- Australian Angelos Postecoglou has been chosen as the next head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, and he has been given a four-year contract.
- Postecoglou arrives following two great seasons at Celtic where the 57-year-old won five titles.
- We look at the problems that await the Austrian as he begins his tenure.
Australian Angelos Postecoglou has been chosen as the next head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, and he has been given a four-year contract.
Postecoglou arrives following two great seasons at Celtic, where the 57-year-old won five titles, including the domestic treble in 2022–2023.
He takes over a Spurs squad that finished ninth last season, the team’s lowest league result in more than a decade, and makes history as the first Australian to take charge of a Premier League team.
We look at the problems that await the Austrian as he begins his tenure.
The goalkeeper dilemma
Hugo Lloris. Photo/ Goal.com.
Hugo Lloris’ confirmation of his wish to quit Tottenham means the goalkeeper issue there has to be resolved this summer.
After more than ten years in north London, the 36-year-old’s performances were criticized last season, and it now appears to be the proper moment to go. Last year, Fraser Forster filled in for Lloris when he was out, but as the Postecoglou era begins, Spurs need a new number one.
Given Postecoglou’s aim to control the ball and build from the back, a goalkeeper with good footwork should be a priority. David Raya of Brentford is one option who has apparently made the club’s shortlist.
The Spaniard, who is expected to depart Brentford this summer, has established a reputation as one of the finest distributors in the Premier League. The Bees are anticipated to make a profit on a man who has just one year left on his current deal since they have already replaced Raya with Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Kane’s future
Harry Kane has been linked to a move away from Spurs.||PHOTO: Eurosport|
The biggest topic of conversation in north London right now is Harry Kane’s future at Tottenham, with club officials remaining mum despite persistent rumors.
Postecoglou will want to settle Kane’s future as soon as possible, in one way or another. If Kane commits, Postecoglou will be able to assemble his team around one of the game’s best attackers. The 29-year-old scored 30 goals in the league last season, becoming the all-time leading scorer for Tottenham and England.
Significant money will be made available for reinvestment should Kane decide to go in quest of a more conducive environment to win illusive hardware, and the signing of a center-forward will move up the list of transfer priorities.
Although losing the team’s star would be a devastating blow to Postecoglou in the early stages of his tenure, it is a possibility given the interest that Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich are showing in Kane. The earlier Kane’s future is made clear, the better.
Poor defensive record
Spurs struggled defensively throughout a dismal Premier League season, which resulted in the team’s worst league finish since 2008/09.
Spurs lost out on European qualifying after finishing the campaign ninth in the standings and with the most goals allowed in the top half of the Premier League.
Upgrades are needed for the team’s defensive options, and it is said that Spurs may consider offers for Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga, and Eric Dier this summer. All of these players have fallen short of expectations or contributed to Spurs’ stagnation.
Sell players
Harry Winks. PHOTO: EPL Analysis
Next season, Tottenham will not play in Europe for the first time since the 2008–09 campaign, thus Postecoglou will need to trim his team to maintain a positive atmosphere in the locker room.
With no continental competition, Spurs’ first-team roster for the next season is bloated, with almost 30 signed players.
While others who spent last season on loan and will be anticipated to go on with permanent agreements this summer.
As Postecoglou seeks to mold his team in his own image, those exits, together with the likely departure of Kane, may bring in huge sums to reinforce. For the Australian, who was successful at Celtic by utilizing his understanding of the Asian market, recruiting will be essential. Given the quality increase and Premier League wealth available at Spurs, he will be working in a whole different market.
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