Read sadness into what follows. Every word, comma and inflection. I take no pleasure in Ange’s dismissal. But there is reason.
In all honesty, since Bilbao I’ve been this way and that about his future. I readily concede that replacing him after that triumph will never sit completely comfortably with me, but Ange being a hero and Ange needing to go are two ideas that I can hold in my head at the same time. Both can be true. To me, I’ll always be grateful, delighted and moved by what he and his team ultimately achieved, a trophy after all these years and victory against all the odds. The outpouring of emotion from supporters around this win is deeply touching. These are lifelong memories and stories will be told down the generations about one night in Bilbao.
But in the past year, some of our football has been appalling. So: If nothing else, I try to be consistent, and if I change my mind on anything it is because there is evidence for change. That’s me and Ange. Delighted with his opening games, he deserved two years to see what he could make of the job. This is what I wrote in early April:
I can’t envisage any scenario where Ange holds his job into next season. ‘When not if’ seems inescapably to be the only question. I take no pleasure in saying this. I wanted this proud, motivated man to succeed. He was right for my club, so I hoped. I applauded his brave, attacking football and his value-base of teamwork and support for his players, plus his passion for the game, a beacon of authenticity in an increasingly dreary, cynical football world driven by greed. Except it hasn’t worked.
Of course injuries within a shallow squad have been a major factor in contributing to this unenviable record, but I suspect that if we had finished, say, 10th, I would be saying something similar, that while it is false to suggest his tactics have remained static, he failed to handle key problems such as constantly being caught on the ball, giving the all away (both caused by opposition pressing and high marking), poor penalty box defending and presenting opponents with far too much space, especially in front of our back four. You simply can’t play this way in the Prem. Latterly, the counter to this, that ‘we’ll score one more than you’, hasn’t been effective either in the league.
One unforgettable night in Bilbao triggered a cathartic reaction that was part celebration, part vindication, of the manager and especially of the loyalty of a fanbase starved of success. Nothing whatsoever that happens in the future can diminish that. I don’t agree with those who say this achievement has been diminished because of his sacking.
It was of the moment, and none the less magnificent for that. Ange set aside his principles for the sake of our club. Not only that, he convinced the players to buy into that too, ample evidence of his ability as coach and motivator. He believed, and made sure the players believed in themselves. Yet for much of the season, we played like a group of individuals with little connection or cohesion, and certainly the players’ confidence and ebullience of the early months had become a distant memory.
Ange belatedly but sublimely sorted that out, and there is undeniable risk in leaving that behind. Add this to the injury list as another what-might-have-been – we’ll never know, I don’t know, and it’s a question that will be debated whenever the history of Spurs during this period is discussed. I would add, though, that other managers can motivate players too.
Football is about those moments, and that’s what it was, a glorious moment, and that is its place in our heritage. Sometimes winning a trophy is culmination of a journey, building a resilient team over time who eventually become winners. Often, that proves to be a springboard for sustained success. This is different. Ange created a team for a specific time and place, essentially for three games, with little apparent connection to what had gone before. And what he created for our particular journey, building an attacking, front-foot team, did not work well enough in its particular context, namely the Premier League, where teams quickly learned how to exploit our weaknesses, where the strengths too infrequently failed to outweigh the positives and where the changes in tactics and personnel did not consistently make up for the deficiencies.
I understand fans’ disgust as expressed on social media that, for them, this indicates the board’s priority as league position, not winning trophies. However, this is nothing new. It’s not about Ange, it has been clear for many years, explicitly so in Pochettino’s era when he was told by Levy that the overriding target was a top four finish, and it is fallacious to assume this is the reason for his dismissal. I want Spurs to be contenders. I can deal with not winning stuff, goodness knows I’m used to that by now. But there’s a proviso, that we give it a right proper good go in every tournament. It’s not about either top four or a cup, it’s about building a team with squad depth to have a tilt at both. Until the board realise this and give the manager, any manager, the tools to achieve this, then we’re on the familiar journey towards disappointment.
We were talking about consistency. Here we are, back with the board again. Everything begins and ends with Levy. I have no faith in the board’s ability to make sound footballing decisions. Levy has created a culture devoid of sustained ambition to be consistently successful on the field. There’s no drive or purpose.
In another world, his decision to sack Ange despite winning a prized trophy could be interpreted as the act of a man ruthless in his dogged pursuit of success at the highest level. Applied to Levy, this has a hollow ring to it. Any manager needs full support in terms of a playing staff fit for purpose, good enough and deep enough. History suggests Levy won’t provide this and until this changes, the club is doomed to repeat the managerial churn that drastically inhibits progress in the long-term. The anointed successor, Thomas Frank, has spoken of how he works closely with his board at Brentford and the whole backroom staff. Get ready for a shock, mate.
