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Ange Postecoglou has opened up on how his challenge at Tottenham Hotspur was different to any of the other ones he has undertaken in his managerial career so far, with the Australian admitting that he did not always have the trust of everybody at N17.

Postecoglou has just achieved what many big-name managers before him have failed to do: deliver a trophy to Tottenham Hotspur.

Postecoglou made a heartwarming speech to the Tottenham players and their families after the Europa League win, insisting that they fully deserved this success on the back of the difficulties they have endured this season.

Ange Postecoglou admits Tottenham challenge was his toughest

In his post-match press conference following the win on Wednesday, Ange Postecoglou acknowledged that the challenge at Spurs has been the toughest he has had in his two-decade-long coaching career.

The Australian admitted that unlike his previous clubs, where he had a complete buy-in from everyone, many people at Tottenham were hesitant to back his vision full-throttle, given how many times the club had been burned over the last two decades.

When asked if winning the Europa League as Spurs head coach is his biggest achievement, Postecoglou responded (via Football.London): “Look, I feel if I say that it diminishes the other achievements. Not for me but the people I’ve shared them with. But it’s definitely been the toughest thing I’ve ever done without a shadow of a doubt. And I knew that going into it.

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“This club’s had some unbelievable world-class coaches, world-class players and they haven’t had a night like this. And it’s fair to say that it’s been really challenging because wherever else I’ve had success, by this stage I’ve kind of had the faith and trust of everybody.

“And here it’s been different. And I understand. That’s not a criticism. It’s just I think, because of the club, and the way, it’s history, I don’t think they could ever go all-in on one person. For me, that’s always how it’s worked well, when people back my vision.

“But within that, I think when we got to the end of January, the end of the transfer window, and assessed our situation, I just made a decision there and then that this was the trophy we were going to go for. And probably was at odds with what other people at the club believed at the time we should do.

“Again, that’s understandable. But I just really believed we could win this. And everything we’ve done since then, everything we’ve done in terms of games, the teams I’ve selected, has been about making sure that when these games came around, the Europa games, that we’re in the best possible condition to tackle them.

“That’s come at a cost, for sure, in the league. And I’ve got to take the responsibility for that. I just felt like the end-game of winning something was more important, and it was the only way I was going to do it.”

The Spurs players never lost faith in Postecoglou

Under previous managers, we have seen some players throw in the towel when results start trending downward, which has often been the main catalyst for the sacking of some of Postecoglou’s predecessors.

However, even though Tottenham’s results have been historically poor in the Premier League this season, the players never seemed to lose faith in the Australian and his methods.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in the big time after winning a European trophy for the first time in over four decades – but the victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final has also brought a significant financial reward.

It has been a season of ups and downs for Tottenham Hotspur this campaign as they have struggled domestically all season, currently sitting in 17th in the Premier League table, a single place above the relegation zone.

However, the season is now sure to end on a high after the Lilywhites secured the Europa League title, beating Manchester United 1-0 in Spain at the San Mames Stadium, booking a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Brennan Johnson’s goal was enough on the night, as Tottenham ended a nearly two-decade wait for silverware, after they last won a trophy back in 2008 against Chelsea in the League Cup.

Tottenham prize money revealed after Europa League victory

Indeed, it is great for the Tottenham faithful to have witnessed their side win a European trophy, something they have not experienced in 41 years.

Following their Europa League success in Spain, it has now been revealed how much Spurs have made from their most recent final win.

According to UEFA information, Tottenham Hotspur have now been awarded a sum of £10.95m for winning the Europa League.

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This would be added to the £18.8m the Lilywhites had earned before winning the final, and with the Europa League trophy now in the bag, Spurs have earned a total of £29.75m for their exploits in Europe.

Spurs set for major summer with Champions League windfall

With the final prize money secured, Spurs’ transfer pot has been bolstered ahead of the summer window as they look to sign top talents.

With a place in Europe’s premier competition also guaranteed, according to finance expert Keiran Maguire, Tottenham are now set to earn a minimum of £80m-£90m in the Champions League, including prize money and matchday revenue.

Ange Postecoglou began his post-match press conference with a touching tribute to his players, all the staff at Tottenham Hotspur, the club’s supporters and his loved ones.

Postecoglou’s claim that he always wins trophies in his second season were mocked by various sections of the media and rival fans for much of the campaign.

