Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou finds himself on increasingly shaky ground after the club’s latest Premier League setback – a damaging 2-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Leicester City. The loss, Spurs’ 13th of the league campaign, extends their winless run to seven matches and leaves them languishing in 15th place.
Speaking candidly in the aftermath, a visibly frustrated Postecoglou conceded his position is far from secure. “Who knows?” the Australian tactician responded when asked if his job was safe. “A fair chunk
When you are a manager of a football club, you can feel vulnerable and isolated, I don’t feel that. The players are giving everything. I focus on that and try and support the players.
– Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur Head Coach
From Bad to Worse for Spurs
Sunday’s defeat played out in all-too-familiar fashion for the Tottenham faithful. Spurs took the lead through Richarlison’s first-half strike, only to concede twice in quick succession after the break to Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss. It was a bitter pill to swallow against a Leicester side that had lost seven on the bounce heading into the contest.
Postecoglou, while praising his players’ efforts, admitted the result was a painful one as Tottenham’s season continues to unravel at an alarming rate. “Yeah, it hurts. It hurts a lot,” he said post-match. “The players gave everything again. We are going to look at a lot of things, but in terms of effort I can’t ask anymore of this group, things just didn’t go our way today.”
Injury Woes Compounding Problems
Injuries to key personnel have undoubtedly played a part in Tottenham’s woes, and Postecoglou is banking on the return of several stars to help stop the rot. “In the next 10 days we should get some significant players back which will help,” he explained. “We still have fantastic opportunities to make an impact — I’m sure that will happen.”
Fan Fury Reaching Boiling Point
Inside a toxic Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, the atmosphere turned mutinous well before the full-time whistle. Fan groups unfurled banners calling for wholesale changes, from the dugout to the boardroom, with long-serving chairman Daniel Levy the target of increasing ire.
Postecoglou, appointed only last summer, recognizes the need to get the fans back onside but conceded his attempts to unify the club have thus far fallen flat. “When I took the role I wanted to unify the club, focusing on the one thing. It hasn’t worked out that way. It’s understandable the fans aren’t happy with the situation.”
Crunch Clashes on the Horizon
With Spurs now just eight points above the drop zone, the pressure is well and truly on Postecoglou to mastermind a quick turnaround in fortunes. They face Swedish side Elfsborg in the Europa League on Thursday before a tricky trip to Brentford next weekend – two games that could go a long way to determining the beleaguered Australian’s future.
For Postecoglou and Tottenham, the harsh reality is that results must improve and the fans’ fury must subside if this arranged footballing marriage is to survive much longer. The 57-year-old has vowed to keep fighting, but time is fast running out to salvage Spurs’ season and, perhaps, his own job prospects in North London.
