Tottenham’s week from hell got a whole lot worse on Thursday.
A home loss to Newcastle on Tuesday put them firmly in a relegation battle, leading to Thomas Frank's sacking on Wednesday. And now his predecessor Ange Postecoglou has brutally described "curious" Spurs as "not a big club".
Speaking to The Overlap's Stick to Football podcast on the day of Frank's sacking, before its release on Thursday, the Australian's near-18-minute appearance gave plenty to chew over.
Here is what we learned from Spurs' former Europa League-winning head coach…
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Why Ange believes Spurs are 'not a big club'
Tottenham's wage structure has always been a major issue for fans - and so it proved to be too for Postecoglou in his two seasons in charge.
He said: "They've built an unbelievable stadium, unbelievable training facilities, but when you look at the expenditure, particularly in the wages structure, they're not a big club.
"I saw that because when we were trying to sign players, we weren't in the market for those players.
"At the end of my first year, when we finished fifth, how do you go from fifth to really challenging? Well, we had to sign Premier League-ready players. But finishing fifth that year didn't get us Champions League. We didn't have the money, so we ended up signing Dom Solanke - who I was really keen on - and three teenagers [Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert].
"I was looking at Pedro Neto, [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Antoine] Semenyo, and Marc Guehi, because I said, if we're going to go from fifth to there [gestures higher], that's what the other big clubs would do in that moment.
"And those three teenagers are outstanding young players, and I think they'll be great players for Tottenham, but they're not going to get you from fifth to fourth and third."
He added: "I still felt like Tottenham, as a club, were saying we're one of the big boys, and the reality is I don't think they are in terms of my experience over the last two years.
"When Arsenal need players, they'll spend £100m on Declan Rice. I don't see Tottenham doing that. Maybe now, I don't know. But not just in my history, even predating me. A lot of that was that they were building a stadium, so finances were a challenge.
"I guess the bit I didn't realise was just how much Champions League football makes a difference, and I think that's why there was always this desperation because that provided the kitty. So that means in my first year…we almost got there. We finished fifth - any other year that probably would've been [Champions League qualification].
"And if we did, maybe last year we wouldn't have bought three teenagers. But I still don't think we would have spent - it's not the transfer fee, the wages to really attract.
"When was the last time Tottenham really signed somebody who you go, 'Wow'."
'Club's actions are the antithesis of its motto'
'To Dare Is To Do' is Tottenham's club motto, but Postecoglou strongly believes this is not the philosophy of those in charge, including ex-chairman Daniel Levy, who left his role in September after 24 years in the job.
He said: "When you walk into Tottenham, what you see everywhere is to Dare Is To Do. It's everywhere. And yet their actions are almost the antithesis of that.
"Whether you like it or dislike him, you give credit to Daniel, because that path has got them a new stadium, new facilities, by taking a safe path.
"I think what they didn't realise is that to actually win, you've got to take some risks at some point - and that's the DNA of the club."
Postecoglou's huge risk was to sacrifice the Premier League campaign to end their 17-year silverware drought by winning the Europa League.
Glory in Bilbao came amid a 17th-placed Premier League finish, but Postecoglou felt he abided by the club's motto.
"We were never in a relegation battle last year," he said. "We never got even close. We finished 13 points off relegation.
"But towards the back end of the year, where it was quite obvious we were going for something else, we still scored 64 goals last year. I was still trying to get the guys, but we weren't equipped to do it [on multiple fronts].
"But I still felt that was the way forward. If we're ever going to become the team that I thought Tottenham wanted to be, then this was the path."
Spurs' lowest finish since promotion to the top-flight in 1978 cost Postecoglou his job - something he realised had been coming for months before it was confirmed in June.
He revealed: "I knew I was gone probably around the end of January, early February. I said to the coaches, 'Look, we weren't in a relegation [battle], we're in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, I think we can win it'. And that means not just winning a trophy, but that also means Champions League football. I said, 'But the reality is, get your helmets on because every week we're going to be copping it. I'll take that. Don't worry, I'll take the responsibility for that'. But also, if we get knocked out of any stage of the Europa League, I said, I'm pretty much sure it's over.
