BBC

An emotional Ange Postecoglou angrily refuted the suggestion he is a "clown" in a combative news conference on the eve of Tottenham's Europa League final against Manchester United.

Referencing a report in the Standard, external which said he was "teetering between hero and clown" depending on the result in Bilbao, Spurs boss Postecoglou defended his managerial record despite his side's poor domestic season.

In Wednesday's final, Tottenham will either end a 17-year wait for a trophy or finish the campaign empty-handed again, on the back of their worst campaign since the club returned to the top flight in 1978.

Speaking at San Mames Stadium, Postecoglou veered from simmering discontent to his voice cracking with emotion as he recounted his personal journey and that of his family.

He brought the conversation back to the article when the reporter who wrote it pointed out this season could become one of the best or worst in the club's "modern history" and the Australian was veering a fine line "between two very different types of infamy".

"Irrespective of tomorrow, I'm not a clown and never will be," said Postecoglou.

"You really disappointed me that you used such terminology to describe a person that for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to a position where he is leading out a club in a European final.

"For you to suggest that somehow us not being successful means that I'm a clown, I'm not sure how to answer that question."

Postecoglou was born in Athens but emigrated to Australia with his family when he was five.

After winning four international caps as a player, he embarked on a stellar coaching career that included spells with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, before taking over the Australia national side.

He moved on to Japan with Yokohama F Marinos, then joined Celtic in 2021 and Tottenham in 2023.

Postecoglou evidently feels, regardless of whether Tottenham win or not tomorrow, he is a success story given where he has come from.

"My parents left everything they knew because of their children, because of me, I hold that dear to my heart," he added.

"I was born in Greece. My father made sure I knew what it means to be Greek. Then I grew up in Australia, where football is not a prominent sport.

"I feel that very strongly. In Australia, when it comes to sport, you will take on anyone, it doesn't matter how big and strong they are."

Immediately before his manager spoke to the media, Tottenham captain Son Heung-min had done so alongside full-back Pedro Porro.

Along with Ben Davies, Son is the remaining link to the team beaten by Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final.

That loss still stings, judging by Son's "I still don't think it was a penalty" response to a question about the game, referring to the contentious first-minute spot-kick for handball against Moussa Sissoko that offered Liverpool a chance to establish a lead they never seriously looked like losing.

Son's participation in Wednesday's final had been in doubt due to a foot injury that kept him out for a month prior to the home defeat by Crystal Palace on 11 May.

But, during Tuesday evening's open training session, Postecoglou appeared to indicate the 32-year-old would start as he operated a three-man attack that also included Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert in the number 10 role behind striker Dominic Solanke.

James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall have all been ruled out of the game through injury and, if Postecoglou sticks with that formation tomorrow night, it would mean Brazilian forward Richarlison starts on the bench.

'United deserve to win as Spurs always bottle it'

Davina Ramos

BBC News Manchester

Paul Burnell

BBC News, Manchester

Manchester United fans were brimming with confidence as they jetted off to Spain for their make-or-break all-English Europa League Final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Supporters have been making the trip from Manchester Airport to Bilbao ahead of the game at San Mames stadium tomorrow night.

The prize for the teams whose Premier League form has been poor is a coveted place in next seasons Champions League.

Travelling fan Sam Mikelson said: "I'm nervous, excited, and all of the above – it's been a tough season, but we always find a way through."

Married couple Jim and Linda Baughan, who have followed the Red Devils for 40 years, said their club has struggled in the league.

But Linda said: "I'm always confident we are gong to win and we deserve it."

But Jim was not sure, and said: "We don't really deserve anything the way we play in the league, but in games like these anything can happen - in the last round we were dead and buried at 4-2."

Linda said: "It will have cost £5,000 between us and – as we said in Moscow [in the 2008 Champions League Final] it was worth every rouble."

Friends Bob Firth and Nathan Hall said they were optimistic about the prospect of victory over Spurs due to United's form in the Europa League.

"We seem to be up for it in Europe," said Nathan.

Bob said: "It is not going to be a cheap two days but it will be worth it - United have been on fire this year and Tottenham always bottle it."

Father and son Andy and Sam Warburton were less bullish than other fans.

Andy said: "I'm nervous, you never know which United you will get - I do know Ruben Amorim is the best man for the job and the club should back him next season."

