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I think Ange Postecoglou should be sacked. I really liked his ideas at the start, but slowly they and his own personality have warped into something unsuccessful and prickly.
Tottenham have a two-week international break now and I think that they should use it to let him go, appoint a caretaker and begin the process of asking around for Andoni Iraola’s number.
A fortnight ago, I didn’t think this (and I accept that it’s still really not ideal). Tottenham’s last five years have been defined by poor Ryan Mason being asked to step up, not really looking comfortable doing it and everyone feeling worse than they already did.
Were Tottenham playing at a level beyond incompetent, I’d entirely agree that it would be stupid to make a change now. As I say, I thought exactly that not long ago. But Tottenham still have a chance of winning a trophy ahead of a Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Were this six days before the final, I’d say you keep the status quo and hope that big-game mentality takes over. But we are still more than two months, and two rounds, away from a final and Spurs will not get there if this continues. They look uninventive in attack, overrun in midfield and loose at the back.
I think we can also conclude that these players are no longer inspired by Postecoglou. The injury crisis has, obviously, provided the manager with some grace, but you still expect to see a little fight, creativity, passion, resilience or hope from whoever you pick. There has been precious little like that outside of a three-game winning run in the league that has now come crashing down.
Tottenham have taken 11 points from their last 13 league games; relegation form if the three promoted clubs weren’t all abject. They still have a chance not just of making Europe but qualifying for the Champions League, something that ultimately produces an obvious question: are Spurs more likely to win the Europa League with their current manager or without him? And that’s where I’ve shifted my opinion.