Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou believes that winning the Europa League final against Manchester United next week could signal a crucial turning point for the club and help end years of disappointment.
Despite enduring Tottenham’s worst-ever Premier League campaign, with a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday marking their 20th league loss and leaving them 17th in the table, Postecoglou finds himself on the brink of ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought.
The Australian coach, whose position has been the subject of speculation throughout the season, remains focused on the opportunity that lies ahead in Bilbao.
A win in the final would not only bring Tottenham their first European trophy in 41 years but also secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.
“My view was that (winning a trophy) is what I’ll get judged on.
“I could have been sitting here fifth last year, fifth this year – maybe people wouldn’t be waiting for the white smoke to see if it’s my last one – but they’d still be saying ‘You know Ange, that’s great but its all been done before. Until this club wins something, you haven’t made an impact.’ I kind of knew throughout my tenure, that’s what I was going to be judged on so now we have an opportunity to do that.”
Tottenham previously came close to major honours under former manager Mauricio Pochettino, including finishing as Premier League runners-up and reaching the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool. However, the years that followed have seen a steady decline.
Postecoglou is hopeful that lifting the Europa League trophy will not only change how outsiders view the club but also how the club sees itself.
“When you look at the historical backdrop of this club and what it’s been through on the last 20-odd years, I feel like it could be a turning point in terms of the way the club is perceived but also more how it perceives itself.
“We’ve got to break the cycle. That’s the hurdle this club has to overcome because it’ll always be there. Until you actually do it, then you are fair game for people to say ‘you’ve always kind of fluffed it on the big stage,’” he said.
Tottenham’s journey to the final has been complicated by a wave of injuries. Key players such as Christian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and Son Heung-min have all missed significant time.
Maddison and Lucas Bergvall are confirmed absentees for the final, and there are doubts about Dejan Kulusevski’s availability after he limped off against Palace.
Son, who returned from a foot injury to make a substitute appearance in that game, is expected to feature, but Postecoglou remains cautious.
“Against a backdrop of some real difficulties and massive challenges the group has still found a way to get to the final,” he said.
“I’m putting them in cotton wool for 10 days with the way things have gone this year. I just hope and pray that the football Gods have run out of sort of challenges to throw at us this year.”
Postecoglou eyes Europa win as Spurs’ turning point