However, that will now go down in footballing history as one of the most iconic lines ever delivered after the Lilywhites managed to break their 17-year trophy drought at Bilbao with a 1-0 win against Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Against all odds, the Australian has had the last laugh and succeeded at doing something some of the biggest names in football, such as Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, failed to do: bring silverware to Spurs.

Ange Postecoglou admits he is proud of the Tottenham players

The Tottenham head coach walked out to a standing ovation at the post-match press conference, which would have been extremely sweet, given the kind of battles he has had to fight in the press room all campaign.

Ange Postecoglou gave an emotional and classy first response, praising the players, the supporters and his loved ones for sticking with him through thick and thin.

When asked how it feels to have his ambition of achieving something special at Tottenham realised, the 59-year-old said (via Football.London): “It’s hard to put into words the emotions. I’m super proud of the players. To quote my favourite Australian prime minister, Paul Keating, after an unlikely victory, he said, ‘This is one for the true believers.’ and this is certainly one of the true believers.

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“That means an unbelievable group of players who never wavered, never lost faith in me and what we were doing. Unbelievable football staff, led by brilliant coaches. People who work at the club from the board down, Lilywhite House, the training ground, the supporters.

“I know people think I’ve got this fractious relationship but every supporter I ever bumped into was just so kind in reassuring me they believe in what I was doing. I never felt… I understand the disappointment we put them through this year, particularly in the league, but seeing them tonight, the impact it has on some of them. It’s obviously 17 years since our last trophy, 41 in Europe, some of them have never had a night like this. It’s a reward for them.

“Finally to my beautiful wife, my boys, my family, my friends. They’re all my inspiration. I’m kind of the front man, it’s easy for me to take on the responsibility but they’ve got no choice but to come along for the ride. Seeing them out there on the pitch, a smile on their faces, made me happy.”

Postecoglou pays tribute to his late father

The Tottenham boss has spoken a lot about the influence of his dad in helping him inculcate a love for the game and he paid tribute to him again on the biggest night of his career.

Postecoglou also opened up on how difficult his journey at Tottenham has been on his loved ones, who have been hurt by the intense criticism he has come under.

When asked what his father would have made of his Europa League success, Postecoglou responded: “He’s still with me mate. His voice is in my head all the time and as I get older I look in the mirror and I see his face sometimes, as frightening as that might seem.

“He’s with me all the time mate and my dear mum is with my sister in Greece and my nephews and I’m sure they’re over the moon. Yeah, it’s massive in Australia and in Greece. I’ve got family in both countries and friends in both countries. They’ve been along for the journey the whole way.

“It’s hard because I’m big enough and ugly enough to take whatever comes my way, but they get hurt when people come at me and they pay the price, particularly those closest to me, my beautiful family and my friends. They want to defend me but I keep telling them it’s a small price to pay when you have nights like this.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve had plenty of nights like this. Just seeing them tonight and everyone in Australia, they’ll be up early in the morning and they’ll be buzzing, and people in Greece and the people here with me. It’s another special night we share together.”

The Europa League’s Team of the Season is understandably dominated by Tottenham players, but there is one surprise omission, with a senior Spurs star being left out despite having an outstanding campaign.

Some Tottenham fans are still pinching themselves after what they witnessed in Bilbao just under 24 hours ago, with a whole generation of Spurs supporters seeing their club win a trophy for the first time.

The 17-year wait for silverware has made the Europa League win even sweeter, and with a massive trophy parade in Tottenham on Friday, the celebrations are set to continue unabashed for the next few days.

Several key players have stepped up for Spurs, particularly in the latter stages of the tournament, and several of them have been rewarded with a place in the competition’s Team of the Season.

Four Tottenham players make Europa League Team of the Season

Three members of Tottenham’s back five have made the Europa League Team of the Season, which is not surprising considering that it is Spurs’ defensive solidity that helped them get their hands on the trophy.

Tottenham kept clean sheets away at Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt in the previous two rounds and repeated the trick in the final, disproving the narrative that they are easy to get at defensively.

Cristian Romero was named the Europa League Player of the Season, and is joined in the Team of the Season, by Pedro Porro and goalkeeper Gugileilmo Vicario.

