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Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said sacking Ange Postecoglou was "emotionally difficult" and a "collective decision", telling the club's media team it wasn't his call alone to axe the Australian manager.

It's been nearly two weeks since the former Socceroos manager was ousted at Spurs, with the London-based club wasting little time in naming former Brentford coach Thomas Frank as his replacement.

Levy spoke to the media for the first time since Postecglou was dumped from the role just 16 days after winning the Europa League, declaring European glory wasn't enough for the Australian to keep his job.

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Levy told Spurs media the board came to a "unanimous decision" to sack the 59-year-old after finishing 17th in the English Premier League.

"You saw the outpouring of emotion with the parade. It was just incredible. We've won a European trophy," Levy said.

"But it's not enough. It's what we haven't done that is more important. We need to win the league.

"We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League. We want to win."

Levy admitted Postecoglou's axing divided supporters, but noted it was the club's worst finish since they were relegated in the 1976-77 campaign.

"I'm very grateful to Ange. I don't regret appointing Ange. In his first season we finished fifth and in our second season we were over the moon to win the trophy," he said.

"But we need to compete in all competitions and we felt that we needed a change. I've got an excellent relationship with him. I've told him he's always going to be part of our history.

"Himself and his family are always welcome back. It was a collective decision. It wasn't my decision. We do everything together. Emotionally it was difficult but we believe we've made the right decision for the club."

The naming of Thomas Frank as their fifth full-time manager in six years and the 13th since Levy became chairman over 25 years ago, is a chance for fresh start for Spurs.

"Whenever you have a new coach it's always a fresh start. You always have different ideas. But we want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season.

"One of the things that stood out to me with Thomas is that he's clearly highly intelligent. Great communicator. Super human being. Plus all the other technical aspects that are obviously important."

Spurs chief executive Vinai Venkatesham explained why Frank is the man for the job.

"We ran a really thorough process at speed. We defined 10 characteristics that we think are important to be a successful manager at Tottenham Hotspur," Venkatesham said.

"We analysed in real detail, through our technical staff led by Johan (Lange, technical director), more than 30 candidates. We had a shortlist. We spent a lot of time at the shortlist.

"And Thomas was absolutely the number one candidate. And could not be more excited to have him join the club. I agree with everything that Daniel said around his characteristics.

"Personally one of the things I'm really excited about is that he is an outstanding developer of young players. I really look forward to seeing what he can do with the squad that we have here. I think the club have got wonderful foundations."

Tottenham fired manager Ange Postecoglou on Friday, two weeks after the Australian led the club to the Europa League title to end its 17-year wait for a trophy.

Tottenham beat Manchester United in the Europa League final but otherwise had a dismal season as it finished 17th in the Premier League standings.

"Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties," Tottenham said in a statement.

Postecoglou spent two seasons at Tottenham after joining from Celtic in June 2023.

Spurs made a bright start in the Australian's first season in charge, playing an attack-minded and entertaining style of football led to both high-scoring wins and losses.

It narrowly missed out on a Champions League place by finishing fifth in 2023-24, but then saw a major dip in results this past season.

It's 17th-place finish was its lowest since the Premier League was founded in 1992. Tottenham lost 22 of its 38 games and ended the campaign just one position above the relegation places.

It meant that securing the club's first piece of silverware since 2008, while also qualifying for next season's Champions League, didn't save Postecoglou from losing his job.

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"It is crucial that we are able to compete on multiple fronts and believe a change of approach will give us the strongest chance for the coming season and beyond," the club said in a statement.

"This has been one of the toughest decisions we have had to make and is not a decision that we have taken lightly, nor one we have rushed to conclude. We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision."

The cost of the compensation package that Tottenham would have to pay Ange Postecoglou if they decide to sack him has been revealed.

Two weeks after leading Spurs to the Europa League title, which ended a 17-year drought for the club, uncertainty around Postecoglou's future remains.

With the 1-0 victory over United last month, Tottenham secured Champions League qualification for next season.

