Ange Postecoglou has defended his record amid speculation about his Tottenham future.
Postecoglou, 59, has endured a mixed second season at Spurs, with the Australian helping the club to end their 17-year trophy drought last week when they won the Europa League.
Despite their European success, Tottenham endured a dismal Premier League campaign as they lost 22 of 38 games, picked up 38 points and finished 17th after a 4-1 thrashing at home by Brighton on the final day.
This has led to several reports claiming Postecoglou is set be sacked – with the Australian coming under pressure throughout the campaign – but Spurs’ historic Europa League triumph may help him to keep his job.
And, speaking on Sunday, the 59-year-old, who has been steadfast in vindicating his work, responded to questions on his future.
‘How do I assess the season? Outstanding,’ he said. ‘We won a trophy which we haven’t done for 17 years and we’re in the Champions League.
Ange Postecoglou has defended his record amid speculation about his Tottenham future
Postecoglou helped Spurs to end their 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League
But Tottenham also finished in 17th place in the Premier League after losing 22 of 38 games
‘I’ll be honest, I’m finding it weird to be talking about my future when we’ve done something unprecedented.
‘I made decisions I felt gave us the best chance of achieving the goal we needed to achieve and that has affected our league form. If people don’t want to take that into account, then there is nothing I can say.’
Postecoglou continued to point to the Europa League triumph as a mark of the good work he is doing at Spurs, but insisted the situation is out of his control.
‘Part of me is thinking: “Why am I being asked that question?”,’ he added. ‘I’ve done something no one believed I could do, and I shouldn’t be here sitting here talking about this but you guys wouldn’t be asking it if there wasn’t a doubt, right?
‘I can’t answer it. Other people can and from my perspective it doesn’t diminish the achievement.’
Meanwhile, Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp also weighed in on Postecoglou’s future after two seasons in north London that have seen the Australian win 47 of 101 games in charge.
Keane appeared to give his backing to the Australian as he said: ‘He’s under contract. It’s unfair to keep asking about his situation. I don’t hear other managers constantly being asked that, so why should he have to answer that?
‘No doubt he’s under pressure, but he’s under contract. I’m fully expecting him to come back unless he gets sacked.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has a decision to make with regards to Postecoglou’s future
The Australian admitted he found it ‘weird’ to be discussing his future after what he has done
Roy Keane claimed he felt it was unfair Postecoglou was constantly being asked questions
Jamie Redknapp also defended the Australian, although he did criticise Spurs’ ‘bizarre’ season
‘He’s on the back of a big success in the week. Of course their league form has been shocking but you think the fact he’s won a trophy, they’ve got the Champions League to look forward to, he would get some sort of backing.
‘But again if he’s under contract, why does he constantly have to answer questions on it? I don’t get it really.’
Redknapp also threw his support behind Postecoglou, although he did highlight the ‘bizarre’ season that Spurs have had – and added that the Australian is due some criticism.
‘I said before that if he wins this week in Europe, he should keep his job,’ he explained.
‘Forget what’s happened because it has been such a disappointing campaign… almost the most bizarre campaign. How can you finish so low but win a European Cup?
‘You have to credit him for that because that was his brief. What he said in mid-season was one of the great quotes of all time: “I always win something in my second season”.
‘To have the audacity to say that and deliver it almost blew my mind but I’m not getting that vibe or feeling (he’ll be there), I’m getting the feeling that things are not necessarily going in his favour.
‘He deserves another season, and yes they have had injuries, but you still shouldn’t perform in that manner.’