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Dominic Solanke was the other Spurs representative to make the eleven after scoring five goals and providing four assists in 13 outings in the competition this term.

One Tottenham star will be disappointed to miss out on Team of the Season

James Maddison has reason to feel aggrieved at being omitted from the eleven as the attacking midfielder has played a vital part in the club’s European journey.

The 28-year-old may have missed out due to injury on the night of the final, but he is a key reason for Tottenham getting there in the first place, with three goals and four assists to his name in 11 outings in the competition.

However, it is fair to say that Maddison will not be too disappointed and will be over the moon to have won the first European trophy of his career.

A Tottenham Hotspur winger, who has hinted that he will leave the club this summer, is expected to be the subject of offers from the Middle East and the United States.

While the headlines over the last couple of months have been dominated by the potential incomings at Tottenham this summer, there is also expected to be an exodus from Spurs, with a number of fringe players potentially on their way out.

One player who has impressed on loan is guaranteed to depart the club, with Bryan Gil confirming he will likely leave Tottenham this summer.

However, it emerged a few weeks ago that Girona are now unlikely to activate their €15m (£12.5m) option to buy Gil, but another Spanish club are allegedly ready to pounce.

La Liga club to face competition from Saudi and MLS clubs for Bryan Gil

Last week, it was reported by El Desmarque that Villarreal are ready to make move for Gil this summer after learning that Girona are not going to sign him permanently.

This has now been backed up by a report by La Razon, who say that the Yellow Submarine are expected to push ahead with a move for the Tottenham man, now that they have secured Champions League qualification.

The 24-year-old, who has been out with an injury since March, will return to North London at the end of his loan spell and could be the subject of a bidding war this summer.

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This is because Villarreal could face challenges from clubs across the planet for the Tottenham winger. It is asserted that Saudi Pro League and MLS clubs are ‘eager to tempt’ Gil with ‘dizzying offers’ this summer.

Where does Gil want to go?

However, La Razon make it clear that the Tottenham man is not too keen on moving to America or the Middle East, and prefers to continue in Spain.

The outlet asserts that Gil sees Villarreal as an ‘attractive option’, especially since they can offer him Champions League football.

Given that the winger faces a battle to keep his place in the Spanish national side, one can understand why he would want to remain at the front of Luis de la Fuente’s thinking by continuing to ply his trade in La Liga.

Gareth Bale has made a bold claim about Ange Postecoglou’s future, insisting the Tottenham Hotspur board now face a defining decision following the club’s historic Europa League triumph.

A lot was certainly on the line for Tottenham Hotspur when they took to the pitch against Manchester United in Spain at the San Mames Stadium for the final of the UEFA Europa League.

For Tottenham, it was a chance to rewrite history, to get their first taste of silverware after a 17-year-long wait, and a chance to book a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

As for Ange Postecoglou, it was more than just a cup final – it was a defining moment, with the manager under enormous pressure due to Tottenham’s dismal Premier League form, which has them sitting in 17th place on the Premier League table.

Ahead of the final, several outlets reported that Postecoglou’s future had already been sealed, regardless of the result in Bilbao, with some suggesting the club was set to part ways with the manager at the end of the campaign.

Gareth Bale says Tottenham board have big decision on Ange Postecoglou

However, former Tottenham winger Gareth Bale and club legend Glenn Hoddle have both shared their thoughts on what should come next for Ange Postecoglou.

Bale, who won multiple trophies at Real Madrid, believes the Tottenham board now face a huge decision on the manager’s future. After all, Postecoglou has delivered silverware – something that has eluded many of his predecessors.

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Speaking to TNT Sports after the final, Bale said: “I think only the chairman can decide that to be honest, there has been so much talk whether he goes away or he does not.

“I guess it would be interesting to see now, because he has won a trophy, he is the first Tottenham manager to do so in a long time, so I guess the board has some decisions to make and they would have to do it soon.”

When asked if he would like Postecoglou to stay, Bale added: “I like the football that he plays. Obviously he lacks a bit of a plan B, but tonight showed there is a plan B.

“There is a different side to how he has played, so I guess as a manager, if he also matures as a manager and brings that kind of defensive side to his teams, yes of course, he could still have a place. That is how I see it.”