After a disappointing domestic campaign, without the Europa League win, Spurs would not be featuring in any European competition next season.

Tottenham finished the 2024-25 Premier League season in 17th place with 22 defeats — the most by any side to avoid relegation to the Championship.

This was the club's lowest top-flight finish in 48 years.

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For months, rumours have been circulating that the Aussie could be sacked regardless of whether his side triumphed in the Europa League.

An announcement regarding Postecoglou's future is yet to be made by the club. This is said to be because Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been out of the country, and Postecoglou has been on holiday with his family in southern Greece.

But several prominent outlets in the UK have claimed that a decision has been made, with the prevailing sentiment being that Postecoglou will depart.

Football Insider reports that Tottenham is holding off on an announcement to allow the high emotion from the Europa League triumph to subside.

Levy is also expected to return from his holiday in the coming week, with a final decision anticipated soon after.

But while axing Postecoglou could cause major backlash from fans still celebrating the silverware, there is another complication for Levy's decision — the compensation figure.

According to The Telegraph, sacking Postecoglou would cost Tottenham around $8.3 million in compensation, as he still has two years left on his contract.

This is in addition to the $4.2 million bonus that the club has already forked out to Postecoglou for the Europa League win and Champions League qualification.

The terms of a potential exit were decided when he signed the deal with Tottenham that brought him to North London from Celtic in 2023.

While sacking Postecoglou would cost an absorbent amount, there is also the cost of then appointing a replacement as well.

Already carrying a significant debt burden, qualifying for the Champions League will allow Spurs to retain more of their stars and be more active in the transfer market.

However, the prolonged uncertainty with Postecoglou is already having an impact on the club's transfer dealings, with reports suggesting they are losing ground on targets.

The report from Football Insider also states that Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Fulham manager Marco Silva and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola are the frontrunners to replace Postecoglou as Spurs' new manager.

But to secure a top candidate, Tottenham would then also have to pay compensation to one of their Premier League rivals for release clauses.

As a result, parting ways with Postecoglou could cause the club a substantial financial outlay.

The Telegraph also reports that a wider restructuring might be underway at Tottenham, regardless of Postecoglou's situation, with key personnel confirming their departures, including executive director Donna Cullen.

Ange Postecoglou remains in the dark about his future at Tottenham after another bizarre day's work at the north London club.

The Australian manager was serenaded before, during and after Spurs' Premier League finale, another dispiriting 4-1 loss to Brighton on Monday (AEST).

Tottenham finished the season in 17th place - just one spot above the relegated trio of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton.

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Yet the sentiment among most fans is for Postecoglou to stay after he piloted Tottenham to a drought breaking Europa League win just four days before.

During the team's victory parade on Saturday (AEST), Postecoglou told fans that "season three is better than season two" in all the best TV series.

"I should have thought about it a bit more because sometimes they kill off the main character. I could be in strife there," he quipped before the Brighton game.

"I assume at some point somebody will tell me something, or if not I'm just going to roll up next year and it would be a bit like (George) Costanza from Seinfeld' - I'll just sit at the desk and just get on with my job."

Tottenham's 1-0 victory over Manchester United provided Spurs their first major trophy in 17 years - along with Champions League qualification for next season.

But the team's dismal Premier League campaign has led to speculation about Postecoglou's future.

Spurs led 1-0 at halftime through Dominic Solanke's penalty before a Jack Hinshelwood double put Brighton in front.

Matt O'Riley's penalty and a brilliant Diego Gomez strike wrapped up a convincing comeback.

"How do I assess our season? Outstanding! Won a trophy which we haven't for 17 years and we're in the Champions League," Postecoglou said.

"Ask any supporter at the start of the season if they'd take that and there wouldn't be a person in the house that wouldn't. It doesn't bother me asking me about my future. I can't answer. I'm pretty relaxed about it. it's been an unbelievable season. I couldn't be any prouder.

"You're asking the wrong person. Everyone in the media is intelligent enough to know I'm not the person to know to ask those questions.

