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'Aussie Ange' will reportedly battle to keep his job beyond May

Opened up about Spurs' horrible season in chat with fellow Aussie

Under-pressure Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has outlined why his team has failed to fire this season in the Premier League - and accepts some long-suffering fans have 'lost faith' in his squad.

Spurs sit 14th on the table after 15 defeats from 29 games - a far cry from last season, when 'Aussie Ange' guided his team to fifth spot.

And while Tottenham reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and are into the quarter-finals of the Europa League, the playing group are clearly fatigued.

Injuries have also played their part in the series of poor domestic results, but Postecoglou, 59, believes the seemingly never-ending fixture list has seen his players take their eyes off the main prize - performing across 38 games in the Premier League.

He faces an uphill battle to keep his job in north London beyond next month, with Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola the rumoured first-choice target to take over.

Postecoglou told Socceroos great and former Middlesborough and Fulham goalie Mark Schwarzer he understands why many rusted-on supporters are frustrated.

'It's been a tough season. There's no hiding from it. It hasn't gone anywhere near the levels we wanted,' he told Optus Sport.

'There's frustration in that we've seen glimpses of what we want, but then [there have been] enormous setbacks.

'But in the league, we have been nowhere near it, it has been disappointing.'

The former Celtic boss added the football schedule for players - many of whom also play international football for their nations - is far too draining.

Asked to name the biggest challenge his team has faced this season, he went back to the very beginning of their campaign.

'I think we got the start of the year wrong,' Postecoglou admitted.

'It's become increasingly challenging for footballers, they don't get the traditional break.

'I think we went into the season really hard and underestimated the challenges of Europe with the two extra games, having a cup run... all those things.'

The 59-year-old remains 'bullish' about his team, but given Spurs must win the Europa League to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, Postecoglou appears to be on borrowed time.

Postecoglou's declaration he always wins silverware in his second season at the helm will also more than likely come back to haunt him.

But as always, Postecoglou remains defiant.

'Surviving tough times can often unite people,' he said.

'Because you think there's nothing down the track which will be anywhere near as bad as what we've gone through. We've survived and we've stuck together.

'I guess the biggest way we can influence our fans is by giving them hope, I know some have lost faith in what we are trying to do.

'We have still got things to play for in Europe and we've got to try and finish the season off in a positive way.'

Richarlison will give Ange Postecoglou a boost by returning to action next week - as it emerged Tottenham have turned down an approach for the striker from Brazilian side Flamengo.

The 27-year-old has been absent since limping off in the Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by Liverpool in February. He cut a dejected figure as he was forced off only weeks after returning from a hamstring injury that had kept him out since November.

He has managed just 14 appearances for Spurs this season but manager Postecoglou should have him available for the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt a week on Thursday.

Spurs were approached in the January window by Flamengo, who were keen to take the injury-hit striker in a permanent £16million deal or on loan.

Tottenham would only consider a permanent deal, and wanted around double the money they were offered.

Richarlison's former club, Fluminense, were interested, too, but the forward is reluctant to go home to Brazil, believing it would make it hard to return to any of Europe's big five leagues.

He wants another chance to fulfil his potential at Spurs, where he is under contract until June 2027.

Richarlison is desperate to return from injury to help his club finish the season strongly - as well as boosting his prospects of returning to the Brazil national team, for whom he has not featured since October 2023.

Several Spurs fans expressed frustration over the lack of signings in January

Daniel Levy has hit back by urging the importance of long-term sustainability

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Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has hit back at fans amid claims he is not investing enough in the club.

The north London outfit have endured a nightmare season under Ange Postecoglou, slipping to 14th in the Premier League with a grim tally of just 34 points ahead of the March international break.

Prior to the January transfer window, Postecoglou persistently attributed his side's struggles to an availability crisis within his squad, with several top stars such as Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie out injured.

A glut of Tottenham fans called for Levy to invest heavily in the squad during the January transfer window in the hope of turning the team's fortunes, but Spurs only brought in a few stars including back-up goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, former Lens centre-half Kevin Danso and Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel on loan.

Disappointed that Levy opted against splashing out on high-profile players in the January window, several fans expressed frustration at the Tottenham chairman over his cautious approach to recruitment.

But Levy has now hit back at those fans by publishing Tottenham's financial results for 2024, outlining just how much he and the club have spent since moving to their new stadium back in 2019.