However, and this comes back to evidence for change, Spurs are shaking up the hierarchy. The highly influential Donna Cullen has departed with the new chairman coming in with a record of being forward thinking, fan friendly and above all, understanding the modern game and what a club needs to complete at the top. We have a highly promising group of young players coming back to the club from various loans with invaluable league experience to add to the excellence of Gray and Bergvall. Plus, we have money to spend on a few good quality experienced players to make a big impact on the team.
Somewhere in another dimension, there is a cosy alternative reality where Ange carries on triumphantly buoyed by success and leading his highly motivated team to further glory. I wish that were real but reluctantly and with sadness conclude that its not part of our universe.
So let’s luxuriate in the glory of what Ange gave us. He can leave on a high, with a reputation that will open doors to many jobs in Europe and around the world. He will always be a legend in N17 and like us, he will have those precious, unforgettable moments of joy. Unlike us, he’ll have a £4 million pay-off to go with it.
The Europa League triumph brought home the personal dimension in a money obsessed, commodified game. Johnson’s smile, VDVs stunning individual moment, players united. And Ange hugging his kids. Thank you and all the best. We’ll always be mates.
TOTTENHAM ON MY MIND 
👍
LikeLike
Ange was a breath of fresh air, he should have been given the chance to ‘build’ on this. But we have decision makers h that want a quick fix, demolishing the footings of a build and starting again. It feels like Poch 2, remember Jose, Conte etc set the club back 10 years. I took the app off my phone when we hired ‘the disruptive one’. Good luck Ange, plenty of teams will appreciate you, shame on you spurs, embarrassing us all again. Bwana
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smashing piece ‘comme d’habitude’ Alan, a couple of points if I may be so bold…
Firstly Venkatesham is the CEO, not the chairman, and surely must have been involved in the Postecoglou decision (maybe Paratici also).
Secondly let us not forget that Geoff Scott (Chief Medical Officer) and Sam Pooley (Head of Performance) both departed citing the unsustainable training regime that was instigated by Postecoglou; the list of injuries during the latter’s stay surely supports their views.
Logically, therefore, Postecoglou, was, in part, the architect of his own downfall was he not?
Hibberni.
P.s. I see Vilahamn has gone also.
LikeLike
Thanks for that, Alan – as always you say much of what we would like to say.
In your last piece my reply questioned the retention of Ange on the basis of our absence of Premier League success, and our inability to defend what we gained through attacking. For me that was reason enough for him to go, albeit with our thanks.
But that should not detract from the culpability of Levy, who has chosen, and chosen wrongly, through more than twenty years, generally by not finding the right man, less frequently by withdrawing his backing (or his purse) as the wrong time.
Ange has gone, sadly but necessarily; Levy has NOT, yet……
Brian
LikeLiked by 1 person
Expressed, as ever, perfectly.
LikeLike
Hi Alan always your words are full of wisdom and truth.
Before the final I had said on a Facebook group that winning the Europa would by like a two edged sword…that it would be hard to decide if we won it whether he should go or not.
If we didnt win it I wonder how many would be still with Ange? I dont know that answer.
I agree that Ange was a good guy but our football was the most important to me. For the most part it was terrible.
In the final we had 1 shot on target.
If our football was at least coherent I would have felt Ange was ok.
The passing out of defence was laughable for 2 seasons.. we scored a lot but our defence looked the worst but it didn’t matter who played in defence they all looked bad and why…I’m sure it was the system or bad coaching
I don’t know who is next but I hope its palatable footie
Ronnie
LikeLike
The head rules the heart, especially in business. Why waste a thousand words trying to find an excuse to keep him in a job. Just look at the league table. Just remember that feeling of total, abject, disgust at the way we choked at home against Liverpool, and Leicester. We were 100% lucky in facing a team in the final that were (incredibly) worse than us. And winning by ripping up our motto. And injuries weren’t always to blame. Even at the worst of it we were fielding a team with six, seven, eight internationals and they were good enough to get results if set up properly. Can you imagine a season where it was more difficult not to qualify for Europe and we still bottled it? Don’t forget that we were in the Europa Cup because we choked at the end of last season and lost four of the five games that should have seen us sneak into the champions league. Nah, AP was out of his depth and we made the right choice. Hopefully our new manager will organise our midfield better to give us a fighting chance to compete and also eradicate those infuriating unforced errors. Beef up the midfield, whoever you are.
I’d like to nominate Solanke as a contender for player of the season. He had a thankless task leading a team all at sea but ran his tabs off. Young Gray had an excellent spell in the back four in our darkest days, and Bergvall hints at what’s to come. But no one stepped up to make a true claim as player of the season. Too many players shone brightly for brief intervals but no player managed to keep it up for long.
Beautiful summary, Alan, in capturing that strange mix of emotions. My abiding image of the campaign is Ange standing on the touchline shaking his head at yet another defensive debacle. It sums up the year for us. Enjoy your time on the beach everyone, next season will be better.
Eaststander.
