The Celtic Way

The Tottenham owner and chairman took the difficult call to get rid of the former Celtic manager despite the fact he had just won them the Europa League, delivering on his promise he always wins a trophy in his second season.

However, the Premier League giants had also finished 17th in the league, just one place above the relegation zone, which is well below their lofty ambitions.

Levy decided he had to part ways with the Aussie, who only lasted two years in North London after heading there from Glasgow.

The businessman has now spoken on the sacking and explained his thinking.

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“Ultimately, the decision sits with me, but it’s always a collective decision,” he told the Overlap.

“We have a board of directors, but under the board, we have a group of technical staff, and they advise.

“We had to explain the decision to part ways with Ange. Ange just won us a trophy – a European trophy – highly significant and he’s always going to be in our history.

“However, we couldn’t lose sight of the fact that we finished 17th in the league, we lost 22 Premier League games, and it’s impossible for Tottenham to be in that position.

“And so we had to take the emotion out of it and we had to give some data points as to why we decided to do what we did.”

Despite bringing Europa League glory to Spurs, Postecoglou was relieved of his duties last Friday.

Bissouma has since revealed exactly what was said between him and his now former manager.

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Indeed, the 28-year-old shared a screenshot of a series of WhatsApp messages that were exchanged.

Postecoglou said: "Hi Biss. Sorry I missed your call. I am very proud of you. It was an honour to share a dressing room with you and appreciate how much you believed in what we were trying to achieve. I wish you only the best for the future. I will always be following. Much love from my family to yours."

Bissouma replied: "Thank you, gaffer, and thank you really much for everything you did for me on and off the pitch. I'll always be grateful. The way you believed [in] me and trusted me was incredible. I'm gonna miss you, but it's football life... I think you know what I'm thinking about you already, so I'm just wishing you all the best for the future and may God protect you and your family #bigboss love."

Postecoglou then stated: "Always by your side Biss."

It remains to be seen where Postecoglou may end up next.

Brentford's Thomas Frank is reportedly being lined up as his successor at Spurs.

Despite leading the North London club to Europa League glory just over a fortnight ago, Spurs confirmed their decision to sack the ex-Celtic boss on Friday afternoon.

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Now, Frank, who is currently in charge of Brentford, is the frontrunner to replace Postecoglou, claims The Athletic.

The 59-year-old released a statement following his Spurs departure.

He said: "When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride.

"The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

""We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.

"I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times, but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed, and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. It's important to acknowledge the hard-working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.

"And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club, and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special.

"We are forever connected. Audere est Facere."

The former Celtic manager, who spent exactly two years in charge of the North London club, was sacked by chairman Daniel Levy, despite winning the Europa League, Spurs' first trophy in 17 years.

Posted by CAA Base, his representatives, the statement in full said, "When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride.

"The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

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"We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.

"I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times, but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed, and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. It's important to acknowledge the hard-working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.

"And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club, and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special.

"We are forever connected. Audere est Facere."

The Australian won the Europa League with the North London club just over a fortnight ago, ending their 17-year trophy drought.

His departure was confirmed on Friday afternoon.

A Spurs statement read: "Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties.

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"Ange joined us from Celtic in the summer of 2023 and oversaw a period of change on the pitch, returning us to the attacking brand of football that has traditionally been associated with the Club, while writing a new chapter in our history by leading us to UEFA Europa League glory in Bilbao last month - an achievement that will live with us all forever.

"We are extremely grateful to Ange for his commitment and contribution during his two years at the Club. Ange will always be remembered as only the third manager in our history to deliver a European trophy, alongside legendary figures Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw.

"However, the Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place. Following a positive start in the 2023/24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games. This culminated in our worst-ever PL finish last season. At times there were extenuating circumstances - injuries and then a decision to prioritise 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.

"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. 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.

"We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future - he will always be welcome back at our home.

"News on the appointment of a new Head Coach will be announced in due course."

That's the view of Tottenham Hotspur coach Nick Montgomery, who insists the Australian still tunes in to watch his ex-team play.

Montgomery, who managed Hibernian prior to his move down south to Spurs, revealed that the 59-year-old head coach keeps tabs on Brendan Rodgers' side, despite leaving Scotland in 2023.

In an interview with the Daily Record, Montgomery heaped praise on the Spurs coach, whose future is set to be decided this week by chairman Daniel Levy. "Ange loved his time at Celtic," he said.

"I think he cherishes those times at Celtic, as it's a massive club. It’s used to winning, and when you go in there, the pressure is on that you continue that trend, and you have to win. Probably, people doubted him, but Ange managed to do that.

"He's always watching the Celtic games and the A-League games, and the Japanese games. We always have them on in the coach's office. He obviously really enjoyed his time there, and no doubt he's really happy for the success again this year.”

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Montgomery continued: "He's obviously been massive in this cup win (Europa League). Look, he's a great guy, and I think he's a man who's full of self-belief. He's been around the world and won trophies.

