LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has defended the controversial decision to sack manager Ange Postecoglou just weeks after the Australian guided the club to its first trophy in 17 years.
Postecoglou led Spurs to Europa League glory last month, but a dismal domestic campaign that saw the team finish 17th in the Premier League ultimately cost him his job. His replacement, Brentford boss Thomas Frank, becomes Tottenham’s 13th permanent manager during Levy’s 25-year tenure at the helm.
“I don’t regret appointing Ange, I’m very grateful to him,” Levy said in an interview with the club’s in-house media. “In his first season we finished fifth and in his second, we were over the moon to win a trophy. But we need to compete in all competitions, and we felt that we needed a change.”
Postecoglou’s dismissal has sparked backlash among fans who hailed the long-awaited silverware as a sign of progress. However, Levy insists the decision was driven by the club’s bigger ambitions.
“Emotionally, it was difficult, but we feel that we’ve made the right decision for the club,” he said. “We’ve won a European trophy, but it’s not enough. We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League.”
Spurs have not won the English top-flight title since 1961 and have never lifted the Champions League trophy, coming closest in the 2019 final.
Turning attention to Frank’s arrival, Levy praised the Danish manager’s character and footballing philosophy: “What stood out to me with Thomas was that he is clearly highly intelligent, a great communicator, a super human being — plus all the technical aspects which are obviously important.”
Despite the managerial upheaval, Levy said the club aims to build on last season’s Europa League success and push for bigger titles under a fresh leadership approach.
