The Mirror

Ange Postecoglou has endured a difficult second season in charge of Tottenham Hotspur with the club identifying three contenders to replace the Australian manager

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing Andoni Iraola in a blow to current manager Ange Postecoglou, it has been claimed. Postecoglou has found himself under pressure this term with Spurs falling down the table after finishing fifth in his first season.

Bournemouth boss Iraola moved to the Premier League at the same time at Postecoglou, having previously impressed at Rayo Vallecano. His first season on the south coast took a while to get going, but he has overseen significant improvement this term.

A run of one point from the last four games has left the Cherries down in 10th, but an 11-game unbeaten run around the turn of the year means they're still within touching distance of European qualification. They are also still in the FA Cup, where they are due to take on Manchester City on Sunday.

Spurs are 10 points behind Iraola's side, despite recently coming back to draw 1-1 with them in the league. Postecoglou still has a chance to end the season as a trophy winner, with his team facing Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarer-finals of the Europa League.

According to The Athletic, Iraola is Spurs' top target if they do part ways with their current boss. The publication notes that Postecoglou's future beyond this season is in "serious doubt," though no decision has been made at this stage.

Spurs' manager still has another year on his contract, and could yet remain on board. Results have improved after a mid-season injury crisis saw them drift towards the bottom three, with three wins on the spin in February lifting them out of immediate danger before a recent slide.

Iraola also has a year left on his current deal. He isn't the only Premier League boss on Spurs' radar, with the same report suggesting they have eyes on Fulham's Marco Silva and Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

Spurs went into the international break off the back of one point from three matches. The last of those came away to Silva's Fulham, when two late goals from Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon settled the tie.

"Both goals were pretty soft," Postecoglou told Match of the Day after the defeat. "At the very least you want to stay in the game. I thought in the second half we were the better team and had the best chances up to that point. So to concede is very disappointing.

"It's been a difficult campaign for sure. But I feel we've lost too many games that we should have got stuff out of, and this was one of those games.

"It's another international break we go into off a loss and you feel that. We just need to make sure we're ready for when we come back."

Jan Vertonghen has struggled with ankle injuries over the past year and has therefore decided to call time on his career, in part due to concerns over reliance on painkillers

Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has announced that he will retire at the end of the season. Vertonghen, 37, has enjoyed a successful career, playing for Anderlecht, Ajax, Tottenham and Benfica and is Belgium’s most-capped player with 157 appearances.

He was a stalwart for Spurs, making 315 appearances between 2012 and 2020, helping them reach two Carabao Cup finals in 2015 and 2021, achieve their highest-ever Premier League finish in 2017 and reach the Champions League final in 2019.

The centre-back was also a part of the fabled ‘Golden Generation’ of players for Belgium, who qualified for three consecutive World Cup finals in 2014, 2018 and 2022. He retired from international football last year and has now decided to call time on his club career, having been hampered by injuries at Anderlecht.

"I have noticed that it is becoming more and more difficult to prepare myself physically for training sessions and matches and to show myself as the player I want to be," he said. "Not only towards the fans and my fellow players, but also towards myself. That is why I will be stopping after this season."

Vertonghen has battled ankle problems and an Achilles tendon injury over the past few years and has been limited to just five matches for Anderlecht this season. One of his reasons for retiring is a concern about his growing dependence on painkillers and injections just to play football.

“During all those months on the sidelines, I had time to reflect,” he added. “I quickly came to the conclusion that I wouldn’t be able to play a full year at the level I wanted. I constantly suffer from ankle pain, so the decision was quite easy to make.

“I’ve seen about 10 specialists this year who assured me the pain would go away. But the pain is daily, and just walking up the stadium stairs hurts. I have to warm up for a very long time before I can play.

“I take painkillers and have had several injections, but I’m not a fan of that kind of shock treatment. I don’t want to be dependent on painkillers. I feel like I’ll still be welcome at every club I’ve played for, and that makes me proud, as does the fact that I’ve been able to discover many different countries and cultures.”

In a post on the club website, Tottenham noted: “Not only was he a great player, but he was also a man that embraced the community and was keen to help the less fortunate, which saw him give up his time to support the North Enfield Foodbank on a number of occasions. He was undoubtedly a fan favourite.”