"To work alongside him and get the opportunity to come to a club like Tottenham in the Premier League and Europa League, he always had the self-belief that we could do something special this season.

"It was a special moment for the club, a club without a trophy for a long time."

Last month, Spurs defeated Ruben Amorim's Manchester United side 1-0 in Bilbao, thanks to a first-half goal from Brennan Johnson.

It was the club's first trophy in 17 years.

The former Celtic manager, who left Glasgow for North London nearly two years ago, secured Spurs' first trophy in 17 years when his side defeated Rubin Amorim's United side in Bilbao a couple of weeks ago.

However, after a dismal Premier League season domestically, the 59-year-old's job is under threat. According to ESPN, Postecoglou will learn his fate as Tottenham Hotspur's manager this week, with sources telling the publication that his position is 'under threat'.

Sources have also stated that new CEO Vinai Venkatesham, who was previously at Arsenal, will play a part in determining the former Yokohama F Marinos and Australia coach's suitability to take the club forward.

Though he delivered silverware, as well as a fifth-place finish domestically in his first campaign, last season's placing of 17th has disappointed those higher up, according to ESPN.

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Postecoglou was a massive success at Celtic, winning five major honours in under two years at the club, following his move from the J1 League at Yokahama.

He arrived at the club following the 2020/21 season and immediately implemented an attacking, forward-thinking brand of football to Glasgow.

Following their Europa League final win over Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur are clearing the decks, as they look forward to Champions League football in North London and beyond.

However, one player who won't be involved is former England international Fraser Forster, whose contract will not be renewed at Spurs, according to PA, along with Alfie Whitman and Sergio Reguilon, who will be free agents at the end of next month.

The towering shot-stopper has spent three seasons at the club under the management of Antonio Conte and Postecoglou, following the expiration of his contract at Southampton, whom he joined from Celtic.

He made 34 appearances for the London side, after seven years at St Mary's, where he featured on 162 different occasions.

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However, it was at Celtic where Forster made his name, firstly on loan for two seasons from Newcastle United, before making his stay a permanent one in 2012.

In just five seasons across two spells from 2010-14 and 2019-20 respectively, he made 236 appearances, with 118 of those amounting to clean sheets for his club in between the sticks.

During his time in Scotland, Forster won seven major honours, including four Premiership league titles, two Scottish Cups and one League Cup. He is perhaps best known for his brilliant individual performances against Barcelona, Lazio and Rangers, respectively.

In the case of the former, he was nicknamed 'La Gran Muralla' (The Great Wall) by the Spanish media, following his heroic performances in two games versus the Catalan giants in 2012.

In the second match-up, Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt scored the goals, on what was a memorable night at Celtic Park, following the club's 125th anniversary celebrations.

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The former Celtic manager insists he's not a clown, and 'never will be'.

Postecoglou spoke to the media a short while ago to preview Spurs' Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao.

The all-England game will take place at the San Mames in the city on Wednesday night.

Postecoglou was answering a question from an Evening Standard reporter, Dan Hutchison, who wrote the article about his status 'teetering between hero and clown'.

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"That depends on your outlook, Dan," Postecoglou said in response to a question from the journalist. "But I'll tell you one thing, tomorrow, I'm not a clown, and I never will be, mate.

"You've really disappointed me that you've used such terminology about a person who, for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to a position where he's leading a club out in a final of a European major competition, for you to suggest that somehow, us not being successful means that I'm a clown, I'm not really sure how to answer that question."

It's been widely reported that Postecoglou could face the sack as Spurs boss after two years in charge should Ruben Amorim's side prevail as winners in Spain this midweek.

The Telegraph’s Football News Correspondent Matt Law exclusively broke the news, in the aftermath of Postecoglou’s 18th Premier League defeat of the season to Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forrest, managed by ex-Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite winning 1-0 away in Germany against Eintracht Frankfurt last Thursday, setting up a semi-final tie against Bodo/Glimt starting next week, the report suggests that even winning the competition may not be enough to save the 59-year-old manager from a parting of the ways this summer.

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The article claims that sources have suggested that one of Postecoglou’s “key allies” – chief football officer Scott Munn – will leave the club. Spurs have already confirmed ex-Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham will join the club this summer.

Law’s report also mentions Fulham and Bournemouth managers Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola as potential replacements, with the latter previously being linked to Celtic prior to his move to the Cherries.

Postecoglou earned his move to North London after two successful seasons as manager of Celtic, following the exit of Neil Lennon in 2021. In his first season, he won a Scottish Premiership and League Cup double, before completing the treble the following season shortly before his departure.

He was credited with bringing expansive, attack-oriented football to the club, as well as signing modern-day heroes such as Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda after his spell in Japan with J1 League side Yokohama F Marinos.

Postecoglou was previously Australia's national team manager from 2013-2017, before moving to Japan the following year.