"I'll have a break and then hopefully we'll be back first day next season to start things.

"My gut feeling is I feel right now that I've done something that no one believed I could, and I shouldn't be sitting here talking about it. That's my feeling, but it is what it is."

Spurs owner and chairman Daniel Levy issued a letter to fans on the club's website before the final Premier League match.

Levy at no point confirmed that Postecoglou would continue in his role next season.

"I'd like to thank Ange and the players for making this incredible achievement possible, and thanks to all of our amazing staff – there is so much hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and this moment is for everyone to enjoy," Levy wrote.

"This is one trophy – our clear ambition as a club has always been long-term, sustained success, competing for top honours every year. We have now tasted success, and we are determined to use this as a springboard for more."

Meanwhile, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle secured the remaining Champions League places on a dramatic final day of the Premier League season.

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest were the big losers - missing out in the race for the top five.

Villa was left with a sense of injustice after having a goal ruled out against Manchester United just moments before going behind and eventually losing 2-0 at Old Trafford.

A draw would have been enough for Unai Emery's team on a day when Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Everton.

"The TV is clear... but of course we have to accept it," Emery said.

"It was a mistake. A big mistake."

Chelsea beat Forest 1-0 to secure a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence.

City ended the season in third place with a 2-0 win against Fulham.

Arsenal was second behind champion Liverpool.

Ange Postecoglou sent a not-so subtle message to Tottenham's chairman and the club's fans as the Europa League winners were saluted by around 150,000 ecstatic supporters during an open-top bus parade through north London.

The Australian manager and his team rode atop a white double-decker bus with "Europa League winners" emblazoned on it, which eventually took Tottenham's players to their stadium.

Fans packed the streets to celebrate the players, with chants of "glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur" as captain Son Heung-min held the trophy up while teammates and Postecoglou waved to fans with medals around their neck.

Having already delivered an iconic quote in his post-match press conference, telling reporters "this victory is for the true believers", Postecglou backed it up with what many on social media called a "mic drop moment".

"I told them and they laughed. I told them and they didn't believe," he began.

"And we're here because of this unbelievable group of people, the players, the staff, absolute heroes, led by the legend, Son Heung-Min, Cuti Romero, James Maddison, and Guglielmo Vicario.

"All of them, heroes, and they did it all for you. Because you deserve it. This club deserves it."

He then finished with: "And I'll tell you something, I'll leave you with this.

"All the best television series, season three is better than season two."

As soon as the Aussie manager finished speaking fans cheers loudly, no doubt a message to chairman Daniel Levy, who was standing close by.

It was Tottenham's first trophy parade since winning their last FA Cup in 1991, while their last scame in the 2008 League Cup.

Postecoglou's side are currently 17th in the Premier League, one place above the relegation zone, as they face up to their worst finish since 1976-77.

Ange Postecoglou - and many in Australia - have just had heart palpitations as Spurs survive an almighty scare.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven was forced to produce an epic goal line clearance to deny Rasmus Hojlund after keeper Guglielmo Vicario made a complete hash of things.

It remains 1-0 Spurs after 71 minutes.

Tottenham was leading Manchester United 1-0 at halftime of the all-English final in the Europa League.

Brennan Johnson squeezed in a goal at the end of the first half to put Spurs on track to salvage a dismal season in which it will finish near the bottom of the Premier League standings.

It was an even match from the start, with neither team creating many significant scoring opportunities.

Tottenham got on the board in the 42nd minute after a cross by Pape Sarr into the area.

The ball ricocheted off United defender Luke Shaw and fell in front of Johnson, who seemed to get just enough of it to poke it across the goal line.

Tottenham is trying to lift its first European trophy in more than four decades, since it won its second UEFA Cup - the equivalent of the Europa League now - in 1984.

It would be Spurs' first title since it won the English League Cup in 2008.

It's 1-0 Spurs at halftime as Craig Foster wills old sparring partner Ange Postecoglou on.

