Spurs star makes explosive claims about Postecoglou's sacking

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has exposed the truth behind the “never expected” sacking of former manager Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou’s two-year tenure was terminated just 16 days after the club claimed their first major trophy since 2008, with the Aussie taking the Tottenham team all the way to victory in the 2025 Europa League final.

After being unveiled as manager at Tottenham ahead of the 2023-24 season, Postecoglou brought early success and many believed the club had a promising future.

However, a disastrous domestic campaign in 2024-25 saw them finish 17th on the Premier League ladder, narrowly avoiding relegation with just 11 wins from 38.

Subsequently, Postecoglou was sacked.

Speaking on his former manager’s rise and fall, Van de Ven revealed an overemphasis on the teams “attacking style” was their ultimate downfall.

“At the beginning (under Postecoglou), no team was used to playing against our system. We were playing unbelievable football,” he said.

“I liked the offensive play, but he lacked a plan B. We were getting exposed and we didn’t have solutions to get out.”

“I took to him that we needed to change some things, to play more defence sometimes, and to stop attacking sometimes,” van de Ven told Gary Neville on The Overlap Exclusive.

“He put that responsibility on (me and Romero) personally to make those changes.

"He kept (me and Romero) out for the Premier league (matches) because he just wanted to win the Europa league. (But he) expected us to sort out the changes on the pitch and make sure everybody (knew about) them.”

Stepping up to take over the Aussie’s role, Danish football manager Thomas Frank has thus far won 10 matches and lost nine, providing an inconsistent form to up-in-the-air Tottenham style.

Speaking to BBC van de Ven said, “I like what we have now with Thomas Frank. We are more secure at the back. I don’t like getting exposed every game on the counterattack.”

Speaking on his respect for the former manager, ven de Van said, "He was a really good manager. I still really like him."

“It was strange how everything went – he’s the manager than won silverware for Tottenham. When he got sacked, I sent a message to my dad and friends and said, ‘I never expected this.’”