152 games.

That is significantly lower than Postecoglou's Premier League win-rate of 40.79% — a result of 31 victories, 11 draws and 34 defeats over two 38-game seasons — but Frank has been working with a squad that cost vastly less than Tottenham's.

Brentford finished 18 points better off than Spurs last season.

However, Tottenham's Europa League triumph means that they will join the Premier League's top five — Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle — in next season's UEFA Champions League.

Ange Postecoglou will reportedly find out his Tottenham fate next week and is at 'extreme risk' of being sacked.

Postecoglou won the Europa League to give Spurs their first silverware in 17 years but delivered their worst-ever Premier League finish of 17th.

Daniel Levy has taken his time to mull over the decision, with emotions a little cooler now 10 days on from their 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao.

There are still two years remaining on Postecoglou's contract and in a hearty speech at their trophy parade, he told the crowd: '(in) all the best television series, season three is better than season two.'

Levy is expected to announce his decision in the coming days, according to The Telegraph.

He has been out of the country for a few days while the man he has left in limbo has been on holiday.

There are major condemnatory and mitigating factors for Postecoglou.

The fact that his squad was so ravaged by injuries this season has not helped.

Tottenham suffered a total of 41 injuries and lost players to the treatment table for a total of 1,553 days. Only Brighton topped them in either metric.

But they also lost a horrific 22 games - more than any other team who has survived relegated in a 38-game season in Premier League history.

There is also a fear that Postecoglou's gung-ho style and approach to training is behind Tottenham's crocked squad.

The club reportedly launch a review of their medical department in December before advertising for a men's medical department chief in January.

After creating history in Bilbao, Postecoglou insisted he wants to stay, saying: 'I’ve had such a laser focus on winning this. Whatever happens, happens. We are still building this team, it is still very young, we need to add experience.

'My thought process has been trying to build a team that can be successful for a long time, but I am manager, it is not in my hands but it doesn’t affect me, if it did you would have seen it.

'I want to stay, I haven’t completed a job yet, but the moment I accepted the role I had one thing in my head and that was to win something, I want to build on it.'

Various faces from the midriff of the Premier League - namely Thomas Frank, Oliver Glasner, Andoni Iraola, and Marco Silva - have been touted as potential options to replace him.

Like Postecoglou before he arrived, none of them have experience of leading a 'Big Six' club and only Glasner has experience of a European campaign, having won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.

Tottenham announced the departures of four players on Saturday morning.

It was confirmed that goalkeepers Fraser Forster, 37, and Alfie Whiteman, 26, would both be leaving upon the expiration of their contracts at the end of June.

Former Real Madrid left back Sergio Reguilon, 28, will also leave Spurs as a free agent this summer, while Timo Werner is returning to RB Leipzig.

Werner, 29, had been on loan at Tottenham since January 2024 but the club decided against taking up their option of signing him permanently for €10 million (£8.43m).

A short club statement posted on social media read: 'We can confirm the departures of Fraser Forster, Sergio Reguilon and Alfie Whiteman following the conclusion of their contracts, while Timo Werner departs following the conclusion of his loan spell.

'Thank you for your service and all the best for the future, lads'.

All four departing players travelled to Bilbao earlier this month for the Europa League final.

None of them featured in the 1-0 win over Manchester United but they were all pictured in full kit during the post-match trophy ceremony.

Ex-England international Forster spent three seasons at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but was never the first choice keeper.

He made 34 first-team appearances during his Spurs career, including 21 in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Whiteman spent a decade with Spurs after joining the club's youth ranks in 2015.

His only senior outing for Tottenham came in November 2020 when he featured as an 82nd-minute substitute in a 4-0 win over Ludogorets.

Reguilon joined Spurs from Real in September 2020 and played in 67 games during his first two seasons in north London.

But he spent the following two campaigns out on loan at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and then Brentford, before returning to Spurs last summer.

He featured in just six matches in his final Spurs season, taking his overall total of appearances to 73.

Werner, who won the UEFA Champions League in 2021 with former club Chelsea, scored just three goals in 41 games for Tottenham.

He had netted 23 goals in 89 games during his Chelsea career.