Beautiful football has gone out the window.

"This is just about getting to the line now," Foster says on Stan Sport.

"They have not won a trophy for 17 years. We're nervous for him."

Spurs haven't won a European title since 1984.

Their last silverware was the Carling Cup (now known as the EFL Cup) in 2008 when they defeated Chelsea 2-1 in extra time.

Brennan Johnson has opened the scoring for Spurs!

It's 1-0 after 41 minutes.

It's not a classic goal as United defender Luke Shaw gets himself in a tangle trying to deal with Pape Matar Sarr's excellent cross but who cares?

There's pandemonium in Bilbao as Ange Postecoglou celebrates with his support staff.

"It wasn't pretty but it could be utterly glorious at the end of 90 minutes for Spurs," David Prutton says on Stan Sport's coverage.

"He's (Johnson) so quick across the turf and he catches Luke Shaw by surprise."

On February 24 2008, Fidel Castro retired as president of Cuba, No Country for Old Men was named best picture at the Academy Awards and Flo Rida's Low was topping the charts.

It was also the day Tottenham Hotspur won their last title.

That's right, it's been 17 years between celebrations for Spurs fans. It may be about to end, through the workings of an Aussie, Ange Postecoglou.

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As expected, not a single player from that 2008 League Cup final squad is at the club anymore.

The location of the Chelsea vs Tottenham fixture was the new Wembley Stadium.

Spurs were coming off a 6-2 aggregate win in their semi-final against arch rivals Arsenal. The second leg was a 5-1 win at home.

Just like this year, there was a drought to end too. Nine years in fact.

Tottenham's final side included big names like Jermaine Jenas, Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov. On the other side of the spectrum, Chelsea had Petr Čech, John Terry, Wayne Bridge, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Nicholas Anelka and Didier Drogba.

Back then Spurs were falling behind expectations. In the 2002-03 Premier League season they finished 10th. 14th, 9th, 5th and 5th followed.

Earlier in the season, Martin Jol was sacked after a horrendous start to the season. Daniel Levy was the chairman at the time, and still is.

Jaunde Ramos arrived and said the team were 100kg overweight overall. Fitness coach Marcos Alvarez claimed in February the weight had halved. Sugar was limited for the players, eventually striker Darren Bent claimed that led to the team turning on the manager.

But it must have had some impact, with Spurs 90 minutes from a trophy.

Well that turned into more than 90 minutes.

Drogba took the lead for Chelsea in the 39th minute. His free kick sat well outside the box and was hit low into the bottom right corner. Spurs keeper Paul Robinson stood still as it went past.

At half time, the score sat at 1-0.

As always in a final, a spot of controversy arrived. Tom Huddlestone tried to control the ball in the box as Bridge approached. Huddlestone ran towards the touchline referee, protesting a handball. It was given, and rightly so.

Berbatov sent Čech the wrong way and it was 1-1. It stayed the same by full time.

Extra time arrived and three minutes in, Spurs had the lead.

Jenas delivered a free kick, and Čech left his goal-line to parry it. Instead, he punched the ball into Jonathan Woodgate's head and it was a goal.

Eventually the full time whistle blew and it was euphoria around Wembley. A dramatic comeback, fitting for a final.

"Who knows, it might signify a much bigger comeback for the club," was said on commentary.

Not quite.

Since then there's been many false dawns. Spurs lost the next League Cup final on penalties to Manchester United.

Once again in 2014-15, the League Cup was lost and this time it was Chelsea winning 2-0.

In the 2016-17 Premier League season, Harry Kane was the leading goalscorer with 29. Four better than Romelu Lukaku. But Spurs finished second to Chelsea, who won by seven points.

Then came one of the club's biggest matches ever, the 2018-19 Champions League final.

It was Mauricio Pochettino's crowning glory as Spurs coach. Liverpool ultimately won 2-0 and the drought continued.

