Ange Postecoglou deserves to go out in blaze of glory after Europa League final

Ange Postecoglou deserves to go out with his head held high no matter what happens in Bilbao. Big Ange has shown so much dignity amid the backdrop of an unforgettable season for Tottenham fans. And that is the point. Football should be about glory, trophies and memories.
If Tottenham win the Europa League, it will be their first piece of silverware in 17 years. That is what we will remember. It has been a rollercoaster season. For Tottenham to lose 21 games in a Premier League campaign is just unthinkable.
But if Postecoglou delivers on his promise - and how people laughed and mocked him - of always winning a trophy in his second season, then he deserves to ride into the sunset with the biggest smile, a winner's medal and an 'I Told You So' T-shirt.
I've seen a lot of Tottenham over the last few years. And Postecoglou's reign has been more memorable, more enjoyable and more dramatic than his three main predecessors put together.
Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte were instantly forgettable. Bad fits. None of them worked. The football was dreadful and no-one shed any tears when they left.
We will not forget Postecoglou. And that is why it would be so good to see him win a trophy. Yes, Manchester United need the Europa League, too. But they need it for Champions League qualification. That is more important to them.
Tottenham want the silverware. That is what matters. Yes, the Champions League qualification would be massive. But it would be a huge financial bonus rather than the main target of Wednesday's final in Bilbao.
It is the most ridiculous argument to say they should not qualify because they are in 16th and 17th place respectively in the Premier League. The rules are very clear at the start of the season and do not change just to fit a narrative.
The Champions League qualification is vital because otherwise clubs would not take the Europa League so seriously. It keeps clubs interested. That is why UEFA have done it.
But it is more for Tottenham. We can all laugh and mock but the club's motto is To Dare Is To Do and it's all about the glory of the game. We should champion that. Even now, so many Tottenham supporters like Big Ange. There is not a debate to be had about him staying. If you cannot see the writing is on the wall then more fool you.
What would be the point of getting into the Champions League and then sticking with a manager who has just not been able to get results this season? Manchester United tried it with Erik ten Hag after winning the FA Cup and look how that went.
But we can still enjoy the ride. The first six months of his reign - when Tottenham briefly topped the table - were unforgettable. Brilliant football, kamikaze defending and amazing entertainment.
They have smashed Manchester City and Manchester United away from home. It is incredible to think those wins were THIS SEASON. But injuries kicked in. And a lack of depth in the squad.
I'm torn. On the one hand, Tottenham have spent big in the market. On the other hand, have they bought enough quality? Postecoglou has also been fearlessly naive with his tactics and formations.
But I can't deny that he has sucked me in. He reads every word that is written about him. It's self indulgent, but he seems to like newspapers more than radio and TV. He engages with us more and we like him.
And if he wins a trophy - something not even Mauricio Pochettino could do - then he deserves to walk into another job. And that club will be lucky to have him.
It has been one hell of a ride for Postecoglou at Tottenham. An unforgettable one. But an enjoyable one and one which deserves to end in glory.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mirror

2 minutes ago

• Daily Mirror

Liverpool transfer stance on Marc Guehi as Crystal Palace face two options

Liverpool have been offered encouragement in their pursuit of Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi after the England international made his stance clear on his future Liverpool are interested in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi - but only if the price is right. The England international is ready to leave Selhurst Park this summer. Guehi, 24, has just one year left on his deal with the FA Cup winners and is attracting attention from a number of Premier League clubs. Both the Reds and Arsenal are admirers, while Newcastle United have a long-standing interest. ‌ Liverpool have agreed a deal to sell Jarrell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £30million. The England Under-21 international made 25 appearances in all competitions last term, but only made five Premier League starts, with only one of those - at Ipswich on opening day - coming before the title had been won. ‌ Quansah, currently with the England Under-21s at the European Championships in Slovakia, will complete his move to Germany when his participation at the tournament is over. Liverpool bosses are keen for Quansah to go and get regular football, which will be on offer under new Bayer boss Erik ten Hag, with the Warrington-born defender set to replace Jonathan Tah, who joined Bayern Munich. Interestingly, Liverpool have negotiated a buy-back clause in the deal. But it leaves the champions, who have already splashed a potential British record £116m on Florian Wirtz and a further £29m apiece on Jeremie Frimpong and Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili - with £40m Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez to come - actively looking to bolster their centre-back ranks. With Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk both in situ as the club's first choice partnership, the priority is a young centre-back with high potential. It has been a similar case in each of the last two summers, with Chelsea's Levi Colwill targeted in 2023 after impressing on loan at Brighton, and Leny Yoro emerging last summer before joining Manchester United. Dean Huijsen was of interest this summer before heading to Real Madrid for £50m instead. However, Guehi offers an intriguing alternative. While he doesn't exactly fit the mould of a young centre-back - given he turns 25 next month, boasts a wealth of Premier League experience and is already a senior England international - the Reds are keeping an eye on developments with the ex-Chelsea man. Given his quality, leadership capabilities, homegrown status and the uncertainty of Konate's long-term future - his contract is up next summer too - he certainly fits the bill. ‌ Much of whether he ends up at Anfield will depend on Palace. They rejected four offers from Newcastle last summer, with figures hitting in excess of £60m. That's a number Liverpool don't want to go to - particularly with the prospect of getting him for nothing in 12 months time. With an extension very unlikely, Palace must either sell now or face losing him for nothing in 2026. ‌ The Eagles are negotiating a deal with Sporting Lisbon - potentially heading towards the £40m mark - for Ousmane Diomande as a potential replacement, but head coach Oliver Glasner wouldn't mind having both available as they look to balance the Premier League and European football next season. As such, Palace and Guehi are waiting to see what offers come their way. And while Guehi is understood to be keen on a move to the champions, he's also aware that he needs to be playing regularly ahead of the World Cup next summer. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