Glenn Hoddle praises Spurs’ tactical shift under Ange Postecoglou

Glenn Hoddle also weighed in on Postecoglou’s tactical approach this season, noting that when Tottenham strike the right balance between defence and attack, they are capable of beating anyone.

He said: “Whenever he has got the balance right between defending and attacking – Man City away, Frankfurt away, tonight – we are a good side and we could beat anyone.”

Injuries have undoubtedly played a part in Tottenham’s struggles in the league this season, with the club missing up to 12 players at different points across the campaign.

When asked if injuries contributed to Spurs‘ poor domestic form, Hoddle continued: “Of course, when he did not have them fit, that is when I felt the mistake was made and he kept playing the same way and he kept leaving the two centre backs isolated.

“But the big games we have produced good defensive performances, as well as in the final third we have got some – Johnson who scores goals, Solanke works so hard, so we would score goals ourselves – but all in all, this final was just about winning.

“It was not a classic, it was not a quality game, but this club has not won anything in 17 years and, my word, these supporters are just going to take it all in, and rightly so.”

Guglielmo Vicario’s underlying stats have highlighted the key role the Tottenham goalkeeper played in the Lilywhites’ Europa League win over Manchester United.

Every Tottenham Hotspur fan out there would be quick to praise the club’s defensive performance against Manchester United in the final of the Europa League.

Teddy Sheringham had predicted a high-scoring 4-3 affair before kickoff, stating that both teams’ defences have been poor all season.

In the Premier League alone this campaign, Spurs have let in 61 goals in 37 games, the 16th highest in the division, while United have conceded 54, the 12th highest in the league.

However, in the Europa League final, Ange Postecoglou had other plans on the night, as we saw Tottenham defend a 1-0 lead for forty-five minutes plus added time in a 5-4-1 shape, keeping a clean sheet for the third time this season against the Red Devils.

Guglielmo Vicario shines in Tottenham’s Europa League final win

Cristian Romero was named the man of the match for the final, while Micky van de Ven stopped a certain goal with a brilliant on-the-line clearance.

Guglielmo Vicario was equally as good in the final, although he still had a few nervy moments when dealing with some crosses.

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Underlying stats from FotMob have now shown how pivotal the Italian shot-stopper was in the final against Manchester United.

According to their stats, no player on the pitch for both sides performed better than the Spurs number one, with Vicario being rated the highest player on the pitch.

The goalkeeper made five saves, four of which were inside the box, prevented 0.55 goals, had thirty-six touches, and made two high claims. He also completed fourteen out of twenty-five passes on the night.

Vicario at the heart of Spurs’ European defensive form

In the dying moments of the game, when Vicario was called into action from a Shaw header, the Italian proved equal to the task by pulling off a fine save.

He also made another outstanding stop earlier in the second half when Garnacho was introduced to the game, getting a strong hand on the Argentine’s curling effort.

While Tottenham have conceded loads of goals in the Premier League, their defensive work in Europe this season has been near perfect.

In the fifteen games played by Spurs in the Europa League this campaign, the north London club conceded just thirteen goals, averaging 0.9 each game, and at the heart of each of those performances was Vicario.

James Maddison has revealed Ange Postecoglou’s emotional touch before Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League final win.

Tottenham Hotspur are champions of Europe, and for the third time in their history, they have lifted the Europa League trophy.

It was a Brennan Johnson goal last night which saw the Lilywhites beat fellow English side Manchester United in Spain at the San Mames Stadium.

This recent success in Europe now means that Tottenham will be one of six English teams expected to participate in the UEFA Champions League next season.

James Maddison reveals what Ange Postecoglou did before Europa League final

A lot was made about the European pedigree Manchester United possess, with many of their pundits stating that, come the final on Wednesday, United’s European pedigree would be enough to see the Red Devils through.

However, that was not the case, as Tottenham put in a resolute performance, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final.

Following the final win, James Maddison has now revealed exactly what the Tottenham manager did to galvanise his side before the big showdown before the trip when they were at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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The midfielder said, talking live on TNT Sports: “The gaffer took us to the place at the ground where they have all of the [photos] of the teams that have won trophies, and they’re all in black and white, and they’re old. He told us everything we do is about getting on that wall. So we did.”

The Tottenham players did respond to Postecoglou’s management, ultimately ending the club’s 17-year wait for silverware.

