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Ange Postecoglou has broken his silence on his sacking by Tottenham after he was relieved as boss on Friday.
The Australian was relieved of his duties two years to the day since his appointment was announced, despite winning the club’s first trophy in 17 years just a matter of days ago.
He sacrificed their league campaign to focus on Europa League success, and delivered just that, with Spurs beating fellow English side Manchester United 1-0 in the final in Bilbao.
Fans were split on if his sacrificing of the Premier League was worth it, with Spurs finishing 17th in the league table – one place above relegation.
Success in Europe was the club’s final lifeline for silverware – and a place in next season’s Champions League draw was achieved with the victory.
The club have, though, made the decision to move onto their next boss, with Brentford’s Thomas Frank the heavy favourite to replace him. And, just minutes after his departure was confirmed, Postecoglou released a statement of his own.
‘When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride,’ the Australian wrote in a statement shard by his representatives.
‘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.’
A Tottenham statement thanked Postecoglou, but read: ‘The Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place.’
It added that they had to consider: ‘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.
‘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.’
The Australian has been forced to make do without many of his first team regulars this season after an unprecedented injury crisis which has particularly hit his defensive line.
This includes first choice centre backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, while stars such as Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke and James Maddison have also missed large chunks of action.
