In a bizarre turn of fate, Tottenham Hotspur has succeeded in ending their 17-year-old trophy-dried in the midst of the background of perhaps their worst top campaign ever for a generation, so that club chairman Daniel Levy Daniel Levy lags behind in something of a gerck with a pickle with regard to the man.
There is a certain cosmic irony in Spurs, the eternal near-men of English football, which lifts European silverware in a season in which their form of competition collapsed as a damp souffle.
Yet we are here.
Postecoglou, the gravel-voted Aussie philosopher of possession football, has led the London side to their first continental trophy since 1984. And he has handed controversial chairman Daniel Levy both a lifeline and a dilemma.
Let's get the right things – at least for Spurs -fans – from the way: Tottenham won the Europa League.
No, serious. In a campaign where their Premier League ambitions implode faster than a lead against Chelsea, Postecoglou somehow devised a run through Europe that culminated in a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the final in San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.
Tactically, the characteristic high line of the Australian and complicated attacking transitions finally clicked on continental opposition.
Spurs on average 1.87 goals per Europa League match, with Brennan Johnson scored the decisive goal in the final. The data tells its own story: the Europa League campaign from Tottenham was characterized by resilience and efficiency, which contrasts sharply with their domestic misery.
In the Premier League they had an average of 1.68 goals per match and they managed only six clean sheets in their 38 games, the second only for the 2003 and 2023 seasons, where they only kept five.
This season they held six clean sheets in just 15 European matches, including in a relatively withheld final in Bilbao against a very impotent and seemingly broken Manchester United.
Too little, too late?
Yet there is a season of contradictions under the silver shine of the trophy.
Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League, their worst Top-Flight Finish since the 1976/77 season. It is their lowest finish ever in the Premier League era.
Lower than the traumatic days of the leadership of Christian Gross.
Lower than the uncomfortable reality of having Ian Walker as a first-choice keeper.
Lower than when their most important attacking threat was an Irishe named Gary Doherty, a center-back that occurred as a striker and loving, if self-earning, known as the 'Ginger Pele'.
Spurs finished 17thflash score
They gave 65 goals, Winloos went into eight of their last 10 league games and failed to beat a single top-six side after Christmas. According to domestic standards, it was a collapse – especially given the impressive start of the life he had only made the season earlier.
Spurs had a terribly injury, especially in the defense: Postecoglou was only able to place a first choice of Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Micky Van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro at eight times in the Premier League this season.
But they still lost three of those matches and only won half.
The hard truth is that Spurs have probably been banned in every other season in the English top history.
No room for sentiment
Now Levy is confronted with a time when cold clarity requires, no sentimental delusions.
Yes, Postecoglou has delivered the European glory, but if Manchester United teaches us something after their shock worship from the city in the FA Cup final of 2023/24, it is that silverware can be a smokescreen.
Erik ten Hag's short delay after lifting the cup, the inevitable only delayed. United dropped deeper and clung to the hope, while the structure around all parts of the club continued to rot.
The Red Devils, blinded by their first meaningful contribution to football in Yonks, activated the next week's extension of the Dutchman's contract, mainly because of the pressure of the fan and a clear lack of available management alternatives.
By the following October, just three months later, Ten Hag had disappeared, the club slid even further to the table to the 14th in the Premier League with only three victories of their opening of nine games.
By that time it was difficult – perhaps even impossible – to shift a dead weight, start a rebuilding and to make some progress back under the new boss Ruben Amorim, who did not necessarily want to participate at that time. Remember that the Portuguese coach had originally asked to leave his sports post at the end of the season.
Although they also somehow make their way to the Europa League final, United was probably the only team where traces were confident to play against, because they have already defeated them three times during the season.
A form defect
Just like the FA Cup victory of Ten Hag, the Europa League run of Postecoglou was exciting, but it was also isolated-a story about knockouties separated from week-in, week-out in-domestic inconsistency.
His competition tactics were quickly searched and repeatedly exposed by almost everyone (except United), his defensive structure was porous and his inability to adapt to urgent sides was disturbing.
Tottenham's last 20 games of the season in all competition flash score
Of course, injuries played a role, just like a lack of competitive transfer activity that focused on the here and now of Levy. But you work with the tools you get, and Postecolgou will have been aware of the properties of Levy before you become a member.
A good month rewarding with another year of potential underperformance would be foolish.
Ange has won hearts
This is not a call to ignore what he has achieved. Postecoglou deserves thanks, a lot of praise, and perhaps even a statue outside the Club Museum with a bronze cast speech bubble, with reading “Mate”; However, another season at the helm seems too risky.
Spurs – both the club and the fans – may want to be ruthless, not romantic.
Because if there is one thing that football fans have learned from the Erik ten Hag Saga, it is that the worst rebuildings are those who never start.
Levy has the chance to learn from United's fault: Let a trophy not cloudy your vision.
Start now with the next chapter, with a manager who can build in all competitions (who now comprises the Champions League in a miraculous way), not just on the adrenaline of the previous campaign. The soufflé is unfortunately already flat.
'Big Ange' has earned his flowers. He has won the hearts of Spurs fans forever. He now has the power to demonstrably deliver the largest microphone drop in English football history after having consistently brought his claims of “always wins in a second season”.
He can walk away with his head and reputation in better place than it could be, while Levy has the trophy who can get fang groups and protesters off his back for a while while he lies the treasury of his and his bosses with the prize money.
What Levy has to do is, however, the next manager in what will undoubtedly be a compelling transfer window for the Londoners, because they want to add to what at least looks like on paper as a decent team with a few exceptionally talented young people.
Just don't go to Sir Jim Ratcliffe for advice about what to do.
#Brad Ferguson