His son Sam said he was feeling a mixture of excitement and tension.

"It is my first European final and I am really nervous - Spurs have beaten us three times this season", he said.

"It's a really hard call as both teams have not had a great season," said Andrew Winton.

He added: "We put seven past the best defence in La Liga, so on that form we deserve it but not on our league results."

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How far would you go to follow your team, and what lengths would you go to?

Up to 80,000 Manchester United and Tottenham fans are expected to descend on Bilbao, a city with a population of about 350,000, for the Europa League final on Wednesday.

The city's airport has reinforced its border control with National Police staff as it prepares to handle three times the usual number of flights, including 174 private jets.

But owing to the expensive prices of direct flights and limited accommodation - Bilbao has an estimated 13,000 hotel beds - many supporters are following creative itineraries to be on the ground in Spain for the final.

For Manchester United fan Dave, the 33-hour ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao was a "bucket-list" trip.

Travelling solo to the final, he left his home in Derby on Sunday morning, taking the train to Portsmouth via London Waterloo, and docked in Spain at 07:00 BST on Tuesday, making plenty of new friends along the way.

"I'm feeling bright and fresh - not - but it's been a good journey. I've met loads of people. I've travelled on my own, so lots of opposition fans, lots of neutrals, some Americans," he told BBC Sport.

"It was a bucket-list thing to do this journey. I never got on the Pride of Bilbao [ferry] but I've done it now. I'm looking forward to the sights of Bilbao, the food's apparently quite good. It's my first time in the Basque country."

Though "nervous" about United's chances, he hopes the final will be an advert for the best of English football.

"I just hope United put a bit of class on the pitch and give us a bit back," he said. "And it's enjoyable for everyone, neutrals and fans alike, to showcase Premier League football."

Ben, a Tottenham fan from London, was on the same ferry. After some initial hiccups travelling via train and taxi to Portsmouth, he enjoyed the unexpected wildlife encounters and fan interactions at sea.

"The ferry was lovely. Did a bit of whale watching, saw dolphins, which I wasn't expecting," Ben said.

"There were lots of holidaymakers who were quite surprised when Sol Campbell songs were being sung last night. It was a good laugh - United fans and Spurs fans all sitting together."

Fellow Tottenham fan Ryan from Southampton, who is watching his side abroad for the first time, added: "I felt a bit seasick at the start but it's all good. I'm excited to be here and it's going to be incredible.

"We played games on the ferry, sat on the rooftops, a few beers here and there, getting excited for it. I'm hoping we win."

Manchester United supporter Sue McGranigan is taking a different route to the final, opting instead to traverse the full length of France by road.

She set off by coach at 02:45 BST on Tuesday morning and will arrive in Bilbao around Wednesday lunchtime following a ferry from Dover to Calais, a nine-hour coach to Bordeaux, where she will stay overnight, and a final four-hour coach ride to the Spanish city on the morning of the match.

"It's a lot cheaper. It's cost about £350 to come on the coach whereas direct flights were £900. It's a long journey – I've had about half-an-hour's sleep," she said, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live from just outside London.

"But the coach is very quiet. It's all United fans and I thought they'd be drinking and singing, but it's really peaceful."

United fan Ashley found a picturesque solution to the city's accommodation shortage, booking a pitch on a caravan park overlooking San Mames Stadium.

He met up with his son in Madrid on Monday, hired an RV and stayed overnight in Burgos before setting up camp in Bilbao.

Chief constable Mark Roberts, national lead for football policing, says the Football Policing Unit, Greater Manchester Police, and the Metropolitan Police have been liaising with local police and Uefa to ensure all fans have a positive experience.

More than 3,000 police officers will be deployed across the city, with a three security rings around the stadium restricting access to ticket holders and local residents from Wednesday morning.

Roberts encouraged fans without a ticket not to travel to Bilbao and said British police will be on hand to "act as a liaison" and assist with information and communication.

Each team was allocated around 15,000 tickets, with the remainder given to Uefa sponsors or bought by neutrals.

"Bilbao is a beautiful city and the local police and people are keen to welcome fans. But it's not the biggest city and the biggest concern is the ability for Bilbao to soak up those additional people if they haven't got a ticket. Our advice would be if people haven't got a ticket, consider not travelling," he said.

