Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou isolated himself from his players ahead of their Europa League quarter-final clash on Thursday night at Frankfurt, according to journalist Duncan Castles.
The Lilywhites have travelled to Germany with the tie hanging in the balance following a 1-1 draw in north London last week, knowing they must progress to the semi-final and then win the tournament in order to secure European football for next season.
Postecoglou's future as the manager of the club beyond this season has been under question as a result of their form this season, with Jamie Carragher even suggesting that he could be sacked if they are eliminated tonight.
Castles: Postecoglou Disconnect from Tottenham Players
Bizarre antics in the build-up to Frankfurt
While speaking on 'The Transfers Podcast', Castles revealed that he had been told about some strange behaviour from the Tottenham boss ahead of the crunch clash with Frankfurt on Thursday night.
“Just last night, I’m told, Postecoglou left training before his players had showered, returned immediately to the team hotel, ate dinner on his own, went up to his room before the players had to return to the hotel to eat.
“So look those little bits and pieces tell you, there seems to be a disconnect between Postecoglou and the players, and I think we see some of that in the way the team is playing.”
Spurs are currently sitting in 15th place in the Premier League after a horrific campaign which has seen them lose 17 of their 32 games, and they are just 16 points off the relegation zone with six games remaining.
Daniel Levy is said to be considering a move to replace the former Celtic man this summer, with the club keeping an eye on the likes of Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Kieran McKenna.
Should Spurs find a way to get past their Bundesliga opponents, however, it could give the manager a lifeline to stay beyond this season, despite the clear breakdown between manager, players and fan base.