His Instagram post announcing his retirement was commented on by former Belgium players Christian Benteke and Radja Nainggolan, who sent him their best wishes.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with a potential return to Spurs, but his current role with the United States national team means that is unlikely

Mauricio Pochettino is unlikely to return to Tottenham Hotspur any time soon, despite the former Spurs boss stating that he "would like one day to come back". Pochettino managed Tottenham for five-and-half years between 2014 and 2019.

He replaced Tim Sherwood at the helm and guided Spurs to four top four finishes in five full Premier League seasons and the 2019 Champions League final. Pochettino is currently in charge of the United States national team, having been tasked with leading them into a home World Cup in 2026.

However, there has been speculation that Pochettino could return to Spurs given their struggles under Ange Postecoglou this season. Tottenham currently sit 14th in the league and Pochettino maintains a relationship with club chairman Daniel Levy.

"I am going to repeat. In the bottom of my heart I still feel the same. I would like one day to come back," Pochettino said earlier this month when asked if he still has unfinished business with Spurs. "Not because of my ego it's because my feeling is I would like one day to win with Tottenham.

"I think now Tottenham is a club with an expectation to win because if you see the facilities – training ground or stadium – now you can see it is about winning trophies. That is why I would like one day to come back.

"But if that doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. With all the possibilities again to build something special, that is my feeling and it didn't change. It's six years since we left and it's always going to be a special club for me."

However, according to a report from BBC Sport, Pochettino is unlikely to leave his current role before the 2026 World Cup. It is claimed that it would take 'one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history' for the United States Soccer Federation to release him from his contract.

Julian Nagelsmann's move from RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich and Graham Potter's switch to Chelsea from Brighton are reportedly the most expensive managerial buyouts in history, costing their respective clubs around £21million and it is claimed it would take a fee in the region of that figure to land Pochettino.

Although the US have suffered back-to-back defeats during the recent international break, losing 1-0 to Panama in the semi-finals of the Concacaf Nations League and 2-1 to Canada in the third-place play-off, Pochettino is not concerned.

"I've seen some times that teams that were building to play in the World Cup, they were not good until around the World Cup," he said after the loss to Canada. "I want to send a message to the fans, don't be pessimistic and don't get bad feelings.

"I think we have time because if we will be in this situation in one year time, for sure, I will tell you, 'Houston, we have a problem,' no? In one year, if we're talking about that, it's because we have a big problem and we were not capable to discover, to try design a better strategy to provide to the team the capacity to play in a different way.

"I think we have time and I prefer that that happened today than [you] know, in one year."

Beyoncé fans were left ecstatic earlier this year when the superstar revealed she would be setting off on a worldwide tour this summer. And, included in this enormous docket of gigs, is Great Britain.

Beyoncé will be hitting the UK this June to play all six of her shows at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And, as soon as tickets were released on Friday, February 14, 2025, various ticket categories rapidly sold out.

Front-standing tickets and seats with prime views were, unsurprisingly, among the first to be snapped up. As a result, many fans have begun checking out resale websites to get their chance to see the star live this summer.

Resale websites such as viagogo and StubHub have multiple listings for Beyoncé tickets, with more than two dates advertising tickets at less than £90 each. And, at the time of writing, the cheapest tickets are going for £83 on the June 16, 2025 show at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This is the lowest the tickets have been priced since they hit the market on general onsale. And they can be snapped up right now using this link.

However, we also have a full breakdown of the tickets' prices below. Here's the information:

How to buy cheap Beyoncé tickets now

Resale tickets for Beyoncé's upcoming Cowboy Carter tour are currently up for grabs on several second-hand websites, giving fans another chance to secure their place at one of her gigs. This includes tickets on viagogo, StubHub, Vivid Seats and more.

At the time of writing, some tickets on viagogo are cheaper than ever, with prices starting under above £90 per person. Here's the full list of dates, locations and prices:

June 05, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £101 (viagogo)

June 07, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £123 (viagogo)

June 10, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £84 (viagogo)

June 12, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £92 (viagogo)

June 14, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £110 (viagogo)

June 16, 2025 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - £83 (viagogo)

However, for the fans who want to do their own research, the rest of the resale websites' links are listed below:

VIAGOGO - Buy Beyoncé resale tickets here.

