TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy sacked Ange Postecoglou just 16 days after Spurs won the Europa League.

The Australian became the first manager in over 17 years to bring silverware to the club, and the feeling among the fans following that night in Bilbao was the best in a long, long time.

But, Spurs finishing 17th in the Premier League last season did not sit well with Levy, who decided to dismiss Postecoglou.

Now, one Tottenham star has had his say on the decision.

Micky van de Ven says Tottenham sacking Ange Postecoglou is a ‘strange’ decision

Ange Postecoglou was the manager who brought Micky van de Ven to Tottenham.

The Dutchman became an instant fan favourite at Spurs, and he has produced several exceptional performances for the club over the last two seasons.

Van de Ven even made a tremendous goal-line clearance in the Europa League final against Manchester United – that played a big part in helping them win the game.

Now, the centre-half has finally broken his silence in front of the media on Postecoglou’s dismissal, and he has admitted that it was a ‘strange’ decision from Daniel Levy.

He told Voetbal Zone: “That was ultimately a choice from the club. We, as players, have little to say about that. Of course, he is the first coach in a long time who has won a prize and has had success at Spurs. So if you look at it that way, it is of course a strange choice.

“It is a choice from the club about which we have little to say, so we will see what happens now. Of course, we see some rumours about the coach of Brentford (Thomas Frank), who it will probably be. So yes, a choice from the club about which we have little to say.

“I think a lot of players were good with him (Postecoglou). And of course, what I say, he is the first coach who has brought success to Spurs in a long time. That also shows that he has a certain quality. That also means that he has a winning mentality. 100 per cent.

“From that, you would of course say that it is strange that he was fired. What we have shown in the Premier League is, of course, unacceptable. That would, of course, have multiple factors, but that would not only have been the coach.”

The message Micky van de Ven sent to Ange Postecoglou right after he was sacked

Postecoglou clearly shared a great relationship with many of his players at Tottenham.

Many Spurs stars wanted Postecoglou to stay at the club, but Levy had made up his mind before a ball was even kicked in the Europa League final.

Postecoglou was shown the door, and a number of Spurs players, including Van de Ven, expressed their love and gratitude to the Australian.

Van de Ven wrote on Instagram: “Gaffer, thank you for everything! You believed in me from the first day I arrived at the club.

“Many ups and downs in the last two years, but you kept believing in us and kept pushing us. You are a big part of the success of the club this year, and I’m forever grateful that you made me part of it.

“All the best!”

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur hold a genuine interest in Antoine Semenyo, however, Bournemouth’s price tag is a major barrier.

Thomas Frank has agreed personal terms with Tottenham and the Danish manager looks set to become the man to replace Ange Postecoglou following his sacking.

Frank wants some control at Tottenham in terms of transfers, with Spurs’ squad in need of a refresh this summer, especially in the forward areas.

Semenyo is a player whom the Lilywhites admire, but there is now a genuine risk of them missing out on him due to the South Coast club’s firm stance.

Tottenham unwilling to match Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo asking price

Bournemouth value Antoine Semenyo in excess of £60 million which Tottenham Hotspur are unwilling to pay, sources have told TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey.

Chelsea and Manchester United also hold an interest in the 24-year-old but are unlikely to push for him at this stage.

The Cherries now believe that Semenyo will remain at the Vitality Stadium this summer as they prepare to lose Milos Kerkez and potentially Illia Zabarnyi.

Bailey told TBR Football: “On Semenyo, there is an element of truth to Tottenham’s interest to a certain extent. They do like him. They always have. So, there is an interest there.

“But Bournemouth value him above £60m, the precedent has been set in the market for those wide players to go for a lot.

“I understand as of today, Bournemouth, they’re not expecting Semenyo to go, they’re not actually expecting Tavernier to go either. They’re obviously going to be losing Kerkez, as we know, and they might even lose Zabarnyi.

“Man United and Chelsea’s interest in Semenyo was genuine, I don’t like to say he was a backup to Mbeumo (at United), but he was in reality.”

The North London club would have to surpass the fee which they paid Bournemouth last summer to sign Dominic Solanke, Bailey added: “There is genuine interest from Spurs, but at the current price tag, they’re not about to give them the same fee as Dominic Solanke and the same money.”

