Ange Postecoglou's position as Tottenham Hotspur manager could be in jeopardy after his players were accused of "quitting" on him.
The 59-year-old, who took the reins at Spurs in June 2023, has had a disappointing season so far with his team languishing in 14th place in the Premier League after losing 13 matches. Hopes of reaching the Carabao Cup final were also dashed when Liverpool thrashed Spurs 4-0 on Thursday, despite Postecoglou's side entering the second-leg tie with a 1-0 lead.
Spurs decision makers are reportedly still backing their beleaguered boss, with chairman Daniel Levy's readiness to make moves in the January transfer market underlining this support. However, former Watford striker Troy Deeney believes that Postecoglou's men simply gave up against Liverpool, sparking concern he may have lost the dressing room.
"Anyone who has played the game will tell you most of those Spurs players quit, gave up," Deeney wrote in The Sun. "Not on each other or themselves, but quit on the manager, the fan base, everything." He also maintained that he saw just one player front up for media duties at the end of the game, further strengthening his claim that players at Spurs have downed tools for their under-fire manager.
Should Spurs relieve Postecoglou of his position, Mirror Football have taken a look at five candidates who could replace him.
Andoni Iraola
Bournemouth's Spanish coach has emerged as one of the most sought-after coaches in the Premier League. The Cherries have been one of the surprise teams this season, currently sitting seventh in the table, with Iraola beating Postecoglou, Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola, Ruben Amorim, Enzo Maresca and Eddie Howe so far this term.
The 42-year-old has also managed well during a severe injury crisis, during which he lost both of his strikers, Evanilson and Enes Unal. According to the Express, he is currently one of the leading favourites with the bookies to take over should Postecoglou's tenure come to an end - though it'd likely cost a pretty penny to buy him out of his Bournemouth deal.
Thomas Frank
The Brentford manager has been showered with praise for guiding his side to the top flight with promotion from the Championship in the 2020/21 season thanks to the play-offs and for keeping them a part of the Premier League set-up since then. Celebrated for his team's attacking flair, Frank is said to be a top contender for any move due to his admitted willingness to depart the Bees eventually.
In a December 2024 chat, the Danish coach shared his criteria for considering an exit: "I think the club you're going into, can you instantly improve it? Is there low-hanging fruits, or is it difficult to raise the bar? And is their finances good? Can you get the players in and out you want to? I think that's the key," he said.
He also reflected on his future aspirations by saying: "I think there's a part of me that thinks that one day, maybe I need to try something different. Is that a bigger club, Champions League, bigger challenge? I don't know."
Mauricio Pochettino
Despite more recently managing rivals Chelsea, Pochettino retains a special affection for his old team. The Argentinian was ousted by Levy in late 2019 following a downturn in results, even though he had led Spurs to a Champions League final just months before, where Liverpool defeated them.
In a chat with BT Sport back in November 2022, Pochettino aired his hope for a future comeback: "Deep in my chest, my soul, my heart - I am sure that we will cross [paths] again. My dream is to be back and to try to finish the work that we didn't finish."
Yet, even with odds at about 5/1, his desire to lead the United States national team towards the 2026 World Cup could be a significant hurdle.
Kieran McKenna
McKenna has turned heads at Ipswich, earning promotion to the Premier League after a 22-year hiatus, clearly showing his managerial prowess. Despite Ipswich's current predicament, sitting in 19th with just a trio of victories, McKenna's lengthy seven-year history with Spurs' academy and a return to the club in 2015 as an Under-18s coach mean he knows the club inside out.
His stellar record in the lower leagues combined with his age might make him an attractive option for Levy. Bookies have priced him at around 11/2 to step in if Postecoglou parts ways.
Edin Terzic
Terzic currently finds without a job since his departure from Borussia Dortmund last summer. He led Dortmund to the Champions League final in the 2023/24 season but fell short against Real Madrid despite a dominant performance. Terzic also captured the DFB-Pokal trophy during the 2020-21 campaign.
In a surprising development, despite links connecting Terzic to the managerial role at Besiktas, the club's president indicated that the coach was likely headed to Tottenham amidst growing doubts about Postecoglou's future, according to Football London.
Besiktas President Serdal Adali, speaking to Turkish TV network Tivibu Spor last month, revealed: "Edin Terzic was one of our foreign alternatives. In the meeting, he said he was expecting an agreement with Tottenham. That book is closed." Ultimately, it was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who took over the helm of the Turkish team.