(Credit Imago)

James Humphreys

Wed 9 April 2025 17:30, UK

Tottenham have been told they must keep Ange Postecoglou at the end of the season regardless of the outcome in the Europa League.

Pressure on the Australian coach has intensified in recent weeks as his relationship with the fanbase hit an all-time low during Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

In retaliation to the away supporters’ boos when Lucas Bergvall was replaced by Pape Sarr, and the substitute having his long-range strike ruled out for a foul, Postecoglou appeared to wave at the Tottenham fans before cupping his ears to them.

Despite the disarray surrounding the 59-year-old’s future beyond the end of the season, former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Louis Saha believes that the club need to stick with Postecoglou regardless of whether they finally lift a trophy this season.

However, he did acknowledge that the coach will know he “needs to improve”.

A lack of stability at the top hurting Tottenham

Speaking on talkSPORT’s The Lineup (8 April), when asked by host Jim White whether it was time for a change in management at Tottenham, Saha replied by saying: “I don’t think so. I want to see them [Postecoglou and Tottenham] succeed in some way, they have the right mentality with their manager, I like his communication I’m so big on that.

“He tends to be very honest and from what I have seen there has been a big spell with injuries which was really bad. I think where every club is struggling at the moment is with consistency, none of the teams at the top have been able to do it, apart from Liverpool.

“I still think Tottenham need to be courageous, patent and find the right players, find maybe the right tactics in some games and it will be fine.

“I don’t like changing [managers] too many times, I’m sorry. People can be surprised but it’s about confidence and stability and certain players can change all of those things. The manager will need to improve and he will have to understand that.

“It was [Jose] Mourinho or Nuno [Espírito Santo], they came with the same problems, why? Because there is no stability at the very top.”

White then asked the ex-Spurs striker to state his case for Postecoglou staying on, with Saha adding: “There are moments after a few years when you realise that you have changed a lot of managers.

“You maybe come across where you have ten games of playing amazing. During the start of the season you could see the magic, it was happening then Tottenham lost the spirit, the speed and there were a few injuries and this is the problem.

“I really feel that if he had this confidence growing and maybe understand how he can reduce the mistakes, then he will be a good manager.”

The same problems for Tottenham this season

Football Insider Verdict

Saha made the case of there being too much change in management for Tottenham in recent years and perhaps he has a point.

The Lilywhites have had seven managers, including interim bosses Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason, since 2020.

The list includes some of the most decorated coaches of this generation with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte trying their hand at taking Tottenham to the next level.

Couple this with the fact former manager Espírito Santo is on course to finish in the top four with Nottingham Forest this term, there has to come a point where the blame isn’t solely on who picks the team every week.

It remains to be seen whether Daniel Levy will take a similar view to that of Saha and continue with Postecoglou next season regardless of Tottenham could triumph in the Europa League.

If there is a change there may not be a huge amount of confidence among the fanbase that the next coach in will have more success than a host of their predecessors.