"Some police forces still have an impression of English fans based on the 1980s - it's quite outdated. We're keen to push the intelligence and say treat supporters from this country based on behaviour, not perception.

"[My message to fans is] go and have a great time. It's a special event and I'm sure there'll be a great atmosphere, whatever the result. It's a beautiful city - just be a good guest. Everyone's there wanting to support you to have a great time."

Disabled fans of Manchester United and Tottenham have criticised the number of wheelchair tickets available for the Europa League final as "insulting" - with both clubs given 26 tickets each in a near 50,000-capacity Bilbao stadium.

Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association and Spurs Ability, the fan groups representing disabled supporters, have expressed anger at the size of the allocation, which includes an additional 15 'easy access' seats, from an allocation of 15,000 tickets per club.

In response, competition organiser Uefa said it had provided 75 wheelchair positions - including neutral spaces - at the San Mames stadium, with free companion seat and guaranteed sightlines.

Uefa said 15% of those tickets remained unsold and available for purchase as of Tuesday morning. Both fan groups disputed this claim to BBC Sport.

The stadium, home to Spanish top-flight side Athletic Bilbao, has a capacity of more than 53,000 but this has been reduced to 49,600 for the final on Wednesday.

The stadium is usually capable of hosting 208 wheelchair and 102 easy access seats. That falls slightly short of the recommended provision in Uefa's own guidelines for stadiums of its size.

But the two supporters' groups and the disabled sports charity Level Playing Field have calculated that even within the San Mames' limitations, both clubs should still have 58 wheelchair spaces and a further 28 easy access tickets.

Spurs Ability member Mark Spencer has spinal injuries but is not in a wheelchair. He has travelled to Bilbao by car without a ticket to watch the match in a fan park.

He told BBC Sport: "To say I'm gutted is an understatement. I wasn't able to go to Madrid for the Champions League [final] in 2019 and I thought this might be my chance - but Uefa have just not given us the percentage of seating that they should be giving us under their own rules and regulations.

"You feel that you're being prevented from watching football and supporting your team because of a disability so it's quite insulting and very disappointing."

Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association secretary Rick Clement said: "Uefa, ultimately, have a responsibility to football fans to support your team. That should include people with disabilities."

Dr Rita Egan, another member of Spurs Ability, said the group has been "dismayed" by the allocation and accused Uefa of having "ignored" complaints by not replying to correspondence.

Level Playing Field chair Tony Taylor said: "We have seen another failure from Uefa at a showpiece event.

"Accountability has been lacking before and now we can see more disregard for disabled fans, which ignores the governing body's own guidance and under-utilises the facilities available, without adequate justification."

In response, Uefa said it was "working hard to improve both standards and experiences" for disabled fans and that it took into account "the quality of sightlines", "historical demand" and the ratio between capacity and accessible seating.

It stated that for the Women's Champions League final last year at the same stadium, 59 of the 60 allocated seats were sold, and for the men's Europa League final last season between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin, only 41 of the 93 allocated seats were sold.

Uefa also told BBC Sport that it "investigated solutions" for more accessible seats and spoke to disability access officers at United and Spurs.

European football's governing body added: "While both indicated they could sell more accessible tickets, they also expressed a preference for maintaining the current allocations rather than increasing numbers at the expense of seat quality."

Your questions answered - How many all-English European finals have there been?

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

Ask Me Anything

BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team have been answering European football-related questions. Here’s one about all-English finals.

There have been five previous all-English European finals in the past. Tottenham v Manchester United is set to be the sixth.

The first was Wolves v Tottenham in the Uefa Cup final in 1972.

There wasn’t another one until 36 years later, when Manchester United faced Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final.

In 2019, there were two all-English finals – Chelsea v Arsenal in the Europa League and Tottenham v Liverpool in the Champions League.

And Manchester City and Chelsea faced each other in the 2021 Champions League final.

Fans soaking up the atmosphere in Bilbao

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

From the messages we are getting in and the pictures available to us, it looks like Tottenham supporters have mirrored their team and gone early.

There is very little evidence of a Manchester United presence in Bilbao and the surrounding areas, at the moment.

We know you are on your way, United fans, tell us how you are getting on...