How do Antoine Semenyo’s stats compare to Tottenham’s attackers?

Semenyo managed more goals than Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min last season, as he netted 13 goals in 42 matches under Andoni Iraola.

Solanke and Brennan Johnson both scored more than him though, with the latter having a brilliant season in front of goal, netting 18 times.

Son Heung-min’s future at Tottenham Hotspur could be plunged into further doubt following the imminent arrival of Thomas Frank.

The South Korean forward has just had a mixed campaign in North London, as despite having a poor season by his own standards, he became the first Spurs captain since Ledley King to lift a major trophy.

Son’s performances were questioned across the season by many supporters and pundits, which has led to question marks being raised over his future at the top level.

The 32-year-old is being linked with a possible move away from North London and those talks could be further accelerated by Thomas Frank.

Son Heung-min might not fit Thomas Frank’s system at Tottenham

Son Heung-min has been warned that he might not be such a good fit for Frank’s system at Tottenham Hotspur by journalist Tom Barclay.

Barclay told his YouTube channel: “Sadly, I’m almost dismissing Sonny and that might be really disrespectful, and maybe Thomas Frank does have him in mind, but I think with the speed that Frank likes to play with, I’m not sure exactly where he fits in.

“I really wouldn’t be surprised if Spurs receive an acceptable bid, he’s obviously such a legend and commercial dream, to see him leave.”

As he reaches the latter stages of his career, Son just seems to have lost a yard of pace which saw him struggle last season at times.

This could be a concern for Frank, who tends to enjoy playing wide forwards who are quick, and this is an area of Spurs are well stocked.

Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson, Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore could all benefit from this, whereas the Tottenham captain may well struggle to fit into the Danish coach’s demands.

Tottenham want to sign Tel permanently and are still in talks with Bayern Munich over a deal for the 20-year-old. The Frenchman’s arrival could be another reason to move on Son.

Will Tottenham actually sell Son Heung-min this summer?

Son has an offer from Saudi Arabia, with Al-Hilal being the club to approach the forward about a move to the Middle East.

Reports suggest Tottenham are open to selling Son should the right offer arrive, but that would likely need to be quite substantial money given his commercial value to Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on the appointment of Thomas Frank as their new manager.

Spurs parted ways with Ange Postecoglou 16 days after he won them the Europa League title. Some felt it was harsh, but the North Londoners’ league record last season – 22 defeats in 38 games – forced Daniel Levy to make the big call.

TBR Football exclusively revealed that Frank has agreed terms to become the new Tottenham boss, and a deal is expected to go through very soon.

Jamie O’Hara is excited about the appointment and is hoping that the incoming Spurs boss will sign one player after he arrives.

Jamie O’Hara wants Thomas Frank to sign Bryan Mbeumo for Tottenham

Bryan Mbeumo has been one of Brentford’s best players under Frank.

The Cameroon international directly contributed to 28 goals in the Premier League last season, which is a stunning return for someone playing in a team that finished 10th.

That has made the 25-year-old a wanted man, and TBR confirmed that Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Mbeumo.

However, after it became clear that Frank was heading to Tottenham, Spurs fans started dreaming of hijacking United’s move for the Brentford attacker.

O’Hara, a Tottenham supporter himself, is now hoping to see Mbeumo follow Frank to North London in the coming days.

He said on talkSPORT: “I’m excited (about Frank). I think if he comes in and does a good job, and he can nick a couple of players from Brentford…

“I’d take Mbeumo all day. I know he has said that he wants to go to Manchester United. But, that deal is not done yet.

“Maybe he has got on the phone to Thomas Frank, and maybe we can nick him. That would be a great signing.”

Bryan Mbeumo’s stats compared to other Tottenham attackers

Tottenham could do with reinforcements this summer.

Only one Spurs player managed to get into double digits in goals in the Premier League last season – Brennan Johnson. That will not be enough next term.

Mbeumo outperformed every Tottenham attacker in the league last season.

As the numbers show above, Mbeumo has outscored every single Spurs attacker, while only Son Heung-min managed more assists.

With Dejan Kulusevski faring a lot better through the middle, we think Mbeumo on the right flank would be a massive upgrade for Tottenham.