STUBHUB - Buy Beyoncé resale tickets here.

VIVID SEATS - Buy Beyoncé resale tickets here.

For those who instead want to search for tickets from official retailers, the likes of Ticketmaster has mostly sold out. However, a much better chance lies within Seat Unique.

Seat Unique is one of the top spots to secure tickets with added VIP and hospitality bonuses. This includes such perks as included food, drink, early entry, after-parties, and more.

Here's the links fans need now:

Ange Postecoglou branded Tottenham losing 15 Premier League games this season as “unacceptable” - and also singled out Yves Bissouma for criticism following their defeat by Fulham.

The North London club last lost the same number of matches after 29 games back in 1997-98 when they finished 14th. Tottenham now sit 13th with the rest of the season now hanging on their Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt next month.

Postecoglou, who replaced midfielder Bissouma at half-time for the third time in five matches, tore into the former Brighton man for his performance. He said: "I feel Biss sometimes lets the game drift by him, he needs to be more dominant.

"Today, we needed more in that position. I had needed him to play because he hasn't played a lot. At the same time, I need him to perform. It is safe to say maybe Biss and a few guys lack a bit of confidence but at this stage of the season we need people to perform."

It wasn't just Bissouma who was on the sharp end of Postecoglou's fury though. He also took aim at the side for their attitude not only at Craven Cottage but for the majority of the campaign.

He added: “It's unacceptable to see 15 league defeats. It's nowhere near good enough, nowhere near the level we need to be and I understand the supporters' frustrations with that.

"Today wasn't so much about performance, it was just another day when we let a game get away from us that we shouldn't have. We've given the opposition a lift into the game by conceding soft goals.

“We can’t let this league season go the way it has. We have lost way too many games. Unacceptable. Today was another day where it's not like the opposition have blown us off the park. We should have got something out of the game. We have had too many games this year where the opportunity to get something out of the game was there and we haven’t done that. I don’t want there to be an acceptance of us just losing games like that.

What's gone wrong for Tottenham this season? Share your thoughts in the comments below

“I don’t know if it has become a habit but I think if you accept it just becomes a lot more easier to not deal with adversity and I don’t want us to be that kind of team.”

Fulham can beat their best ever Premier League finish of seventh in 2008-09 and qualify for Europe with nine games to go. “When you win football matches and when you are in positions probably the people don’t expect at the beginning of the season, it is never going to be a problem for us,” said boss Marco Silva.

Manchester United co-owners Ineos have reportedly agreed to pay millions of pounds to terminate their sponsorship deal with Tottenham.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company agreed a five-year deal back in 2022 to become the official 4x4 partner of Spurs, via their Grenadier vehicle. The link-up was worth several millions of pounds per season to Tottenham, who displayed advertising for Ineos on the dugouts and big screens at home matches.

But the contract has been under threat ever since Ineos bought a controlling stake in United back in February 2024. The sight of the company’s name, which has become synonymous with Tottenham’s Premier League rivals, has begun to grate and undermine the brand strategy.

Spurs and Ineos have held amicable conversations about terminating the deal since mid-February and they have now been brought to a conclusion. Ineos was not visible during Spurs' 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday. The Daily Mail reports that Ineos have been forced to fork out a ‘not insignificant sum’ in the millions to cancel the sponsorship deal.

It may well be a bitter pill to swallow for the company, who have been busy scaling back their involvement in sport. Last month, New Zealand Rugby said they were taking legal action against Ineos after they exited their £3.7m-a-year deal early, citing the "deindustrialisation of Europe" as one of the reasons.

Ineos have also withdrawn their financial support for Sir Ben Ainslie’s Americas Cup sailing team and are reportedly considering scaling back their one-third stake in the Mercedes F1 team. Ainslie’s team said in January that Ineos’ decision had left them "astounded" and added it "raises significant legal and practical obstacles for them".