BreakingNews.ie

15 minutes ago

• BreakingNews.ie

For sure – Marcus Rashford would relish playing with Lamine Yamal at Barcelona

Macus Rashford has revealed he would like to play alongside teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal at Barcelona. Rashford, 27, signed a five-year contract with Manchester United in 2023, but spent the second half of the recently concluded Premier League campaign on loan at Aston Villa and his future under Ruben Amorim – who had left him out of several squads – remains uncertain. Advertisement The forward opened up about his ambitions in an interview with Spanish influencer Javi Ruiz which was shared by BBC Sport. Marcus Rashford is open about his admiration for Lamine Yamal. Photo: Nick Potts/PA. Asked if he would like to be team-mates with Barca's 17-year-old scoring sensation Yamal, Rashford said: 'Yes, for sure. Everyone wants to play with the best. Hopefully… we'll see.' Barcelona sporting director Deco in May told Catalan radio station RAC1 that the club 'like' Rashford. Rashford added: 'It's difficult to put into words what (Yamal) is doing because he's not supposed to be doing that at 16 or 17. I don't think we've seen that before.' Advertisement

Daily Mirror

18 minutes ago

• Daily Mirror

Nicolas Jackson's 'transfer price set' as Chelsea make call after 'stupidity'

Nicolas Jackson's availability status at Chelsea appears to have changed following Liam Delap's arrival and his latest red card picked up at the FIFA Club World Cup, and the Blues have a fee in mind Nicolas Jackson is no longer considered to be 'untouchable' by Chelsea, who will reportedly consider offers between £47million and £51m for the forward. Jackson, 24, has had a mixed time at Stamford Bridge ever since his £32m arrival from Villarreal. In the Blues' 3-1 defeat to Brazilian side Flamengo in the Club World Cup this week, Jackson infuriated fans by getting another straight red card within just four minutes of coming on as a substitute, after a reckless studs-up challenge on Ayrton Lucas. ‌ It was the second time in four matches that the Senegalese international was dismissed, having been sent off for elbowing Sven Botman in Chelsea's damaging 2-0 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United back at the start of May. ‌ Jackson had been considered as a long-term player to hold onto by the Chelsea board, but that status looks to have changed, especially with the recent arrival of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m. Juventus have reportedly held exploratory talks for the striker, who has 30 goals and 12 assists in 80 appearances in all competitions for the west Londoners. And according to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues will expect a "high price", understood to be between £47m and £51m if they were to part with the centre-forward. However, it's also claimed that Italian clubs would try to barter Chelsea for a lower fee if they were to make a move. He has a contract at Stamford Bridge which does not expire until 2033, which means the Blues are in a strong negotiating position. Meanwhile, Gianluca Di Marzio understands not only have Juventus made an approach for Jackson, but Serie A champions Napoli – managed by ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte – also hold an interest. In Jackson's last four games, he has earned himself a straight red card against Newcastle United, scored in the Europa Conference League final, provided an impressive assist for Pedro Neto in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over LAFC at the Club World Cup and been handed a straight red against Flamengo. That inconsistency could ultimately cost him his future at Chelsea, and Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer slammed Jackson's red card challenge against LAFC as "stupid" while speaking on the Rest is Football podcast. The Newcastle United legend said: "What was he thinking? ‌ "It happened against Newcastle, I remember it really well. And then he made the apology, and then it happens again. "He's not a youngster anymore. There's a time where you think, 'This is not acceptable.' That cannot happen again. ‌ "If that happens once, okay, you say, 'Hands up,' he's made an error. But then it happens twice and you think, 'Is there an issue here? Is there a problem with his attitude or his mentality?' "So this cannot happen again at Chelsea. He is 24, he's not a youngster, he's got to learn.' Jackson will be absent from the Blues' make-or-break Club World Cup clash against Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Tunis, being played at 2am Wednesday UK time, where Enzo Maresca's men must avoid defeat to progress. He will also miss Chelsea's opening Premier League match of the 2025/26 campaign at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, August 17 – that's if he's still at the club by then.