The financial report showed that Spurs' total revenue has decreased by four per cent since 2023, contributing to a total loss of £26.2million after tax.

'As we announce our financial results for the year to 30 June 2024, we currently find ourselves in 14th position in the Premier League, navigating what has been a highly challenging season on the pitch,' Levy said in his statement, via the club website.

'We are, however, in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League. Winning this competition would see welcome silverware and mean qualification for the UEFA Champions League. We must do everything we can to support the team in these final key stages.

'Since opening our new stadium in April 2019, we have invested over £700 million net in player acquisitions. Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means.

'I often read calls for us to spend more, given that we are ranked as the ninth richest club in the world. However, a closer examination of today’s financial figures reveals that such spending must be sustainable in the long term and within our operating revenues.

'Our capacity to generate recurring revenues determines our spending power. We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club – indeed, our off-pitch revenues have significantly supplemented the lower football revenues this year, testament to our diversified income strategy.

'I want to thank everyone who supports us through good times and bad. We are resilient and passionate about our Club. We shall aim to finish this season as strongly as we can and continue to build for success on the pitch.'

Since Postecoglou's arrival in the summer of 2023, Tottenham have signed six players for individual fees worth more than £25m.

Those six players include Dominic Solanke (£54m), Brennan Johnson (£46m), James Maddison (£39m), Archie Gray (£35m), Micky van de Ven (£33m) and Dejan Kulusevski (£25m).

Fan anger has threatened to boil over in recent weeks, with Postecoglou forced to tell a supporter to 'behave themselves' in a fiery clash after Spurs' dismal 2-0 defeat by Fulham earlier this month.

The loss proved too much for one supporter to handle and they voiced their displeasure at the Australian when he walked back towards the dressing room.

Postecoglou chose not to let the swipe pass and confronted the fan, promoting a commotion that attracted players and support staff.

The fan could be heard saying 'what was that?', at least three times, by which point Postecoglou had stopped in his tracks and faced the supporter.

Tottenham stars Djed Spence and Mathys Tel both attempted to usher their manager away from the conflict before Postecoglou replied: 'Behave yourself, you're a young man just have some values okay.'

Tottenham's next match comes against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has broken his silence amid speculation he could replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham.

Postecoglou has been under pressure for the majority of this season, with Spurs seriously underperforming and sitting 14th in the Premier League table with 15 defeats in 29 games.

Fans have generally been split on his future but a new report has suggested his position could be considered in the summer with other targets already being sounded out.

Postecoglou earlier this year vowed to win a trophy in his second year in charge - this season - but has just one shot left at fulfilling that promise in a campaign to forget.

Spurs have endured a dismal Premier League season, while the north London club also suffered exits in both domestic cups, leaving the Europa League as their only trophy to play for.

Iraola has been tipped to become the north London club's new manager should they fail their bid to end their long trophy drought this term.

However, the Cherries boss says he's 'really happy' in the South Coast and wants to take the club to the next level.

'I want to do my job the best I can. I don't know how far we can go, where we will finish,' Iraola said ahead of Bournemouth's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester City.

'If I don't do the job very well, they (Bournemouth's owners) will find someone else who does the job – it is like this in every job.

'I am really happy here. We have a great opportunity for the first time in the (club's) history to go to (the FA Cup) semi-finals. That would be amazing for me personally and for the club to achieve new heights.

'But we know that we have to also be realistic, that there are better teams than us and we have to fight against teams that are very good, so we will try to give the best level we have.'

Iraola has overseen an impressive transformation at Bournemouth since he joined the club at the start of last season. After leading them to 12th in the table last term, they are currently in 10th, just four points off the Champions League spots.

He will be a man in demand in the near future, and his team are 10 points ahead of Spurs in the table while also having an FA Cup quarter-final to look forward to this weekend.

The Spaniard has one year left on his deal with the Cherries, meaning Spurs would have to pay his £10million release clause if they want to secure his services.

A LaLiga star has spoken for the first time on a summer move to Tottenham that has been in the works for several months.

After leading Spurs to fifth in his first Premier League campaign, Ange Postecoglou set about reshaping his squad last summer, with eight players leaving on permanent deals.

One of those to depart was Giovani Lo Celso, who moved on to Real Betis after a stuttering four-year spell in north London.

As part of the deal to send the Argentina international to the Estadio Benito Villamarin, Spurs negotiated a clause that would allow them to sign Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso when the summer transfer window opens.