In 2020-21, the League Cup losses mounted. Manchester City won 1-0 in the final this time. This match lives long in the memory of Spurs fans considering Jose Mourinho was sacked a week before the final.

But now it's Postecoglou's turn to rewrite the history books.

This year, English Football has been the year of the underdog.

In the League Cup, Newcastle ended a 56-year drought. Crystal Palace's FA Cup win over City was their first major trophy, ending a 120-year wait.

United are currently the slight favourites with the bookmakers for the Europa League final, putting the trend in Spurs' favour.

In a season which has been besieged by injury and poor domestic form Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham team remarkably sit on the brink of winning the club's first European trophy since 1984 when they were crowned UEFA cup winners.

Tottenham's run to the Europa League final, where they will face another struggling English giant in Manchester United, has served as a saving grace for Postecoglou and his struggling Spurs outfit. He has led the club to what will be its worst league finish since being relegated from the top-flight in 1976-77.

Tottenham's run to the final has seen them overcome AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt, with Postecoglou looking to deliver on his record of a trophy in his second year, as he has reminded critics he always delivers.

Trophy or none, much of the goodwill that Postecoglou began the season with has diminished. Many pundits and fans believe the club need to move in a new direction regardless of the result in Bilbao.

Despite the outside noise, Postecoglou has been able to forge a sense of unity and purpose within his playing group, which has seen them perform admirably in Europe despite the ongoing domestic struggles.

Spurs will be missing the creative talents of Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall for the final but Postecoglou is firmly focused on achieving something special.

Talking to Sky Sports, the pioneering Australian manager reiterated the opportunity that lay ahead for him and his Spurs team.

"I'd never allow myself to miss an opportunity that's right before me by thinking about what's beyond that, it's just not the way I'm wired. All I'm thinking about is the possibility of doing something really special," Postecoglou said.

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Much of the criticism this season has targeted Spurs' defensive fragilities with many critics pointing to Postecoglou's inability to tactically adjust away from the open attacking style which has been a hallmark of the teams which have played under his tutelage.

In the face of ongoing conjecture around his future, Postecoglou most importantly has never lost the faith of the Spurs playing group, which has constantly backed him despite an underperforming season.

Spurs star James Maddison reiterated this belief in Postecoglou before the semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt.

"We're behind the manager, 100 per cent. I think he's a great man. He's the first person to tell you, I've heard it myself, that we've been poor in the league," Maddison said.

"We've been great in Europe but it's been unacceptable in the league. He's my manager, my gaffer and I respect him."

Postecoglou is under no illusions regarding the enormity of the final and how a victory could transform a Spurs season which in many ways has failed to launch.

The collective spirit which he has been able to harness despite the difficult circumstances could in the end prove decisive in a final which will feature two desperate teams trying to salvage hugely disappointing seasons.

Postecoglou will be hoping this spirit is enough as he looks to become the first Australian manager to win a major European trophy.

A referee who has previously served a ban for involvement in a match-fixing plot, has been appointed to take charge of the all-English Europa League final on May 22.

Felix Zwayer will take the whistle for the Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United final, despite having served a six-month suspension in 2006 for a match-fixing scheme.

At the time, Zwayer was investigated by Germany's football federation (DFB) for taking a £250 bribe from official Robert Hoyzer to fix the result of a Bundesliga match.

Zwayer was cited as one of the officials who notified the governing body about Hoyzer's scheme, which resulted in the latter being hit with a lifetime ban.

Zwayer, now 43, was subsequently banned for six months to reflect his involvement but has since gone on to become one of the leading referees in Europe.

The German referee returned from his ban to take charge of his first top-flight match in 2009, before being named as a FIFA-listed official in 2012.

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Zwayer has gone on to officiate several major matches including Arsenal's second-leg Champions League semi final defeat against Paris St-Germain last Wednesday.

He also took charge of England's European Championship semi final win over the Netherlands in 2024 - a decision that was criticised by England star Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham previously questioned the integrity of Zwayer after his former club Borussia Dortmund were defeated by Bayern Munich in a 2021 match under the German's watch.

