Ange Postecoglou has delivered the best triumph of his profession, clutching a probably job-saving lifeline by steering beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur to Europa League glory in Spain.
The trailblazer turned the primary Australian supervisor to win a trophy in a significant European membership competitors as Spurs beat fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao for his or her first trophy in 17 years.
A scrappy first-half aim from Brennan Johnson was in the end sufficient to provide Tottenham victory in a poor-quality match throughout which they needed to survive a wave of late stress from Ruben Amorim’s United.
However, will the victory be sufficient to save lots of Postecoglou’s job?
As a beaming Postecoglou celebrated the victory on the San Mames Stadium, the one query that remained was whether or not victory, which ensures Champions League soccer for Spurs subsequent season, can be sufficient to save lots of the 59-year-old from the sack.
It is stated he’s already doomed, whatever the outcome. In that case, what a wonderful method for “Massive Ange” to make what matchwinner Johnson known as a wonderful “mic drop” exit — with Tottenham’s first European trophy for 41 years.
However Postecoglou selected this second of glory to declare his intent: “I do [want to stay]. I do not really feel like I’ve accomplished the job right here.”
“The second I accepted the function, I had one factor in my head, and that’s to win one thing — and we have achieved that now. I wish to construct on it,” he stated.
Goalscorer Johnson paid tribute to Postecoglou, saying: “He is achieved his job. He says he wins in his second 12 months and he has — and if there’s ever a time for a mic drop, it is now.”
However referring to his now-celebrated early season remark that he at all times wins a trophy in his second season, Postecoglou mirrored: “It wasn’t me boasting. It was me simply making a declaration — and I believed it.”
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson celebrates after successful in opposition to Manchester United. Supply: AP / Jose Breton
“I do know our league type’s been horrible [finishing 17th], nowhere close to ok and unacceptable, however us ending third wasn’t going to vary his soccer membership. The one factor that was going to vary this soccer membership is us successful one thing, and after I stated that, that was my intent,” Postecoglou stated.
“If I fell brief. I used to be joyful to cop it, however I believed it inside me. That was my ambition. I wished it said — and I used to be ready to put on it if it did not occur.”
It did occur — and his gamers wished to remind everybody about Postecoglou’s quote as they carried round a banner proclaiming it. There is no query they’re 100 per cent behind Postecoglou and his Australian workers, Nick Montgomery, Sergio Raimundo and Mile Jedinak.