According to Standard Sport, the clause can be activated in the first two weeks of the transfer window and would allow Spurs to sign the 23-year-old for a fee of £21million.

Speaking for the first time regarding his slated move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Cardoso insisted the interest makes him feel 'valued'.

'I can't lie, and it's true that it's something that gives me confidence, that makes me feel valued because I'm doing a good job,' Cardoso told Diario de Sevilla.

'But I always try to improve and do my best for the benefit of the group and grow as a person on and off the field.

'However, right now my focus is only on Betis. This season we have important things to think about.'

Under the stewardship of former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini Betis have enjoyed a impressive campaign thus far and currently sit just eight points behind the Champions League places with ten games remaining,

The club have also enjoyed success in Europe, and are set to face Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Conference League next month.

Asked whether he would like to represent Betis in the Champions League next season should they qualify Cardoso replied: 'Of course.'

Cole Palmer is training with Chelsea on Friday for the first time since picking up his muscular problem, as he aims to take on Tottenham Hotspur in six days.

Mail Sport reported yesterday how Palmer had not yet taken part in a session since suffering his setback, leaving fans worried that he might miss next week’s seismic showdown with Spurs, but the playmaker is at Cobham today to participate.

The injury had forced Palmer to miss their last Premier League loss at Arsenal nearly two weeks ago, as he was then unable to join up with Thomas Tuchel’s and England for the World Cup qualifiers with Albania and Latvia.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca has also been boosted by the return of Nicolas Jackson, finally giving him a striker to work with.

Despite being out of form by his high standards, Palmer is vitally important to Chelsea’s push for a top-four finish, and his numbers could be helped by having a centre forward in Jackson to feed.

It has been a demanding season for the 22-year-old Englishman, who had started every other Premier League game for Chelsea prior to their 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Chelsea are looking for a strong run-in to confirm a return to the Champions League.

They currently sit fourth in the table, and beat Spurs 4-3 away from home earlier in the season in a comeback in which Palmer scored twice, including a Panenka penalty.

Mathys Tel was forced to delete a social media post and apologise to supporters after the Tottenham forward inadvertently drew the ire of the club's fanbase.

The teenager's deadline day move on loan from Bayern Munich in the January window was viewed as a major coup given his impressive performances for the Bavarian giants.

However, despite the fanfare surrounding his arrival in north London Tel is yet to find the net in the Premier League and his latest social media post has done little to endear the French youth international to the Spurs faithful.

On Thursday Tel shared a series of images to his Instagram account, including one of him wearing a shirt bearing the name and number of Fulham star Willian.

The post prompted an immediate backlash from supporters online, with Willian having previously plied his trade for Spurs' bitter rivals Arsenal.

To make matters worse, the Brazilian had been scheduled to join Tottenham from Anzhi Makhachkala in the summer of 2013 during Andre Villas Boas' reign at the club.

After completing a medical ahead of a move to Tottenham, Willian ultimately had a last-minute change of heart, and instead went on to join Chelsea where he would go on to win two Premier League titles during a seven year stint.

The 36-year-old would later describe snubbing Spurs as the 'best decision' of his career.

'I wasn’t sure about Chelsea,' Willian told the club's website in 2022.

'They’d shown interest but it wasn’t so firm at first. Chelsea came on the day I was going to sign the contract with Spurs. I was at Tottenham’s training ground to finalise the deal when the call came. My agent said to me, "Chelsea just called me and they want you". I said, "OK, I want to go there!"

'Then I left the training ground and went back to the hotel. It was a difficult situation because I’d agreed more or less to join Spurs, but in my mind was only Chelsea.

'Once the deal between Anzhi and Chelsea was agreed, I only wanted to go there. It was the best decision of my career.'

As such, Tel's photo proved hugely controversial among Spurs fans, with one writing: 'Is Mathys Tel on a wind up?'

Another added: 'This club, No leaders at all, worst season I’ve ever seen, players liking posts of a player that scored and beat us & now tel wearing a Judas shirt get rid of all.'

A third agreed, writing: 'Wtf am I looking at.'

A number of Spurs fans leapt to Tel's defence, noting that the teenager would have been just eight years old at the time of Willian's snub.

The post was swiftly taken down with Tel later explaining in an Instagram comment that he was not aware of the contentious history.

He wrote: 'Ahaha sorry my bad guys I didn't know.'

Tel has made seven appearances in all competitions since joining Spurs and netted his first goal for the club in an FA Cup fourth round defeat to Aston Villa last month.

