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Tottenham Sticks With Ange Postecoglou Despite Mounting Pressure

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to stick with under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou for the time being despite growing calls for his sacking, sources have told ESPN. The 59-year-old Australian has overseen a dismal run of form that has left Spurs languishing in 15th place in the Premier League table, with just one win from their past 11 matches.

Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Leicester City provoked a furious reaction from the Tottenham faithful, who booed the team off the pitch and directed their ire at long-serving chairman Daniel Levy. Some fans held up a banner reading “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy” – a damning indictment of Levy’s tenure.

Club Still Backing Postecoglou For Now

However, sources indicate that the Spurs hierarchy are willing to give Postecoglou more time to arrest the slide, especially with the club still in contention for silverware this season. Tottenham hold a slender 1-0 lead over Liverpool heading into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal at Anfield on February 6.

Barring a further dramatic downturn in results, Postecoglou is likely to be in the dugout for that pivotal cup tie and the matches leading up to it. Spurs host Swedish side IF Elfsborg in the Europa League on Thursday before a tricky Premier League trip to Brentford on Sunday.

Injury Crisis a Mitigating Factor

There is an acknowledgment among Tottenham decision-makers that Postecoglou has been hamstrung by an extensive injury list, with 10 first-team players unavailable for the Leicester game. Key forwards Richarlison and Pape Matar Sarr were rushed back but clearly short of match fitness.

The impending returns of first-choice center-back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven could make a significant difference to Tottenham’s solidity at the back. The club are also active in the January transfer market as they seek reinforcements before the window closes next week.

Postecoglou Focuses on “Committed” Squad

Speaking after the Leicester loss, a defiant Postecoglou said “there is probably a fair chunk [of people] that will say ‘no'” when asked if he would get a stay of execution to reap the benefits of players coming back from injury.

“When you are the manager of a football club you can be very vulnerable and isolated. I don’t feel that. I feel like this group of players, not for me, are giving everything for the club. I have a group of staff that is really committed. I focus on that.””

— Ange Postecoglou

Fan Patience Wearing Thin

While Tottenham seem willing to bide their time with Postecoglou for now, there is no question that the Australian is on borrowed time unless he can oversee a swift upturn in Premier League form. Just staying in touch with the European qualification spots would be an achievement at this point.

Spurs fans have grown weary of the club’s repeated failures to build a consistently competitive side despite boasting one of the best stadiums and training facilities in Europe. Many see Levy as the primary culprit given his reluctance to back managers in the transfer market.

For Postecoglou and Tottenham, the upcoming fixtures could prove season-defining. Progress in the cups would buy the beleaguered manager more time to correct the club’s Premier League woes. But if the current slump continues, the calls for change may become impossible to resist.