Australia’s Ange Postecoglou keeps Tottenham’s hopes alive with crucial victory

Tottenham boss, Australian Ange Postecoglou, has delivered exactly what the fans wanted in a do-or-die match.

Ange Postecoglou’s dream of winning silverware in his second year as Tottenham coach is still alive and well after a stunning victory in London on Friday.

The Australian football coach delivered exactly what the Europa fans wanted in the do-or-die match – a win that the club desperately needed against Dutch team AZ Alkmaar that has saved his career, for now.

Shortly after the victory Postecoglou said he was “positive” and has “been encouraged” about what is ahead for the rest of the season.

“As much as you try to block out the outside noise, and it doesn’t bother me, but I am sure the players and the whole club was aware tonight was a big night for us,” he said.

There’s no doubt that fans – many who spoke to News Corp outside the ground – said the club must stick with the 59-year-old coach for a while yet and give him more time to deliver some wins for them.

After Friday’s 3-1 victory (agg 3-2) in the last-16 decider he certainly has good reason to breathe a little easier and the Spurs now go onto the quarterfinals and booked a clash against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ange Postecoglou’s dream of winning silverware in his second year as Tottenham coach is still alive and well after a stunning victory in London on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

When the players made their way out into the cauldron the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London’s north on Friday it wasn’t until 20-year-old Wilson Odobert’s goal at the 26 minute mark in the first half that the crowd finally had something to crow about.

But not for long, fans were hanging on the edge of their seats at half time with nerves running high – was success in the Europa League about to come to an abrupt end?

“So happy for the players and so proud of them. It's not easy. Everyone knew it was a big night for us.” 👏

Ange's thoughts on tonight's win 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/mFPdwho5Zg

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 13, 2025

But minutes into the second half Tottenham supporters had another reason to hold out hope – midfielder James Maddison scored the Spurs’ second goal that resulted in the crowd leaping out of their seats and feeling that victory was possible.

But it was at the 64 minute mark that AZ Alkmaar’s Peer Koopmeiners scored, sending the Dutch cheer squad crazy and putting grim faces on the faces of Spurs’ fans who went awfully quiet.

The Australian soccer coach delivered exactly what the fans wanted in the do-or-die match – a win that the club desperately needed against Dutch team AZ Alkmaar that has saved his career, for now. Picture: AFP

But just 12 minutes later Odobert delivered again, scoring his second goal and putting Spurs back in front 3-1.

As Postecoglou watched on, rugged up in his long hooded puffer jacket and gloves on the chilly London night, the packed house at Spurs’ home ground advantage certainly paid off.

Desperate fans hoping for a win relentlessly chanted, “Come on you Spurs” and “When the Saints go marching in”, rising from their seats each time and screaming for victory.

And this time it worked. They won.

But whether it was a win or loss on Friday many fans were backing Postecoglou to stay on regardless.

Michael Tait, 71, from Notinghamshire, said Postecoglou should “100 per cent” stay on as coach.

“To me they’ve at least got to back him and give him another year,” he said.

But Danielle Lawley, 45, from Broxbourne wasn’t so sure.

“Is he right for the club, I don’t know,” she said.

“All we want as fans is...we want to start winning”.

But there’s no doubt the bad headlines for Postecoglou have never let up – in recent days UK press has rolled out stories relentlessly questioning the Australian coach’s performance – News Corp’s The Sun wrote, “The last poste, Ange plays it cool as reign teeters on the brink of disaster”.

The UK’s Daily Mail wrote on Thursday morning, “If Ange’s big call falls flat it will turn TOXIC at Tottenham”.

Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, and members of the coaching staff. Picture: Getty Images

Those famous words that Postecoglou said last year that he “always wins in his second season” have repeatedly come back to haunt him and have been the subject of interrogation by the British press.

And as The Sun put it so succinctly this week: “Those words, during a spiky Sky interview after a 1-0 North London derby defeat by Arsenal have stuck ever since and been used as a stick to beat him with when results have been poor”.

Tottenham have been renowned this season for being a team that regularly suffers defeat and has plummeted to 13th in England’s Premier League so all the problems haven’t completely gone away.

Originally published as Australia’s Ange Postecoglou keeps Tottenham’s hopes alive with crucial victory