Ange Postecoglou's side return to action on April 3 as they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham future is in serious doubt, with the club lining up a current Premier League boss as his replacement, according to a report.

Postecolgou has been under pressure for the majority of this season, with Spurs seriously underperforming and sitting 14th in the Premier League table with 15 defeats in 29 games.

Fans have generally been split on his future, but a new report has suggested his position could be considered in the summer with other targets already being sounded out.

Postecoglou, earlier this year, vowed to win a trophy in his second year in charge - this year - but has just one shot left at fulfilling that promise in a year to forget.

With their Premier League campaign proving to be dire, the north London club also suffered exits in both domestic cups, meaning they have just the Europa League to play for.

They are in the last-eight, and must win the competition to qualify for next season's Champions League. If they don't, Spurs could turn to Andoni Iraola, according to The Athletic.

Iraola has overseen an impressive transformation at Bournemouth since he joined the club at the start of last season. After leading them to 12th in the table last term, they are currently in 10th, but just four points off the Champions League spots.

He will be a man in demand in the near future, and his team are 10 points ahead of Spurs in the table while also having an FA Cup quarter-final to look forward to this weekend.

The Spaniard has one year left on his deal with the Cherries, meaning Spurs would have to pay his £10million release clause if they want to secure his services.

Postecoglou, like his essential rival, also has a year left on his deal, with an option of extending for a fourth season at the helm in north London.

Iraola also isn't the only option for Spurs in the summer, according to the report. It is suggested that two other top flight managers are also under consideration in Marco Silva and Thomas Frank.

Silva's Fulham are currently eighth in the league table, while Frank's Brentford are 11th. Both managers have helped their sides become established Premier League sides after guiding them to promotion from the Championship.

It is believed that Silva, who was under consideration when Postecoglou was appointed, is believed to be second choice behind Iraola. Fulham, though, are said to be confident of keeping their man.

All three bosses will be back in action this weekend after the international break - Spurs take on Chelsea, Fulham travel to Arsenal and Brentford face Newcastle at St James' Park.

Alexander-Arnold looks set to leave boyhood club for Real Madrid this summer

Reds have tough task of replacing one of the most unique footballers in world

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As Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dramatic end-of-contract move to Real Madrid looms ever closer, Liverpool need to quickly figure out who is going to replace their start right back come the end of the season.

Real Madrid have been keen on Alexander-Arnold as a long-term replacement for Dani Carvajal, with reports this week claiming Los Blancos have sent a contract proposal to Alexander-Arnold.

The importance of the Liverpool academy product cannot be underestimated. He has contributed three goals and seven assists across all competitions for Liverpool this season.

His unparalleled creativity is shown in his league-best total of 13 big chances created.

Liverpool has two options: Buy a proven right back or invest in a defender for the future, a dilemma which will trouble Liverpool boss Arne Slot.

Option 1: Buy a proven right back

Achraf Hakimi - PSG

Perhaps the answer to Liverpool’s future vacancy is buying one of the best in the business in the current footballing world.

According to Sofascore, Hakimi’s 7.70 rating is marginally better than Alexander-Arnold (7.24), reinforcing his claim to be considered as one of the best around.

The Moroccan has been performing at the top level for numerous seasons now and has led his national side to a historic World Cup semi-final in 2022.

Surprisingly, the 26-year-old outperforms Alexander-Arnold from an attacking perspective, scoring five goals and assisting eleven times while creating two more big chances than the Scouse defender.

Interestingly, he balances his superb attacking play with better defensive stats, registering 6.1 ball recoveries per 90, two more than Alexander-Arnold.

The one issue for Liverpool will be his price tag as, with his contract running until 2029, PSG will demand an astronomical sum to part with one of the totems of their new project.

Jonathan Clauss - Nice

The Frenchman has been a solid performer for the past five seasons in Ligue 1 with Lens, Marseille and now Nice.

He surpasses Alexander-Arnold for accurate crosses, finding his target 27 per cent of the time compared to Alexander-Arnold's 24 per cent.

However, as Liverpool look to revitalise their squad and lower the average age, the 32-year-old is beginning to leave his prime and would probably only be best to bring in on a short-term deal.

Pedro Porro – Tottenham Hotspur

The Spaniard has been struggling to get minutes of late for Spurs with the return of Destiny Udogie and the breakout of Djed Spence. This has prompted chatter of a possible move in the summer.