With a manager like Frank, who knows how to get the best out of the Cameroonian, coming in, it would be a no-brainer for Spurs to splash the cash on Mbeumo this summer.

Thomas Frank will have his work cut out for him at Tottenham Hotspur ahead of his appointment as the club’s new manager.

Frank has agreed personal terms with Tottenham, and now the final details are being discussed to get the deal over the line.

The 51-year-old will be tasked with helping Spurs climb the Premier League following a disappointing campaign in which they finished 17th.

Frank has plenty of issues to fix in North London, but there is one area in particular which could be fixed by bringing in a former coach from bitter rivals Arsenal.

Thomas Frank wants to bring former Arsenal coach Andreas Georgson to Tottenham

Thomas Frank wants to bring former Arsenal set-piece coach Andreas Georgson to Tottenham Hotspur, according to Lyall Thomas.

Georgson has previously worked under Frank in 2020 at Brentford before making the move across London to work alongside Mikel Arteta.

In 2021, the 43-year-old opted to leave the Emirates Stadium and later held roles at Malmo, Southampton and most recently Manchester United.

Under Ange Postecoglou, set-pieces became a problem as the Lilywhites were accused of being too soft when it came to defending them.

Teams started targeting Guglielmo Vicario, who looked so uncomfortable every time the ball was played into his penalty area.

If Frank can fix this major weakness, Spurs could immediately become much better off having lost so many points through conceding set-piece goals last season.

Tottenham conceded 13 times from set-pieces last season, and this is an issue which Frank must fix as a priority when he arrives in North London.

Having a coach arrive with him to help guide Spurs’ players through these situations could be so important for the team going into the new campaign.

Comparing Tottenham’s set-piece record from last season to Brentford’s

Meanwhile, Brentford conceded just twice from set-pieces as Frank’s team proved to be well organised in those situations.

Although attacking-wise, both teams were pretty impressive as Tottenham scored on ten occasions, but that was still less than the Bees’ 13.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are going head-to-head for the signing of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.

TBR Football understands that Man United are close to signing Mbeumo, however, reports elsewhere suggest that Thomas Frank’s arrival at Spurs could throw a spanner in the works.

Frank has asked Tottenham to sign Mbeumo, with the Danish coach having now agreed personal terms with the North London club.

In a bid to seal the deal, United are expected to make another offer this week for the 25-year-old, worth around £60 million, but the forward has been urged to link up with his former boss across London.

Ben Foster thinks Bryan Mbeumo should pick Tottenham over Manchester United

Ben Foster has urged Bryan Mbeumo to pick a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur over Manchester United this summer.

The former United goalkeeper claims that he would be better off working with Frank at Tottenham and being part of his project at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Mbuemo has just enjoyed a brilliant season working under Frank as he hit 20 Premier League goals for the first time in his career.

But the big selling point for the Red Devils is the wages they are offering, which are believed to be substantially higher than what Spurs could promise him.

Foster told The Cycling GK podcast: “If you want to be part of something that’s going to make you probably a better footballer and work hard, be part of a team, then go to Spurs with Thomas Frank.

“If you are happy picking up your wages knowing that there’s going to be an awful lot more pressure, a lot more eyes on you, judgment, but with their record in the last couple of years of failures, then go to Manchester United.”

The Cameroon international could, of course, also be attracted by the chance to play in the Champions League with the Lilywhites.

A big decision now awaits the Brentford player as he looks to take the next step in his career.

Manchester United’s wage offer to Bryan Mbeumo vs Tottenham’s

Manchester United are ready to offer Mbeumo £150,000-per-week rising to £200,000, according to the Daily Mirror.

Meanwhile, Spurs would be at £130,000 plus bonuses and would need to make him their fourth highest earner to match United’s offer.

Heung-min Son currently earns a reported £190,000-per-week and he would likely need to be put on wages closer to that should Tottenham stand a chance of competing for his signature.

Brentford are now lining up Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna as a potential replacement for Tottenham Hotspur bound Thomas Frank.

Thomas Frank has done a superb job during his 317 games in charge of Brentford, but he is now set to start a new chapter with Tottenham.

Frank has already held talks with Daniel Levy and the Spurs chairman has agreed to one of the Dane’s key requests.

Brentford and Tottenham are currently in discussions over Frank’s release clause, and there’s optimism that an agreement will be reached relatively swiftly.