The early withdrawal at Spurs also comes at a time when Ratcliffe and Ineos are under the spotlight at United. The petrochemicals billionaire has overseen a major round of redundancies over the past 13 months, with a further 200 job losses announced in late February.

The club said that decision was made in order to "transform its corporate structure as part of a series of additional measures to improve the club’s financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency." Ratcliffe claimed that the club could have gone out of business in December without the wholescale cutbacks.

"I recognise I'm unpopular at the moment – but I am prepared to be, and I can deal with being unpopular for a period of time because I believe that what we're doing is the right thing,” Ratcliffe told the BBC.

"Manchester United has come off the rails – we need to get it back on the rails, and I believe what we are doing will put it back on the rails and we'll finish up being where Liverpool or Real Madrid are today in the future. When the going gets tough people need to show a bit of resilience, a bit of grit – don't wilt – and come out the other side fighting and that's what we will do."

Ange Postecoglou believes Lucas Bergvall is the future of Tottenham’s midfield after dropping a major transfer hint.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed an impressive debut season in North London after being signed from Djurgarden in the summer for just £8.5m. The teenager has made 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal - that coming in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg win against Liverpool.

And Postecoglou believes Bergvall could go on to become a crucial cog in Spurs’ midfield having suggested he would not be aiming to make signings in the centre of the park any time soon.

Asked if he would like summer additions, the Australian replied: “Maybe a lot of that is because with guys like Lucas, Pape [Matar Sarr], Archie [Gray], we see a lot in them to become a good midfield dynamic for us in how they can all bring something different to the table.

“Then with [Rodrigo] Bentancur, [Yves] Bissouma and [James] Maddison, and now with Wilson [Odobert] coming on — and Deki [Dejan Kulusevski] will definitely end up in there — we’ve got some strong midfield options.

“While there’s work going on in the background around summer, I do feel that when we’ve got everyone available and the squad is at good strength, with that development, particularly with Lucas, we’re getting to a position where we’re stronger in that area, for sure.”

One man who is a huge fan of Bergvall is Tottenham icon Ledley King. Speaking earlier this week, he pointed him out for his strong performances despite his tender years.

Who should Tottenham sign in the summer? Share your thoughts in the comments below

Speaking on Tottenham’s YouTube channel, he said: “One thing that probably doesn’t stand out is just how big Lucas is and how physical he is. For someone so young he knows how to get stuck in and he has great intensity in terms of his pressing.

“We speak about lifting crowds, he can do that with his pressing, his running, his enthusiasm to win the ball back at times. He can dribble, he can pass, I’ve been really impressed with him.”

Bergvall will be aiming to impress once again this weekend as Spurs return to Premier League action after progressing in the Europa League. The North London side travel across the capital for a clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage. Spurs sit 13th in the table ahead of that game with five points behind them and 12th-placed Crystal Palace.

Tottenham will return to Premier League action this weekend as they host high-flying Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There’s no denying the pressure is mounting on Spurs. Sitting 13th in the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou’s side is in desperate need of a response. Their 1-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar on Thursday has left their Europa League aspirations hanging by a thread. While European success remains a key objective for the remainder of the season, another lackluster performance would hardly inspire confidence ahead of the return leg against the Dutch side.

In contrast, Bournemouth have been enjoying an impressive season, and they will travel to north London with very little to fear from a struggling Spurs side.

The match is scheduled for a 2 PM kick-off on Sunday, 9 March 2025. It will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Subscribers can watch the match via the Sky Go app.

Tottenham vs Bournemouth Odds

Spurs - 7/4 (CopyBet)

Draw - 14/5 (CopyBet)

Bournemouth - 27/20 (CopyBet)

Tottenham vs Bournemouth Betting Tips

Total goals over 1.5 - 1/9 (CopyBet)

Both teams to score - 4/11 (CopyBet)

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Like it or not, over the past few months, Tottenham's never-ending injury struggles have served as a reputable excuse for their hopeless, dismal form.

But as their inflated list of notable absentees slowly begins to subside, Ange Postecoglou will be held to higher standards - rightly so.