The 25-year-old’s inconsistency has alarmed Spurs fans as he eagerly pushes on in attack in sacrifice of his defensive duties which seems to be the undoing of Spurs of late.

Yet, his 8.3 final third entries per 90, whilst below Alexander-Arnold’s 11.1, suggests he would be well-equipped for making the bursting runs Slot requires from his right back.

Giovanni di Lorenzo – Napoli

Challenging Pedro Porro’s final third entries (7.2), Di Lorenzo has been a dependable performer for Napoli for the past six seasons.

The 31-year-old is an Italian international, competing for them on the global stage, demonstrating that he would seamlessly transition into Liverpool’s demanding culture.

But his crossing is not good enough. Di Lorenzo has delivered only 17 per cent accurate crosses this season, below par for Liverpool’s play style.

Jeremie Frimpong – Bayer Leverkusen

The most likely to move to Liverpool many pundits would say, Jeremie Frimpong is one of the hottest footballing prospects in the world right now.

At 24-years-old, the Dutchman has a bright future ahead of him but he's already attracting interest from European giants after his his outstanding performances for Bayer Leverkusen.

His attacking output beats Alexander-Arnold this season with four goals and nine assists in a Xabi Alonso system where he is given license to bomb forward.

Videos of him greeting Ryan Gravenberch during the international break in a Scouse accent has also fuelled rumours of a move to Merseyside.

Although, Sofascore’s 6.87 rating places him as the worst performing player on the list because he often loses the ball due to his attacking approach.

Option two: invest in long-term potential

Liverpool fans and pundits alike may argue that the Reds already have a successor at right back with Conor Bradley.

The Northern Ireland international first burst onto the scene in Alexander-Arnold’s absence through injury in the 2023-24 season and proved himself as a capable back up.

The 21-year-old is not by any means the finished article, underperforming in the attacking department, assisting just twice in 22 matches.

Vanderson – Monaco

An intriguing option could be Brazilian Vanderson who has become a promising right back since his move to Monaco from Gremio.

According to Sofascore, his 7.13 rating is better than Bradley’s 6.78, indicating his future upwards trajectory.

Two goals and four assists in 34 matches show his potential on the attacking front, including 6.2 final third entries.

Defensively, the 23-year-old’s 5.6 ball recoveries per 90 topples Alexander-Arnold, suggesting he could be a viable option to add to the successful list of Brazilians who have played for the Reds.

Djed Spence – Tottenham Hotspur

Quietly rising the ranks after being cast aside under previous managers, Djed Spence is an excellent prospect.

Possessing the ability to play left or right and comfortable going forward and defending, the Englishman has been one of Spurs’ best players this season despite only playing 24 games.

Notably, his 30 per cent crossing accuracy is higher than Alexander-Arnold’s, which would be a vital weapon for Slot.

Valued at around £13m by Transfermarkt, if Liverpool wanted to make the move, they could acquire the Englishman on the cheap if Daniel Levy plays ball.

Guela Doue – RC Strasbourg

Brother to PSG’s Desire Doue, the right back boasts promising footballing pedigree.

At only 22-years-old, Doue has already established himself as a starter in the French side, proficient both offensively and defensively.

His 9.0 final third entries per 90 and 5.4 ball recoveries per 90 demonstrate his all-round ability, prevailing over Bradley’s statistics.

Atletico Madrid are monitoring developments with Spurs centre back Cristian Romero.

The Argentina international is understood to be interested in exploring a move away in the summer as he looks to play Champions League football.

The 26-year-old was critical of the club's hierarchy and recruitment policy in December, highlighting a lack of depth to their squad in comparison to the Premier League's elite, following a glut of injuries.

Having missed a number of games this season through injury and suspension himself, he has also praised his national side's medical staff in comments that have been construed as a subtle dig towards his rehab treatment at Spurs.

A World Cup winner with Argentina, Romero is playing under his fifth manager at Spurs, including interims, since signing for £43million from Atalanta in 2021.

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League and will play Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter finals of the Europa League.

They face another summer of change with Ange Postecoglou's position expected to come under review and a number of players are assessing their next move.

Spurs, who tried to add Chelsea's Axel Disasi and Fikayo Tomori from Milan on deadline day, have been working on plans to strengthen further however with the likes of Lille midfielder Angel Gomes, who will be a free agent, and Southampton's Tyler Dibling among the names being considered.