Greek-Australian manager Ange Postecoglou spoke out for the first time since the sacking of his successor, Thomas Frank, on Thursday, complaining that his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, is a "curious" club and that its management's philosophy is out of touch with reality.

Postecoglou made these remarks while appearing as a guest on the podcast The Overlap - Stick to Football, during which he was asked about his experience managing Spurs by hosts Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright, Roy Keane, and Jill Scott.

He said, during his two-year spell at the club, as was a major concern for fans, Tottenham's wage structure also plagued him, preventing him from signing his primary transfer targets.

He also complained that Spurs, despite possessing one of the world's largest and most advanced stadiums, has consistently used its "wage structure" as an excuse to neglect player recruitment, causing the club to lag behind the other five Premier League giants in player development and team planning. This has become the club's predicament in recent years and proves that its management is not how a top club should operate.

Postecoglou complained: “They built a stunning stadium and have incredible training facilities, but when you look at their spending, especially their wage structure, you realize they don’t look like a top club.”

“I realized this because when we tried to sign players, we weren’t considering the players (whom I wanted or should have signed).”

“At the end of my first year in charge, we finished fifth. How could we jump from fifth to a truly strong team? We had to sign players who could establish themselves in the Premier League.”

“But finishing fifth that year didn’t qualify us for the Champions League, we didn’t have enough money, so we ended up signing Dominik Solanke, whom I really admired, along with three youth players (Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Wilson Odobert).

“I was considering signing Pedro Neto, Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo, and Marc Guehi, because I said at the time that if we were to jump from fifth to there (a higher position), other top clubs would do the same at that point.” 

“Those three teenagers were all very good, and I think they would be excellent players for Tottenham Hotspur, but they weren't enough to get the team from fifth to fourth or even third."

"I still think Tottenham Hotspur considers themselves one of the elite clubs, but based on my experience over the past two years, I don't think they are."

"Arsenal will spend £100 million to sign Declan Rice when they need players. I don't think Tottenham will do that. Maybe now, I don't know. But that was true not only during my time at Spurs, but even before. A large part of it was because they were building a new stadium, so finances were a problem."

"I think what I didn't realize before was how much the Champions League impacts a team, and I think that's why we've always been so eager for it, because it brings in revenue. So, in my first year in charge, we almost did it. We finished fifth, which in other years would likely have been enough to qualify for the Champions League."

"If we had actually qualified for the Champions League, maybe we wouldn't have bought three teenagers last year." "But I still don't think we'll spend that much money. What really attracts players isn't transfer fees, but wages."

"Ask yourself, when was the last time Tottenham Hotspur signed a player that truly amazed you?!"

The club's actions contradict its motto

Although 'To Dare is To Do; is Tottenham's club motto, Postecoglou firmly believes this isn't the philosophy of the club's management, including former chairman Daniel Levy, who stepped down in September 2025 after 24 years in charge.

Postecoglou added: "When you walk into Tottenham Hotspur, you'll find the 'To Dare is To Do' philosophy everywhere. It's omnipresent. However, their actual actions are almost entirely contrary to this."

"Whether you like him or hate him, you have to acknowledge Daniel's contribution because he chose a seemingly safe path that ultimately brought them a new stadium and facilities." 

"I think what they didn't realize is that to truly win, you have to take risks at some point, and that's in this club's DNA."

Commenting on the club's current situation from a past perspective

As someone who has been through it all, Postecoglou also mentioned his own experience of being constrained by the motto 'To Dare is To Do,' and how he won Tottenham's first-ever Europa League title after they finished 17th and narrowly escaped relegation, only to be sacked in the end. He also shared his views on Thomas Frank's personal experiences before his sacking.

He said: "We were never close to safety. We were only 13 points above the relegation zone."

"But towards the end of the season, it was clear we wanted to pursue other goals, and even so, we still scored 64 goals last season. I was still trying to motivate the players, but we didn't have the capacity to compete on multiple fronts."

"Nevertheless, I still think this is the direction we're heading." "If we want to become the team I envision Tottenham Hotspur to be, then this is the way to go."

"I knew I was leaving around the end of January or beginning of February. I told the managers, 'Listen, we're not fighting relegation, we're in the Europa League quarter-finals, and I think we can win.' That meant not only winning trophies, but also qualifying for the Champions League."

"I said, 'But the reality is, you all have to be prepared because we're going to get beaten every week. I accept that reality. Don't worry, I'll take full responsibility.' But I also said that if we were eliminated at any stage of the Europa League, I was almost certain it was all over."

"So I knew I was leaving because you can sense it when you talk to people about it. Nobody talked to me about the transfer window or preseason plans, so you understand, it's not a big deal. But I didn't really understand it at the time." "

Resonating with many people

Postecoglou's interview immediately sparked heated discussions among fans worldwide after it aired. Tottenham's star Brazil international striker, Richarlison, shared a clip of the interview on his official social media account.

Tottenham captain Christian Romero, known for his outspokenness and numerous criticisms of the management this year, also followed Richarlison's example by sharing the video clip, further intensifying the debate.

Uncertainty Ahead

After suffering a 1-2 home defeat to Newcastle United this week despite leading by one goal, Tottenham are now truly mired in the Premier League relegation battle.

Given the sheer size of their operations, if Spurs were relegated this season, it would likely generate even greater public pressure than Newcastle United's relegation.

Frank's sacking means Spurs will be searching for their sixth manager in seven years, and with a match against their city rivals and league leaders Arsenal looming in the coming weeks, any successor will undoubtedly face a formidable challenge.

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