Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham challenge
After appointing some of the top managers in world football, including Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho with little return on investment, Tottenham have turned their attention to Ange Postecoglou.
Having steered Celtic to the Treble last term, Postecoglou comes with a reputation, and while football fans may belittle what a manager achieves north of the border, he certainly warrants some attention.
Postecoglou will be desperate to revive Tottenham’s fortunes after a dismal Premier League campaign where his new club finished eight, and their agonising wait to claim a trophy continues to elude them.
Although there will be no European football for Tottenham to contend with this term, Postecoglou, who previously coached Australia, will spark plenty of interest from Aussies in Down Under, who will be eager to see how their fellow countryman fares in England’s top-flight division. Indeed, paying a visit to some of the top multi sports betting sites in Australia, such as bet365, shows Tottenham is trading at 3/1 to finish in the top four for the forthcoming season.
There will be a few things in Postecogolou’s in-tray for him to deal with before the new campaign kicks off in August. We have identified three pressing issues he needs to find a solution to.
Keep hold of Harry Kane at all costs
This may seem like an obvious point, but Harry Kane’s importance to the cause can’t be overstated. He has been their main talisman and a model of consistency, reaching the 30-goal landmark last term, with only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland netting more times.
With the transfer window in full swing, there has been mounting speculation over Kane, who is entering the final year of his contract, will end up playing his football when the window slams shut.
Manchester United and Real Madrid have been mooted as potential suitors, although with the latter, there has been talk that the La Liga giants could swoop in for Paris Saint-Germain hitman Kylian Mbappe, which in turn, could bolster Tottenham’s chances of keeping hold of Kane.
Either way, the board and Kane’s representatives can’t let another summer window drag on without finding a long-term solution to the England striker’s future, and he could be the difference next term to Tottenham finishing in the top four or spend another campaign without European football.
Tottenham owner Daniel Levy is a man who is known to play hardball, and while he may not worry about appeasing supporters, keeping hold of Kane is a challenge facing Postecoglou, and if there is a satisfactory solution, that will be one way to keep the fans on side.
Finding a replacement for Hugo Lloris
Although Hugo Lloris has spent the best part of a decade in north London, the 36-year-old showed tangible signs last term that his best days appear to be behind him.
The Frenchman made a series of high-profile blunders, and Tottenham shipped in 63 goals last term — only five teams conceded more — which is alarming.
Tottenham succumbed to some heavy defeats, including the 6-1 annihilation at the hands of Newcastle, but more worryingly, Fraser Forster gave little encouragement that he warrants being the permanent No.1.
A new goalkeeper should be on the agenda for Postecoglou and the board, especially as the defence is threadbare in terms of personnel and the back four was brought into question.
While an experienced goalkeeper is not always viewed as a statement signing, it is a crucial part of the puzzle that Postecoglou needs to figure out.
Revive Richarlison
One of the most disappointing bits of transfer business last summer for Tottenham was that of Richarlison.
Despite joining for a fee of £50million from Everton, the Brazil international failed to live up to the heights in terms of the performances he produced while on the blue half of Merseyside.
He started just 12 league games for Tottenham last season, with his only Premier League goal coming in the kamikaze game away to Liverpool at Anfield, where he thought he had grabbed a dramatic equaliser, only for Diogo Jota to break Tottenham’s hearts in the dying embers of the match.
Richarlison needs to show a clinical edge, and while getting him up to the standards of Celtic star Kyogo is a big ask, Postecoglou will need to restore some confidence to an under-fire forward.
Final Thoughts
Inevitably, whenever Tottenham appoints a new manager especially since there have been so many since Mauricio Pochettino left, there are usually some reservations and expectations that may need to be tempered.
Postecoglou is not going to necessarily deliver instant success as he did at Celtic and win the title in his debut Premier League season, but if he can produce a style and identity that gets Tottenham fans off seats, and perhaps lift a domestic trophy, then he will certainly endear himself to the fans.