Man Utd team news

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

Manchester United have injury issues of their own going into Wednesday evening's final but do have a number of players that could make a comeback just in the nick of time.

Manager Ruben Amorim has just one confirmed absentee for the match - defender Lisandro Martinez, who has been ruled out for the rest of the 2024-25 season.

Forward Joshua Zirkzee was also confirmed as out for the season by Amorim in April, however, he trained in full on Tuesday morning and could play a part.

The defensive quartet of Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Jonny Evans and Diogo Dalot have all been absent in recent weeks through injury, but all were given a chance to play in Bilbao.

Of the four, Yoro and Dalot were in full training on Tuesday morning.

Spurs team news

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

Ange Postecoglou has dealt with injuries all throughout the 2024-25 season and unfortunately for him, that theme continues going into Wednesday evening's Europa League final.

Five players are already definitely confirmed as out for the all-English affair - Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Dane Scarlett and Timo Werner - all of whom remain on the sidelines until next season.

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall was also expected to be out with a foot injury, but there are rumblings that he could be involved.

When asked about his availability on Friday, Postecoglou said: "It is still the same sort of timeframe. He was never a long-term one, but he has literally just got out of the [protective]boot and taken his first tentative steps on the grass; he won’t be available [for Friday's defeat at Aston Villa]."

Pape Matar Sarr picked up a knock in the defeat to Villa last week but is expected to be fit to play.

Sleeping in a Fiat 500

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

Richard McElvanney

BBC Sport journalist in Bilbao

We're here in the centre of Bilbao and have just met these two Spurs fans, Levi Ripley and Shannon Miller.

They've travelled from Barnsley, it's taken 24 hours, Dover to Calais, then down to Bilbao in a Fiat 500. Cosy? Yes, and it’ll have to be because that’s where they’re sleeping as well.

They say what they’ve saved on the journey and hotel prices, they’ve just spent on a ticket and they’re confident it’ll be worth it.

Flattering to deceive?

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

Craig Nelson

BBC Sport reporter

This game feels like a tough one to call, doesn't it?

Both teams will have expected to be fighting for silverware at the start of the season, but on the back of a strong league campaign.

With one game of the Premier League season remaining, Manchester United are 16th in the table, one point and one place better off than opponents Spurs.

Yet both sides have parked their domestic form to battle their way to the Europa League final.

We will try to shed some light on how they did that - starting with their routes to Bilbao...

get involved

Get Involved pt 2 - how will the final be won or lost?

WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

We are loving your travel plans and will continue to publish the best throughout the day.

But there is also a football match to assess.

For those of you who are staying put in the UK, or neutrals looking forward to what promises to be an epic tussle - for European silverware and a route into the Champions League - we want to know your early takes on how you believe the match will pan out.

How will the final be won or lost? Who can make a difference?

Again, send your messages, with your name attached, via:

WhatsApp 03301231826

Or text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

'Never any guarantees' with 50,000 to 80,000 people travelling

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

So how many supporters are expected to travel to Bilboa for Wednesday's Europa League final?

Well the head of UK football policing, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, told BBC Sport that it could be between 50,000 to 80,000.

“There are never any guarantees [it all goes smoothly] when you’ve got 50,000 to 80,000 people travelling, there’s high emotions, there will be quite a few people drinking, but I think everything that can be done to make sure it’s a safe, secure and enjoyable event is in place.

"We are working with a police force who want to set that style and tone. Uefa are really keen to make sure this goes very well. They are committed to making sure English fans have a good time."

Chief Constable Roberts added: "Any major event comes with significant risks, any final with that number of people attracts issues just because of the sheer numbers. I think there's a real willingness and desire on behalf of everyone, particularly Uefa and the hosts. English fans have had really negative experiences through no fault of their own in a couple of finals."

A two-day journey to Bilbao

Tottenham v Man Utd (Wed, 20:00 BST)

BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 Live spoke to one Manchester United supporter about the mammoth journey they're making to Bilbao to get to the Europa League final against Tottenham on Wednesday.

"We’ve had about half-an-hour sleep, we left Manchester at half 10 [Monday night] and met at the local pub and then left there at quarter to three in the morning [on Tuesday].