Defeat to AZ Alkmaar in Holland on Thursday night was not catastrophic but failure to overturn the 1-0 deficit in next week's crunch second leg could prove terminal for the Aussie as the club's gruelling 17-year wait for a trophy threatens to rumble on.

Spurs' disgruntled fanbase, particularly match-going fans who paid their hard-earned cash to travel overseas in midweek, have every right to voice their frustrations after Tottenham's turgid European showing - a match they had eight days to prepare for - given they only registered just one sole shot on target.

It was not entirely surprising that Guglielmo Vicario's post-match efforts to rally the travelling faithful were not well received, they were misguided and borderline insulting given the stark lack of character, quality and desire on display.

While the Italian should, to some extent, be commended for his passion and for later clarifying his emotional actions, words and theatre still count for precious little given Spurs' season could effectively be all but over in just four days' time.

Buoyant Bournemouth, who beat Spurs 1-0 in December at the Vitality Stadium, are hardly the ideal opponent when you're desperately chasing a morale-boosting victory, either.

For now, Postecoglou retains the support of the Tottenham hierarchy, but the fanbase's patience is wearing thin and it feels as though the 59-year-old is fighting a losing battle in his quest to keep his head above water in north London.

Unfortunately, as much as he's brought a refreshing humility and honesty to the Premier League since his arrival from Celtic in the summer of 2023, it has become increasingly hard to defend him and his team's glaring lack of progress.

Tactically, Spurs have looked inept on countless occasions this season, there has been no Plan B and besides persistent rotation, no real innovation or creativity to wrestle back a game and swing momentum in their favour.

A staggering 18 defeats from 41 matches in all competitions is a shocking return for a club of Tottenham's ambition and the players too, must find it within themselves to rally together and rescue the trajectory of their ill-fated campaign.

For all of their flaws and deficiencies, all would be forgotten if they were to win the Europa League and secure qualification for next season's Champions League.

Time is of the essence, however, and failure to beat Bournemouth or at least turn in a credible performance would seriously complicate preparations for the do-or-die clash with AZ.

The sideshow of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven's fitness represents another huge test of Postecoglou's judgement. Both travelled to Holland but were unused substitutes, though it would be a major boost if Spurs were able to call upon the duo for the return fixture.

The first hurdle is getting precious minutes under their belt against the Cherries but Postecoglou will be reluctant to rush their returns given the various setbacks they've endured in their recoveries. In attack, Spurs have also blanked in their past two matches meaning there is plenty to ponder for the Aussie, who is hoping Dominic Solanke will be fit to face his former side.

AZ Alkmaar are set to host Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 encounter at the AFAS Stadion on Thursday evening, with both teams vying for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals.

Maarten Martens' squad narrowly advanced from the league phase, finishing in 19th place with just 11 points. This precarious position required them to navigate through the play-off round, where they impressively overcame Galatasaray with a 6-3 aggregate victory.

Domestically, AZ are currently placed sixth in the Eredivisie standings, having recently suffered a 3-1 defeat against Heerenveen away from home on Sunday.

Tottenham, meanwhile, come into this match well-rested following an unusual weekend break after their narrow 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League last week. Under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou, Spurs secured automatic qualification to the last-16 by winning their final two league phase matches in the Europa League, allowing them to skip the play-off round.

AZ Alkmaar vs Tottenham Odds

AZ - 12/5 (CopyBet)

Draw - 14/5 (CopyBet)

Spurs - Evens (CopyBet)

AZ Alkmaar vs Tottenham Betting Tips

Spurs win and both teams to score - 23/10 (CopyBet)

Over 9.5 total corners - 8/13 (CopyBet)

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Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either a Single or Acca (2+ selections) bet, start at £20, have 1.9 or greater odds and must be settled within 7 days of opt-in. 3 Free bets include: 1 x £20 Free bet Racing (Horse Racing or Greyhound Racing); 1 x £20 Free Bet Live Football; 1 x £20 Free Bet Live. Max payout – £500. 7-day expiry. To unlock the offer, complete the first deposit via the banking app (Open banking). 18+.

Full terms and conditions apply |gambleaware.org | Gamble responsibly | 18+ | UK only

Gamble responsibly

Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too.