"So I knew I was gone, because you get a sense of that with the conversations you have about people. No one was talking to me about the transfer window or pre-season next year, so you kind of know, and that was fine. I didn't understand it."
Just what are Spurs trying to achieve?
Tottenham are searching for a sixth permanent manager in seven years following Frank's dismissal, which came just eight months after Postecoglou's sacking.
The Dane was heavily criticised for his negative style of play, which was in stark contrast to Postecoglou's gung-ho approach.
Style was also the downfall of serial winners Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, while Nuno Espirito Santo lasted just four months.
Mauricio Pochettino is arguably Spurs' best manager of the 21st century, but he failed to win any silverware - something which Postecoglou achieved, leading him to question Spurs' direction.
"It's a curious club, Tottenham," he said. "It's made a major pivot at the end of last year, not just with me, but with Daniel [Levy] leaving as well. And you've created this whole sort of environment of uncertainty because there's no guarantees, no matter which manager you bring in - you've had world-class managers there that haven't had success. But for what reason? What was the reason for such a major pivot?
"So Thomas is walking in, and what's his objective? What's the club's objective? At the start of the year, they said, compete on all fronts. Well, the club hasn't competed on all fronts for a very long time.
"And the most influential person at the club for the last 20 years is also going. So if you're going to do such a major pivot, then you've got to understand there's going to be some instability there.
"Now, did Thomas know he was walking into that? I don't know. And it's a fair departure from me. Anyone who kind of studies the game will know that it wasn't like it was a progression for me. I built that sort of squad to play a certain way over the last couple of years.
"So it's, it's a curious club, Tottenham, mate."
He added: "You look at that list of names, and there isn't really a common thread through there as to what they're trying to do. And I do think part of Tottenham's DNA is they do like their team to play a certain way.
"I think it's fair to say with Mauricio, they were going down that path…so when you look at those managers, they've gone from Mauricio playing a certain way and fitting the DNA. Then the big thing was, well, they haven't won anything. We need winners, so let's go for Jose. Jose gets them into a cup final, and they sack him the week before the cup. If you're talking about winners, in a one-off game, I wouldn't mind Jose being my manager at my club just for a one-off game.
"Then it was Antonio because, again, he's another winner, and then Antonio goes and I come in, and they say, 'Well, we want the football. With Antonio we made Champions League but we didn't have the football. So we want the football, and you've got the football', even though my DNA is I win as well.
"So then we go down that path, so that's what I mean it's real curious in terms of understanding what are they trying to build."
Ange's Levy story shows why 'Spursy' tag '100 per cent' exists
The Europa League success had appeared to be a major step in helping the club shake off its infamous 'Spursy' tag, which Postecoglou "100 per cent" feels exists at the club.
The term was back on the agenda just three months later, as Tottenham chucked away a two-goal lead late on to lose the UEFA Super Cup final on penalties to PSG in Frank's first competitive game in charge.
Postecoglou claims he would have "backed himself" to win that match in Italy had he remained in charge.
He said: "We'd have had two trophies in the space of two months, and then all of a sudden that's out the window that they can't win a big game. You've broken that. So that's what I mean, that's the curiosity in me of understanding why? What are you trying to achieve? The biggest thing hanging over you was this Spursy tag, and I'm sure you all thought, come the final, Man United will win because they just know how to win."
The 1-0 Europa League final victory came after Postecoglou had boldly declared earlier in the season that he "always wins things in my second year" - and he revealed that that quote was part of his plan to make the club believe they could end their trophy drought.
He said: "My whole statement about winning things in the second year was, I was doing that for the club because no one internally would dare say that, because they were just scared. They'd been close a few times.
The 60-year-old even recalled how Levy's behaviour on the day of the final was 'Spursy'.
"I remember the day of the Europa final, everyone in the hotel was really calm," he said."It was one of the few times, actually, Daniel [Levy] came in, and I had a coffee in the morning, and he said, 'Everyone's really relaxed'. Even he was. And the only thing he said to me, which was bizarre as a motivation point, he said, 'Oh, you know what, I've been in seven finals and semi-finals, and we haven't won one'. But I know why he said that, because of that.
"So you've got that, and that does exist, absolutely. And then you break that by winning something, and what do you do? You tear it all up, and you go again."