"We're now outside London heading to Dover, [from there] to Calais on the ferry, from Calais a nearly nine-hour coach ride to Bordeaux and we'll stay over night, and then travel from Bordeaux to Bilbao in the morning for another four hours.

"Bordeaux do nice wine and it’s a lot cheaper. It’s cost about £350 to come on the coach whereas the flights were £900, so we’ve done okay, it’s just a long journey.

"But the coach is very quiet and it’s quite nice, it’s all United fans on the coach and I thought they’d all be drinking and singing, but it’s been peaceful."

Tottenham ended their 17-year wait for a trophy as Brennan Johnson's first-half goal was enough to beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Victory means under-fire head coach Ange Postecoglou has fulfilled a promise to deliver silverware in his second season at Spurs.

Postecoglou, who said he would "never be a clown" in his pre-match address, brought smiles and unbridled joy to the faces of the 15,000 official, and many unofficial, Tottenham fans in Bilbao's San Mames Stadium.

Victory may not save Postecoglou from a Spurs exit in the coming weeks. But the Australian will leave as a hero after joining Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw in winning a European trophy with the north London giants.

In addition to following the lead of Newcastle and Crystal Palace in making this a season of glory for clubs who rarely win trophies, Tottenham are also set to benefit from a £100m windfall after qualifying for next season's Champions League.

As had to happen in a battle between the two lowest-placed teams ever to contest a European final, for the losers, there was no silver lining.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will send his side into the final Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday with huge questions over his ability to make them competitive following their worst season since the 1973-74 relegation campaign.

Amorim enjoys the backing of the ownership but his decision to pick Mason Mount ahead of Alejandro Garnacho in an attacking role did not work. And with skipper Bruno Fernandes unusually subdued, United lacked the guile to drag themselves back into the game once they had fallen behind.

They came close to an equaliser with a Rasmus Hojlund header, following Guglielmo Vicario's error, that was acrobatically cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven midway through the second half.

Vicario then made a dramatic late save to keep out Luke Shaw's header.

The goal was scruffy, with some debate over whether Johnson got the last touch - and was totally in keeping with the tepid domestic seasons of these two underperforming sides, but no-one at Spurs will care about that.

On a night of clear tension and nerves, evident from both sides from the first minutes, and afflicting even the most experienced performers, it was always likely to require a little bit of luck to claim victory.

When Pape Matar Sarr floated over his cross as the first-half ticked to its conclusion, Johnson got ahead of Shaw to get the first touch.

It wasn't a particularly good touch and looked unlikely to trouble Onana. But once the ball hit Shaw at close quarters, the Manchester United goalkeeper was scrambling. Johnson lunged at the ball a second time. Whether he got there was debatable. But the damage was already done. Onana couldn't keep it out.

Up to that point, Tottenham had not had a shot on target. They were not to have another. It didn't matter a jot.

In his 100th game as Spurs boss, Postecoglou got his second season trophy, just as he did with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar in Australia, Yokohama F Marinos in Japan and Celtic in Scotland. The first English club to win a European competition had become the latest to do so, beating an English opponent for the second time after overcoming Wolves in the 1972 Uefa Cup final.

Postecoglou also won the Asian Cup two years after becoming Australia boss - and the Scottish championship in both seasons with Celtic.

The seven minutes of stoppage time signalled brought hope for United that they could save themselves in a European final, just as they did so famously back in 1999.

But those days are long gone.

Even more recent heroes in the form of Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney, both present in Bilbao this week, can only lament what their old club has become.

Where there used to be invention and danger, now there is just poor decision making. It starts at the top of the club but was evident on the field deep in stoppage time when, with Bruno Fernandes on one side and Amad Diallo on the other, Leny Yoro decided he was the best option to shoot from 25 yards. It was off target.

Hojlund scooped a header over the bar. Amad was dangerous and in the dying embers of injury time, Vicario turned away a decent header from substitute Joshua Zirkzee.

But there was no great belief. Garnacho hooked the last chance into the side-netting.

United will have no European football next season for only the second time since English clubs were readmitted by Uefa in 1990. They will play in the Carabao Cup in August.

"I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don't say things unless I believe them."

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, having just seen his side lose 1-0 at home to rivals Arsenal back in September, was in defiant mood and that quote has followed and been repeated to him all season.

His side came close to proving him right earlier this year.