And upon that realisation, Brentford are already searching for their next manager.

Brentford considering Kieran McKenna to replace Thomas Frank

TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that Brentford are admirers of Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna.

Brentford have been impressed with McKenna and the work he has done at Portman Road, and he is a name who is firmly on their radar.

Brighton tried and failed to land McKenna last summer before they opted for Fabian Hurzeler, but Brentford could yet try and persuade him to leave relegated Ipswich.

Although, McKenna is not the only candidate who Brentford have done work on.

Liam Rosenior has been hugely impressive at French side Strasbourg of late and the Englishman has caught Brentford’s eye.

Rosenior rebuffed interest from Southampton earlier this summer, insisting that he would only leave for a Premier League job.

In addition, Brentford also have an option of promoting from within, as they did with Frank back in 2018, who was at the club for almost two years before being promoted.

Head coach Justin Cochrane is being seen as a possible option, although at this stage it’s understood that an internal promotion is not seen as likely.

David Moyes has been impressed by Kieran McKenna at Ipswich

Speaking last month, Everton manager David Moyes gave a glowing review of McKenna’s talent, perhaps explaining why Brentford are interested.

Moyes hailed McKenna’s work as ‘unbelievable’, even when his side were set to be relegated back to the Championship.

Moyes said: “A great, great young manager who half the country wanted last year.

“I could stand corrected here, but I think he’s the only one who’s taken a team from the third division to the Championship to the Premier League.

“I thought I was going to do it when I was manager of Preston – third Division, straight up, Championship, I lost in the play-off final to Big Sam’s Bolton.

“Kieran has been able to take the team all the way, which is an unbelievable achievement.

“When you have to jump those leagues – we’re all talking a lot about Wrexham at the moment, how well they have done and the amazing work Phil Parkinson has done – I think Kieran has done that into the Premier League, which is so good.”

A superb young manager as Moyes points out, and someone who might be capable of living up to Frank’s high standards.

There has been major change at Tottenham Hotspur following their Europa League triumph, however, Glenn Hoddle questions whether Daniel Levy has got it right.

Ange Postecoglou has been sacked as manager of Tottenham, and Thomas Frank has agreed personal terms to take charge of the North London club.

The Danish manager will now be tasked with helping Spurs climb the table following what was a dismal Premier League campaign.

Following the change of manager, the Tottenham legend has been questioning whether Daniel Levy has made the right call by making such a drastic change.

Glenn Hoddle baffled by Daniel Levy sacking Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham

Glenn Hoddle claims that he is ‘absolutely baffled’ by Levy’s decision to sack Postecoglou as manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

The Spurs legend believes that the Australian manager deserved more time to turn things around having just won the Europa League.

The 67-year-old acknowledges that Spurs’ Premier League form is the reason he got the sack, but he believes that when his team needed to defend well, they showed they could perform.

He highlighted performances against Manchester City, Frankfurt and Bodo as games in which he was impressed by the way Postecoglou’s team set up.

Hoddle told TalkSPORT: “Every time Spurs and Ange defended correctly, which they did at Man City, they beat them 4-0 away from home, because they knew they had to defend well.

“They went to Frankfurt away from home in the second-leg, they went to Bodo and they defended properly and looked like a dangerous team, hitting teams on the counter.

“It’s not just winning the Europa League trophy, they got to the semi-final of the League Cup, they got beaten by the champions Liverpool over two legs, every time they had to defend properly, they produced.

“So when you reflect on that, I’m absolutely baffled why he actually got the sack, he deserved another 12 to 15 games.”

Glenn Hoddle is a big fan of Thomas Frank at Tottenham

But despite being disappointed at the sacking of Postecoglou, Hoddle is a big fan of the appointment of Frank as manager.

The former England manager thinks that his adaptability as a coach makes him a strong fit for Tottenham, and he’s been so impressed by what he’s done at Brentford.

“I would be very happy, I think he’s done a wonderful job in the sense that he’s been consistent with Brentford, some of the results he’s got have been magnificent. He’s adaptable, I’ve got to say that, he doesn’t have just one dimension in the way he wants to play,” added Hoddle.