Spurs players spent a combined 1,553 days out injured in the season just gone

Tottenham had 41 separate injury cases in 2024-25 — only one club had more

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Tottenham Hotspur were among the hardest-hit clubs in the Premier League this season when it came to player availability — but they weren't the worst off.

Spurs lost a staggering 1,553 player-days to injury — more than double Liverpool's total — in a campaign that saw them slump to 17th, their lowest-ever Premier League finish.

Only Brighton players, with 1,944, missed more days through injury, while Ipswich (1,506 days) and Arsenal (1,297 days) also had serious availability issues.

The Gunners endured 36 separate injury cases. Only Brighton (48), Tottenham (41) and Ipswich (41) had more cases.

The figures, compiled by Premier Injuries, include any injury issue that forced a player to miss at least one competitive match. Illnesses and pre-season knocks do not count.

Manchester United (1,295), Bournemouth (1,185) and Manchester City (1,134) all lost in excess of 1,000 player-days to injury, while West Ham (672), Nottingham Forest (673) and Liverpool (765) fared best in terms of player availability.

Liverpool's fitness record was a key part of their title-winning campaign, with 11 outfield players making 30 or more league appearances.

Meanwhile, several Arsenal stars — including Bukayo Saka and Gabriel — underwent surgery during the season.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta previously admitted his squad had been left 'super-short', and has stressed the need for greater depth to handle the physical demands of the modern calendar.

Brighton, despite their injury crisis, still managed to finish an impressive eighth. But for others — like Tottenham and relegated Ipswich — the toll was harder to absorb.

Spurs, who had also been battling a packed schedule, won just 11 league games and came embarrassingly close to relegation.

However, their season ended on a high, as Ange Postecoglou's decision to focus on Europe in the second half of the campaign paid off.

Tottenham won the Europa League with a 1–0 victory over Manchester United in the final, salvaging silverware from an otherwise turbulent year.

DAYS LOST TO INJURY BY PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS IN 2024-25

Brighton - 1,944

Tottenham - 1,553

Ipswich - 1,506

Arsenal - 1,297

Man United - 1,295

Bournemouth - 1,185

Man City - 1,134

Everton - 1,120

Crystal Palace - 1,041

Brentford - 1,027

Wolves - 991

Southampton - 942

Leicester - 878

Fulham - 851

Chelsea - 828

Aston Villa - 804

Newcastle - 779

Liverpool - 765

Nottingham Forest - 673

West Ham - 672

Ange Postecoglou helped deliver Tottenham's first major trophy in 17 years

Despite this, there is uncertainty over the Australian's future as Spurs manager

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Nine days after Bilbao, one week on from the trophy parade with euphoria subsiding, and still there is no clarity from the Tottenham boardroom about the future of Ange Postecoglou.

He has two more years on his contract, but the feeling is growing that no news is bad news for the Australian.

Chairman Daniel Levy is taking his time to consider his options. Some close to Levy expected him to relent and stand by Postecoglou after he delivered Spurs the Europa League, a first major trophy for 17 years and the first in Europe since 1984.

But with every day that passes, it seems he is leaning more towards a change in the dugout.

Levy has been quietly exploring alternatives for some time, as the Premier League campaign unravelled. Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth and Oliver Glasner of Crystal Palace featured but do not look like they are moving anywhere, leaving Thomas Frank of Brentford and Marco Silva of Fulham among the Spurs chief’s leading options.

Both have enjoyed excellent seasons. Both might be tempted across London.

There is a groundswell of support for Frank, who has made Brentford more expansive and fun to watch in a season when only four teams scored more Premier League goals than them.

His case is reinforced by the Danish link to Johan Lange, the Spurs technical director, and the acceptance that Brentford are approaching the end of a natural cycle, under pressure to sell prolific forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.

But there is no vacancy - and suddenly plenty of Tottenham supporters think the proper thing would be to stand by the man who ended the long wait for silverware, albeit after abandoning the breathless brand of attacking football he brought when he arrived from Celtic.

At the League Managers Association gala dinner on Tuesday, Postecoglou was among five recipients of the John Duncan Award, given to those who lead their clubs to historic successes.