Spurs held a 1-0 lead after the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, only to then capitulate 4-0 in the reverse fixture at Anfield.

But Tottenham fell at the fourth-round hurdle of the FA Cup, losing at Aston Villa, while the club are on course for their worst campaign in the Premier League era as they are 17th with one game to go and a mammoth 45 points behind champions Liverpool.

Yet, the 59-year-old Australian, who began working at Spurs in July 2023, is one game away from having the last laugh.

He will take charge of Spurs for the 100th time on Wednesday when they play Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao.

A win would take Spurs into the Champions League, silence Postecoglou's critics, maintain his superb second-year record and maybe keep him in his job.

He won the Australian title with both South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar and the Japanese league with Yokohama F. Marinos - all in his second season or second full season in charge.

Postecoglou also won the Asian Cup two years after becoming Australia boss - and the Scottish championship in both seasons with Celtic.

The 59-year-old did not see out two seasons in charge of the three clubs he failed to win anything at - smaller clubs Panachaiki and Whittlesea Zebras, and Melbourne Victory, whom he left after 18 months for the Australia job.

We have taken a look at how he has enjoyed second-season success throughout his career.

Matches: 113. Wins: 83 Draws: 12. Losses: 18. Goals scored: 284. Goals conceded: 108.

Postecoglou came to Celtic in June 2021, just after Steven Gerrard had guided Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title.

But the Australian did not need two seasons before winning, as he took the Bhoys to five trophies in his two years at the club.

In his first campaign they became Scottish champions and won the League Cup, before they added the Scottish Cup to make it a domestic treble in his second year with him then before moving to Tottenham.

Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart had already won two Premier League titles with Manchester City before he was instrumental in Celtic's success. He felt one of Postecoglou's main strengths was getting his players to view the game in a different way and teach them new skills.

"He is top, really, really good," said Hart after Postecoglou's second Scottish title victory in May 2023. "He is really clear in what he wants and the biggest buzz for me is playing for someone who is pushing me and I am learning new things every day - it makes me feel alive.

"I have played in different teams that have been successful. Identity in football has always been there, but in terms of having a real way of playing, this is the first time I have been part of a team with that.

"I genuinely feel comfortable making risky passes, short passes, and if someone does miss a pass or a tackle and the ball goes in, I don't think any of us would even flinch because that's what we are being asked to do."

Matches: 161. Wins: 79. Draws: 30. Losses: 52. Goals scored: 313. Goals conceded: 228.

Before Celtic, Postecoglou had a three-and-a-half-year spell in Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos.

He went there in January 2018 and almost won a trophy in his first 10 months, only to lose 1-0 to Shonan Bellmare in the J.League Cup.

But success was not too far away as his side then won the J1 League to become Japanese champions, finishing six points clear of FC Tokyo.

That title took the side into the Japanese Super Cup (their version of the Community Shield), but Yokohama could not add another trophy as they lost 3-2 on penalties against Vissel Kobe after Yokohama had fought back from 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 down to leave it at 3-3 after 90 minutes.

"Ange really gave the club purpose," said Dan Orlowitz from the Japan Times.

"It was a refreshing style of football that the league hadn't really seen. Even when YFM struggled results-wise in 2018 it was very clear that the players and above all Ange believed in what he was doing.

"The fans believed in him as a result, and over the next year he let go of players who weren't a good fit for the system and brought in players who were a great fit. All of that added up to the triumph of 2019."

Matches: 49. Wins: 22. Draws: 12. Losses: 15. Goals scored: 86. Goals conceded: 58.

During his playing career, Postecoglou was a defender and represented Australia four times and in 2013 he got the chance to become his country's national manager.

At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Australia finished bottom of a tough group that also included the Netherlands, Chile and 2010 winners Spain.

Australia hosted the Asian Cup in January 2015 and Postecoglou guided the Socceroos to the final with a crowd of more than 76,000 watching the game against South Korea in Sydney.

Midfielder Massimo Luongo (now at Ipswich Town) put Australia ahead, before Son Heung-min, Postecoglou's current captain at Tottenham, equalised in the 91st minute to take the tie to extra-time. But James Troisi, who developed through Newcastle United's academy, scored the winner as Postecoglou and Australia celebrated a 2-1 victory to win the tournament.

