Levy defends Postecoglou sacking despite Tottenham’s trophy triumph

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has admitted that sacking head coach Ange Postecoglou shortly after the club’s first major trophy in 17 years was “emotionally difficult,” but insisted the decision was necessary following a disappointing Premier League campaign.

Postecoglou was dismissed earlier this month, just over two weeks after guiding Spurs to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final — a win that ended the club’s silverware drought dating back to 2008 and secured Champions League qualification.

Despite that success, the Australian manager was let go after Tottenham slumped to 17th in the Premier League — their worst finish since being relegated in the 1976–77 season.

“I don’t regret appointing Ange, and I’m very grateful for what he achieved,” Levy said in a club-released interview on Tuesday. “In his first season we finished fifth, and in his second, we were thrilled to win a trophy. But we must compete consistently in all competitions, and we felt a change was necessary. Emotionally, it was a tough call, but one we believe is right for the club.”

The North London club announced former Brentford manager Thomas Frank as Postecoglou’s successor last week, marking their fifth full-time head coach in six years and the 13th under Levy’s 25-year tenure.

“Failure is not an option. The desire to succeed is even greater because the challenge is so tough,” Levy said.

He praised Frank as an ideal fit for the club’s ambitions: “What stood out to me was that Thomas is clearly very intelligent, an excellent communicator, and a fantastic human being — on top of all the technical qualities we require.”

Levy expressed hope that Frank’s appointment will build on the momentum of the club’s recent Europa League success and help restore consistency across all competitions.