Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has publicly expressed his bewilderment regarding the club’s decision to sack manager Ange Postecoglou, calling it “strange.” The Netherlands international’s comments come amidst widespread reports that Brentford’s Thomas Frank is poised to take over the managerial reins at Spurs.
Speaking to Voetbalzone, Van de Ven acknowledged that the decision was ultimately the club’s, and players have “little to say about that.” However, he highlighted Postecoglou’s significant achievement of ending the club’s lengthy trophy drought by winning the Europa League.
“Of course, he is the first coach in a long time who has won a trophy and has had success at Spurs. So if you look at it that way, it is, of course, a strange choice,” Van de Ven stated.
The Dutch defender also touched upon the persistent rumors linking Thomas Frank to the Tottenham dugout. “Of course, we see some rumours about the Brentford head coach (Frank), who it will probably be. So yes, a choice from the club about which we have little to say,” he reiterated.
Van de Ven emphasized the positive relationship many players had with Postecoglou, further questioning the rationale behind his dismissal. “I think many of the players got along with [Postecoglou] well. And of course, as I said, he is the first coach who has brought success to Spurs in a long time. That also shows that he has a certain quality. That also means that he has a winning mentality, 100 per cent. From that, you would of course say that it is strange that he was fired.”
While admitting that the team’s performance in the Premier League was “unacceptable,” Van de Ven suggested that multiple factors contributed to their struggles, implying the blame should not solely rest on the former manager.
Postecoglou’s sacking occurred despite his Europa League triumph and just two years into his tenure, with Tottenham citing a review of performances and a desire for a change in approach to compete on multiple fronts. Reports suggest Tottenham and Brentford have agreed on a £10 million compensation fee for Thomas Frank, with an official announcement anticipated soon.