Former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill was a key player for Australia at that time and, in an interview with Optus Sport in 2024,, external was full of praise for Postecoglou.

"I never knew Ange until he came to the Australia job, he had a great pedigree," said Cahill. "When you listen to him, everything he talks about is simple and logical - he wants the ball in play, action and intensity and that's what the players want.

"The way you look at a coach is their presence and secondly their training, everything was measured and calculated. What I love with Ange is he is very honest, very detailed. He has a really nice way about him and you see the way he connects with players."

Matches: 83. Wins: 42. Draws: 24. Losses: 17. Goals scored: 142. Goals conceded: 91.

Before becoming Australia manager, Postecoglou had an 18-month spell at Melbourne Victory, but was not there long enough to have a second full season.

That came after he had great success with another Australian side in Brisbane Roar. In a two-and-a-half-year spell, they won the A-League Championship in 2010-11 and retained their title the following year.

"Ange's massive strength is his ability to be able to bring players along that journey and buy into what he does," former Brisbane captain Matt Smith told BBC Sport.

"There's zero tolerance for players that don't want to follow. We were never made to feel comfortable, we were always pushing to be better, always developing, always working harder than any group I've experienced before.

"It didn't matter if you were the biggest player in the dressing room or the youngest - if you weren't pulling your weight or following his principles, he was very ruthless."

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"It's a crossroads moment."

That is the verdict of former Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen on the club's Europa League final against Tottenham on Wednesday.

Like all United fans, the Dutchman is coming to terms with a bitterly disappointing domestic campaign, and dreading the consequences of failure in Bilbao.

"It would be a silver lining. A win in the Europa League isn't going to make up for the most disastrous season," Meulensteen told BBC Sport, with United languishing 16th in the Premier League, and now condemned to their lowest top-flight finish for more than half a century.

"But if they don't win it, why would we expect anything different next season? The trophy would free up some finances to get players in.

"If they don't win it, we won't be in Europe, and I really worry what the future is going to look like."

With qualification for the lucrative Champions League the prize for the Europa League winners, and set against the backdrop of United's long decline, it is easy to see why the match is being portrayed as such a defining moment at Old Trafford.

But just how significant is it really?

"Financially, it's the most important match in the club's history," says football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

"Champions League participation is crucial, because it could generate over £100m from tickets, broadcast money, and sponsor bonuses."

With four home games guaranteed, Maguire estimates that there could then be an additional £30m-£40m if United go deep into the competition.

While the benefits of being back in the expanded Champions League apply just as much to Spurs of course, United arguably need it more.

Spurs recorded an annual loss of £26m last year, while United's deficit was £113m over the same period. That took their total losses to £300m over the past three years.

The sense of underperformance is even more stark given United generated total revenue of £651m last year, the fourth highest by any club in world football.

But due largely to the leveraged takeover by majority owners the Glazer family in 2005, the club are also more than £1bn in debt, which costs tens of millions of pounds a year to service. And that burden is set to increase in the years ahead because of refinancing and higher interest rates.

Indeed, United have admitted they have been at risk of failing to comply with Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR) that limit clubs' losses.

In March, co-owner and petro-chemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe told me the club would have gone bust by the end of the year if significant action had not been taken, bemoaning the financial burden of several players he had inherited who "were overpaid and not good enough".

Meanwhile, fans are clinging to reports linking the club with moves for potential targets such as Liam Delap, Antoine Semenyo and Matheus Cunha. But if United fail to sell loaned-out, high-earning players such as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony, acquisitions could hinge on what happens in Bilbao.

Luring new players to Old Trafford is likely to be much easier if the club can offer European football. And United have admitted that if they are to improve their underperforming squad, they need to cut outgoings, hence the hundreds of staff redundancies, and ticket price increases imposed by Ratcliffe - that have sparked protests by fans.

"United still have one of the highest wage bills in the Premier League. They have a squad which has cost more than £1bn, and many of those deals have been on credit, so they have outstanding instalments of over £300m that need to be paid," says Maguire.

"So they need the cash from the Champions League to meet their ongoing financial obligations, and that's before they start recruiting the players the manager wants. The additional revenue will put the club in a far stronger position in terms of a reboot."

Such thoughts are echoed by former United defender Rio Ferdinand who told PA that victory could spark a "new era" for the club.