LikeLike
great summary alan. I wonder if the cries for reinforcements Ange continually made for jan transfer window had been met what the outcome would’ve been. Depth of squad continues to be a key issue as it has been right back to poch era. Thanks again and always enjoy reading your thoughts
LikeLike
Daniel Levy was the chairman we needed, building Spurs into one of the most (financially) successful clubs in the world.
In the Pocchetino era, as we became successful on the pitch, Levy had to choose between keeping tight control of the purse strings or supporting the manager by spending on player personnel. We’re experiencing the results of that choice.
Levy’s skills and instincts are well suited to the boardroom, but we can’t compete at the top of the league without spending to build a competitive squad.
—RFH
LikeLike
Alan, I agree and disagree. I, 99% of the time want the good guy to win. there has been a lot of guff about Ange deserves to go out on a high. Of the two managers with better Both were given chance to cement their initial achievements. Which is just as well as Keith’s first achievement was relegation. So onto the bad guy. Once again Daniel has ridden on the coat tails of an inspirational Manager / Coach whilst supplying neither with the proper tools, (Nor any other Coach Manager.) Ange’s Acheivement will live on for generations not least because its extremely likely that it will be generations before we win and serious silverware in that time. The same would remain the same if he was given time next season AND the backing to have a squad deep and skilful enough to take on all the competitions.
The likely hood ofThomas Frank succeeding 25/26 or the season after are no greater than Ange’s or any other person. There are things about Frank both good and bad about Frank’s method’s, most of them may well lose him the job, not least that he has history of his teams not winning for roughly 10 games when he takes them over. If this happens in the coming season we shall be back to square zero. and the toxicity will be on a greater scale.
Hope you are well Mal.
LikeLike
Apologies about the mish mash of words in some of that. but i think my reasoning comes through none the less.
Mal.
LikeLike
Managers need more than two years tenure to succeed and no manager will get better players until the salaries offered begin to match those of the other big clubs.
I’m so weary of the two-yearly managerial cycle, like endless Dr Who regenerations. All we get is different coaches but the same class of players.
LikeLike
this is the part of the transfer window I hate most, according to every Spurs website or transfer reports, we are linked or looking to sign everyone that’s available, or even those that aren’t, yet nothing materializes yet the teams we should be competing with get stronger by just getting the players they are after while from the outside it looks like we dither and wait until final week. If we need to get rid of players then get them done asap, like Bissuma, Son and Richarlson, then get a new DM ST and new number 10, got for Palihna, Sessko and Harvey Elliot or MGW, have them ready for the new season rather than final week of window. It seems Frank wants certain players but will have to try make do with what’s available, the PSG game less than 3 weeks away, doubt any additions be in by then, apart from Kudus.
LikeLike
Levy can’t fire AP and say it’s bc we are not competing on all fronts and need to be trying win EPL yet not give new manager the players that’s required to do it. Conte and Jose both argued that Spurs were not capable of competing on all competitions with the squads they had, I’m sure AP decided that too with Europa more realistic to win than league, although did give league cup a go, Frank will be no different, we just can compete with the amount of wages the top teams pay so need players that are willing to play for us as want to play in CL and PL but other teams not signing them. It’s going to be same next season, but Levy has to give Frank time to get his way of playing, as long as we not finish near relegation zone again he should be given at least 3-4 seasons and get players that is needed quicker each window.
LikeLike
every season we Spurs fans get to bicker about if the current manager is in or out, wether Levy is in or out but one constant with all fans has been our recruitment. It’s shockingly bad compared to the other big six, the amount of players we have bought that have not worked out, that we spent lots on just to sell at a loss, but to buy youths that then go out on loan and then forgotten and say, it’s for the future but then they get sold for tiny profit, if any seems insane to most clubs. I know most clubs buy at a risk if the player will work out, but we seem to just not get it right, maybe one in every 7 players..Richarlson, good player but 60m quid for injury plagued player seemed a lot, not many goals or assists to scream about, Lo Celso, another injury plagued player that we practically gave away thinking Cordosa would join for peanuts but to be rejected, Ndombele, nuff said bout him, Remember Jack Clarke..Gil, gonna be sold for about same we paid, Reguloin, beat Real Madrid for him but a failure, we did get youths in recently, Bergvall looks promising and Gray needs to play in his favourite position but Tel and Odebert are still meh, hoping new Croat defender is up to the hype but 2 relatively unknown Asian youths players may be loaned out and then sold again as may not make the cut either. Kulu was a success, maybe Bentacur but not really any one else since Son, our only better player were ones who came thru academy, Kane
LikeLike
Correct all the way through.
LikeLike
typical Spurs recruitment again. 3 weeks to get Madison replacement but still no closer, wasted time on eze rather than meet his release clause get deal done. Now Arse have him. Hope he gets feck all game time but we all know he play each game. Not many decent numbers 10s out there now….
LikeLike