The 21-year-old was fined $64,000 for his comments as he made reference to Zwayer's six-month suspension.

Still, such criticism has not prevented Zwayer from being named as a match official by FIFA.

Manchester United have been appointed Zwayer as a match official on four occasions since 2016, while Tottenham have only been refereed by him in two games.

The Europa League final will be held in Spain at Bilbao's San Mames Stadium.

The fate of Ange Postecoglou has seemingly already been sealed but the problems that continue to dog Spurs' attempts to climb back into the top half of the Premier League will likely not leave with their manager.

Tottenhamhas slumped to their worst league result in the Premier League's history, sitting 16th, just above the drop zone, with 19 defeats for the season.

The pressure has been mounting on Postecoglou for months and reports now indicate the Aussie is set to be shown the door regardless of whether or not he wins a trophy, with Spurs to meet Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of their Europa League semi final on Friday morning (AEST).

Postecoglou will be hoping to win the second tier European competition in what could be the last potential saving grace for him at the club - even if it appears as though his time is up regardless.

A win in Europe will not only be beneficial for Postecoglou, but also assist in mending the club's financial stress, given the prize money that comes with a title.

But even if a victory in Europe plus Champions League qualification is to be granted, this season will still likely be defined by the club's nightmare run in the Premier League.

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There is a collective sense among Spurs fans that sacking Postecoglou will not solve the club's lingering problems, given in the space of 24 years there has been 16 managers for and just one trophy won.

Several managers who have been dismissed from their duties like Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espiritio Santo and Antonio Conte have gone on to have success with other teams.

But while some blame is always going to be placed on Postecoglou as a manager, many have turned to chairman Daniel Levy's choice to invest in junior talent over experience.

A case can be made by Levy that he has invested in developing Spurs as an organisation as he was instrumental in building a world-class stadium in north London.

The chairman also provided Postecoglou roughly $450 million to spend in the market, however, $209 million of that came from the sale of Harry Kane in 2023.

A net transfer debt of over $583 million AUD leaves a tough battle in the upcoming trade window for Postecoglou or the person appointed as his successor.

Spurs are now facing the prospect that they will have to 'sell-to-buy' in the upcoming transfer window - a major shift for the club, considering last season they were one of the highest spenders during the transfer window in the Premier League.

Vice-captain Cristian Romero, who recognised calls from fans for the club to invest in more talent, also pointed to the board as the root of Spurs' troubles.

"The last few years, it's always the same - first, the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it's always the same people responsible," he said back in December.

"Hopefully they realise who the true responsible ones are and we move forward because it's a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title."

Despite this, Levy has admitted that the club's latest financial results indicate Tottenham is in no position to risk or "spend money that we do not have".

The ability to explore the market is one Postecoglou has appeared to be denied, much like those who stood in the role before him.

Mauricio Pochettino held the top job at Spurs between 2014 and 2019, where he witnessed the club become the first ever team in the competition not to sign a player during the summer transfer window.

The current system at Spurs has invested heavily in young playing talent.

Just last season, 19-year-old Archie Gray was among those signed in the transfer window on a deal worth around $62 million AUD.

But with 12 experienced stars this season in and out of the club's injury ward, Postecoglou has found himself with little choice but to field an inexperienced group.

Still, it seems Postecoglou may not be the only person departing Tottenham at the end of the season.

According to UK's The Daily Telegraph, Spurs will likely need to part ways with some of their highest earners in bid to fund any further rebuilds and development at the club.

The likes of Richarlison, Yves Bissouma and Romero are among those facing the axe due to the financial state of the team.

Romero, a two-time Copa America winner and 2022 FIFA World Cup winner, has been heavily linked to make the move to Atletico Madrid in the next transfer window.

The Argentine has admitted he "would love to" play in the La Liga in the future as "it's the league (he's) missing" in his career profile.

But if he is to depart White Hart Lane, a large transfer fee would likely be revealed between Atletico and Spurs.