"With Manchester United, they need the money to recruit for this manager and it's a vital period for him in that sense," he said. "I do think it's a chance to press the restart button and it will be a new era if these are the guys who managed to win."

With each finishing position in the Premier League table worth around £3m, United have made around £30m less than the club's executives would have been planning for.

For the Ineos hierarchy, a trophy would also help compensate for the £14.5m spent on the sacking of former manager Erik ten Hag - who was retained and then backed in the transfer market last summer - and the hiring and firing of former sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Under mounting scrutiny over such decisions, club bosses are also yet to explain how they will afford to build a proposed new stadium estimated to be costing at least £2bn.

At a time when Ratcliffe is reducing his other sports investments, including an Ineos sponsorship agreement with Spurs, in a challenging economic landscape for the chemicals industry, a first European trophy since taking over at Old Trafford would be a very timely boost.

Winning in Bilbao would also come at a cost. With player contracts heavily incentivised, Maguire estimates that qualifying for the Champions League will also mean United could face having to pay out 25% extra on wages. But he maintains that the Champions League would still be "transformative".

Manager Ruben Amorim hinted as much when admitting that the Champions League was more important to him than winning the Europa League. "The best way to help us to get to the top in a few years is the Champions League, not the cup," he said.

When asked if being out of Europe next season might actually help by giving him more time to work on his squad, he was clear that losing the final against Spurs would be "really bad... the patience of the fans and you guys [the media] next year if we don't win it is going to be on the limit".

For Spurs, the prospect of a first trophy since 2008 is also a chance to salvage something from a desperate Premier League campaign that – just like United - has redefined what domestic failure looks like for a so-called 'Big Six' club.

Their season has also featured furious fan protests over a perceived lack of investment by the club's owner Enic and the approach of chairman Daniel Levy.

"Qualifying for the Champions League would be in the desirable category for Spurs, rather than essential," says Maguire.

"They are the best-run business in the Premier League. They have the most profits historically. They have an ability to generate money from non-football activities to a far greater extent than any other club, so they've always got this as a support mechanism."

At United, a second consecutive season out of the Champions League means the club will have to pay kit provider Adidas a £10m penalty under the terms of their deal.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one former senior United figure predicts that the sponsorship revenue the club have prided themselves on over so many years could be at risk of "collapsing" if they are out of Europe for only the second time in 35 years, and that their brand value is now at a pivotal moment.

"Not being a European team creates more existential issues around the whole model" they told BBC Sport, pointing to the end of the Tezos sponsorship of the club's training kit this summer.

"It's not healthy, and people start to question whether you are still a 'big club'. But win, and it keeps the wheels spinning. The cash will be 'lifeblood' that allows them to keep trading. If not, they'll have to look at selling homegrown talent like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo to give them the funds they want."

Some United fans travelling to Bilbao will hope the match evokes memories of the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup triumph - which helped spark the subsequent Sir Alex Ferguson glory years, and showed the club could perform again at a European level.

Others will look to 2017 as inspiration, when Jose Mourinho's team won the Europa League final to rescue Champions League qualification after finishing sixth in the Premier League. But given how much worse United's league performance has become, this feels much more significant.

Lose against Spurs, and many will feel that Ineos' already ambitious Mission 21 plan to turn United into Premier League champions by 2028 could start to look like Mission Impossible. However, senior United insiders dispute the suggestion that this is "win or bust", insisting that the cost-cutting programme the club are implementing is designed to give flexibility in the summer transfer window, and has been predicated on a 'no-Europe' scenario.

While they accept that winning the Europa League would provide a major boost, they say the key is fixing the club's structure.

Both Amorim and his counterpart, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, have played down suggestions that the Europa League offers some kind of panacea. Indeed, with Spurs also on course for their worst-ever Premier League season, victory may not be enough to keep Postecoglou in his job, while Amorim seems secure in his, even if his team loses.

And yet there is no denying that there will still be a huge amount at stake on Wednesday, making this one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the season.

While the neutrals can enjoy the jeopardy, United and Spurs fans will long for a much-needed sense of hope at the end of a season to forget. Here in Bilbao, a city known for its regeneration, lies a chance to kickstart a revival.

Lose, however, and the road to recovery will feel much longer.