Ange Postecoglou’s message and Tottenham players’ response

Following the victory, in an exclusively obtained video by SpursWeb, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was quick to thank his players for sticking together in a difficult season, praising them not only as outstanding footballers but also as exceptional human beings.

When wrapping up his speech, the Australian manager also stated that before the game, he shared a video with his players to inspire them.

He said: “I have never been prouder to be a manager of a football club, than a manager of these players and the people with them. You, their families, trust me, I played a video before the game and it inspired them to win this game today. Every single one of them is a champion, well done and enjoy the night.”

Ange Postecoglou has made a clear statement about his vision for the future after guiding Tottenham Hotspur to their first trophy in 17 years and answering whether he is the man to continue building on the foundations he has laid at the club.

Ange Postecoglou and the Spurs players were understandably overcome with emotions at the full-time whistle at Bilbao, with their historic Europa League success coming on the back of an extremely testing season.

All the criticism and hardships that the staff and the playing squad have endured this term have made the success even sweeter.

There was some speculation over whether Postecoglou would walk away from the Tottenham job on a high after winning the Europa League, but the Australian has made a clear statement about his future.

Ange Postecoglou is hungry to drive Tottenham forward

The Tottenham boss was unambiguous about his ambition in his post-match press conference, insisting that he is determined to continue building on the foundations laid at the club over the past two years.

Postecoglou remarked that the Spurs players would be hungry for more success now that they have tasted silverware and made it clear that he still has unfinished business at N17.

When asked if he is hungry to drive Tottenham forward, the 59-year-old responded (via Football.London): “Very. Because we’ve got a really young group of players. And you can talk to them about success and what it means, but until they feel it, it doesn’t become real. I’ve got no doubt that all those boys tonight, having this feeling will want it again. And to get it again they’re going to have to make similar sacrifices.

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“They’ve climbed the mountain now. They know what it takes to get to where we are. I think that does, it accelerates the opportunities to build a team who can be successful, and play at a high standard for years to come.

“As I said yesterday, I still feel there’s a lot of work to be done, I think that’s quite obvious. But not as much work as people may think. People can bang on about 20 league defeats and where we are, but they’re missing the point of what we’re trying to build, or what I’m trying to do anyway. I really feel that tonight can be a great platform for us to kick on.”

Will the Europa League win save Postecoglou’s job?

Ahead of the final, it was widely reported that Tottenham were likely to sack Postecoglou no matter what happened in Bilbao.

However, it will now be a very brave call by Daniel Levy and the Spurs hierarchy to sack the first manager to bring silverware to the club since 2008.

Over the last few days, Tottenham’s search for a new manager appeared to be accelerating, and it will be interesting to see if there is a pause on that search following the events of Wednesday night in Bilbao.

A senior Tottenham Hotspur player capped off an impressive Europa League campaign with an extremely solid display on the night of the final, and he has now been recognised for his efforts during the campaign.

Many were surprised when they saw Ange Postecoglou‘s starting eleven for the final, considering it did not contain captain Heung-min Son, with Richarlison getting a nod to start on the left of the attack instead.

That put even more responsibility on the shoulders of Cristian Romero, who was not just the captain but the most experienced player on the pitch by some margin when it comes to playing in big finals.

The World Cup and two-time Copa America-winning centre-back delivered a real captain’s performance, rising to the occasion for his side once again, and being named as the player of the Match, but that was not the only honour he received.

Cristian Romero named the best player in this season’s Europa League

Tottenham won the Europa League title thanks to their defensive organisation rather than their attacking flair, with the Lilywhites keeping clean sheets away at Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt, and also in the final.

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Romero’s return from injury has been a key reason behind Spurs’ defensive improvements, with the Argentine having a strong end to the season.

The 27-year-old has been rightfully adjudged the Europa League Player of the Season, adding yet another award to his growing list of accolades.

Could the Europa League final be Romero’s last game in a Tottenham shirt?

Over the last few weeks, there have been a lot of rumours suggesting that Romero wants to swap Tottenham for Atletico Madrid this summer.

It had been claimed last week by GiveMeSport that Europa League success is unlikely to change Romero’s mind on a transfer, with the centre-back thought to have made up his mind to seek a new challenge.

If that is the case and the Argentine ends up leaving, he can certainly do so with his head held up high, with the Tottenham legacy now very much secure.