“I think if he were to come to Tottenham, he would need his staff with him because I think there is a close-knit feeling between him and his staff. I think it would be a good fit, I’ve met him a few times and I really liked him, he’s good with the media and I think he’ll do a very good job wherever he goes.”

One of Tottenham Hotspur’s top youngsters made his international debut on Monday evening and supporters are very excited about his arrival next season.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make several major changes ahead of next season, with Thomas Frank expected to be the next manager.

Frank has agreed personal terms with the North London club, and now discussions are ongoing with Brentford over finalising the appointment.

The Danish manager will have many exciting, young talents at his disposal, but none more so than 18-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic.

Tottenham fans can’t wait for Luka Vuskovic’s arrival

Despite still being a teenager, Vuskovic came on to make his debut for the Croatian national team on Monday as he featured in a 5-1 win over the Czech Republic.

Spurs supporters were hugely excited to see the young talent enter the field for his senior national team debut and believe he has a massive future ahead of him.

Tottenham are also excited by Vuskovic, and his impressive loan spell at Westerlo has made them realise just how big a talent they have signed.

Last season, Vuskovic made 36 appearances and scored seven times, which was quite an achievement considering he is a central defender. The defender offers a real physical presence and has already shown himself to be very dominant in the air

After watching his debut for the Croatian national team, Tottenham fans took to X to share their excitement about Vuskovic’s future in N17.

One fan said: “Going to be so fun watching him develop next year, genuinely think we’ve got another Bergvall level freakish talent here.”

Another claimed: “Luka Vuskovic is the first player to be born after Luka Modric’s Croatian debut to actually go on to play for Croatia himself. We all know how Modric performed for Spurs, it just feels written in the stars for Vuskovic to excel here.”

There was further excitement surrounding the arrival of Vuskovic next season: “Got a real good feeling about him, a spine of him Bergvall and Tel would be great business.”

Finally, another supporter stated: “He should be our backup if I’m being honest, but same time, I want him to go to a championship club. Frank’s choice, though.”

Where does Luka Vuskovic rank among Croatia’s youngest debutants

Vuskovic became the third youngest debutant for the Croatian national team, aged 18 years, three months, and 17 days.

Alen Halilovic, who was a former Spurs transfer target, was the youngest player to debut for the national team, having been formerly on the books at Barcelona.

The Tottenham youngster clearly has a massive future ahead of him and he is likely to get his chance to impress Frank over pre-season.

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur are ready to re-open contract talks with Cristian Romero.

The Argentine defender’s current deal has just two years remaining, meanwhile, he is a key transfer target for Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in helping Spurs win the Europa League and clinch their first piece of major silverware since 2008.

Tottenham are desperate to keep Romero, and as TBR Football revealed back in February, they are willing to make him their highest earner. That remains the case; however, convincing him to sign could be tricky.

Cristian Romero open to Tottenham’s contract offer

Cristian Romero will listen to Tottenham Hotspur’s contract offer, but he has his heart set on a move to Atletico Madrid, sources have told TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey.

The Lilywhites are hoping that now they have secured Champions League football, they can persuade him to stay, although it will still take some convincing for him not to leave.

Earlier this year, Daniel Levy was offering him a new deal which would have made him the highest-paid player at the club, but those talks were shelved due to the Europa League campaign and the uncertainty surrounding Ange Postecoglou’s future.

The issue is that Romero, who’s been called ‘incredible’, has already spoken with Diego Simeone, who has been part of the process, and the player’s head appears to have been turned.

Atleti have a strong Argentine contingent in the Spanish capital and that could prove to be a key factor in the World Cup-winner’s decision.

There is some belief at the club that Kevin Danso could be Romero’s replacement, but Spurs would likely dip into the transfer market to sign another central defender if he were to leave.

Tottenham have been offered Min-jae Kim, he could be one of the names they consider signing.

TBR Football understands that Thomas Frank has agreed personal terms with Tottenham, and one of his immediate tasks will be trying to convince the Argentine international to remain in North London.

Who are Tottenham’s current highest earners?

Romero is already the third highest-paid player in N17, behind James Maddison and Son Heung-min.

The Lilywhites would likely need to move the defender on to £200,000-per-week to stand a chance of him committing his future to Spurs.

The North London club are renowned for having a strict wage structure, but they need to make a significant effort to keep Romero at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.