Had he been at the Grosvenor House hotel in Park Lane to collect his prize, he would have found a sympathetic audience inclined to agree any head coach who takes their team to such heights deserves an opportunity to continue their work.

Firing Postecoglou risks puncturing the jubilation Spurs fans have longed to savour. Levy will be conscious of this.

The Europa League is only the second trophy of his chairmanship and a definite upgrade on the League Cup in 2008, which didn’t even warrant a parade. Just as he will be conscious of an unacceptable Premier League campaign, with 22 defeats, finishing in 17th, one place above relegation. This is Levy’s dilemma and perhaps he has been wise to let the emotions settle.

If there is a conclusion to draw from two whirlwind seasons under Postecoglou, it is that his full throttle, ‘we never stop’ football, with intense training methods required to make it work, is not compatible with the English fixture schedule and the sort of squad at his disposal. The schedule is not about to ease.

More likely the opposite, in fact, with a UEFA Super Cup final now wedged into the days before the new season and a return to the Champions League, an entirely different level of midweek distraction.

Postecoglou’s squad was ravaged by injuries playing just 41 games in 2023-24 and laid to waste in 2024-25 when the Europa League and a decent

Carabao Cup run made it 60 games across the same period. First they abandoned the style of football, then the pursuit of Premier League points.

The make-up of the squad is unlikely to change a great deal, either. In more than two decades under Levy, there have been some token short-term allowances to placate one manager or another but rarely a significant deviation in the broad approach.

Champions League qualification provides a windfall, but Spurs will not suddenly compete with the wealthiest clubs for the world’s best players.

Postecoglou signed off for the season after losing 4-1 at home to Brighton on Sunday with a cry for Champions League experience to be added to the squad.

‘Players who have played at that level, who are going to be comfortable at that level,’ he said. ‘Not players stepping up to that level, that’s the difference.’

Spurs, though, are locked into a strategy to sign younger players with scope for development.

So, if neither the fixture schedule nor the recruitment policy is about to change, then the style of play and training methods probably should. Postecoglou, you could say, figured that out for himself in the end, moving from Ange Ball to Ange Wall.

Can he settle into a middle ground? Is there a way to turn the high-octane stuff on and off? To move up and down through the gears? Is that viable with the Champions League thrown into the equation? Moreover, is it what Postecoglou wants? It has never sounded like it is.

John Terry has continued his new-found rivalry with James Maddison after winning a trophy at the Tottenham midfielder's golf foundation day.

Terry, 44, has been involved in numerous good-natured ribbings with Maddison, 28, after Tottenham won their first trophy in 17 years by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao last Wednesday.

After winning an award at the event, the ex-Chelsea centre-back took yet another cheeky dig at Maddison and his current employers.

In a video that has since gone viral on social media, with over 800,000 views on X, formerly Twitter, Terry was presented with a gold cup by Maddison.

The former Chelsea skipper then joked: 'I'm so happy with this. By the way, it's been a week and I've won the same amount of trophies as Spurs'.

Maddison can be seen laughing and embracing Terry for his jibe at the Lilywhites, taking the comment in good faith.

Maddison missed the final due to a knee injury, but was heavily involved in Tottenham's post-match celebrations as he arrived on the pitch to lift the trophy with his team-mates while wearing full kit.

The 28-year-old rocking up in full kit despite not playing evoked memories of Terry doing the same when he was suspended for Chelsea's Champions League triumph in 2012.

Taking to Instagram after Wednesday's final, Maddison poked fun at himself and Terry as he posted a photo of himself and Brennan Johnson with the trophy alongside the caption: 'To kit. Full @johnterry.26 mode. Anything to say tonight John?'

It did not take long for Terry to respond as he reminded Maddison that he won 17 career trophies at Chelsea, and mocked Spurs' performance in the final.

'I remember my first trophy, ah bless them,' Terry began.

He added: 'Get the tequila out. Great season from you boys, you should all the proud! 16 (trophies) to go. After that performance I think you have a chance. You just have to live for 900 years.'

Terry also posted a photo of his personal trophy cabinet at home, which includes five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League.