Pep Guardiola suffered four consecutive defeats for the first time in his managerial career as Manchester City’s dismal spell hit a new low with a late collapse in their 2-1 loss at Brighton.
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With just 12 minutes left, Guardiola’s troubled side were clinging onto the lead given to them by Erling Haaland in the first half.
But they collapsed in the closing stages as Joao Pedro equalised before Matt O’Riley bagged Brighton’s winner seven minutes from full-time.
For the first time in his glittering career as a manager with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Guardiola has been beaten four times in a row.
It was also the first time City had lost four successive games since a run between April and August 2006 under Stuart Pearce.
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City.Source: AFP
After exiting the League Cup to Tottenham and suffering a first league loss since December at Bournemouth, City were thrashed 4-1 by Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek.
The slump continued as they failed to kill off Brighton before the second half implosion that threatens to derail their bid for a fifth successive Premier League title.
Second-placed City are two points behind leaders Liverpool, who can extend that gap to five points if they beat Aston Villa at Anfield later on Saturday.
City have been beset by injury problems, most notably the loss of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri for the rest of the season.
Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji were only fit enough for the bench, while Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish were absent from the squad.
Guardiola had insisted he would solve City’s problems but he has so far been unable to come up with the answer to their mounting crisis.
City had paid for failing to turn their dominance into more than a one-goal lead against Sporting and profligacy was a problem again on the south coast of England.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 09: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, interacts with Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton & Hove Albion following the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Manchester City FC at Amex Stadium on November 09, 2024 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
– City in turmoil –
Savinho should have put City ahead when Mateo Kovacic’s pass sent him surging into the Albion area, but the Brazilian’s weak finish allowed Bart Verbruggen to save.
Kovacic was the catalyst when City took the lead in the 23rd minute with a goal equal parts inspiration and perspiration.
The Croatia midfielder’s inch-perfect pass split the Brighton defence but Haaland still had work to do as his initial shot was blocked by Verbruggen, leaving the Norwegian in a race with Jan Paul van Hecke to poke the ball in before it could be cleared.
Haaland’s 15th goal in all competitions this season was only the second time he had netted in his last six league appearances.
Haaland’s 75th league goal since joining City in 2022 was almost followed by the 76th moments later, his low drive repelled by Verbruggen at the near post.
Kovacic’s long-range volley forced another good stop from the increasingly over-worked Verbruggen.
But City fatally dropped their intensity just before half time, allowing Fabian Hurzeler’s side to gain a foothold.
Brighton’s Cameroonian midfielder #20 Carlos Baleba (2R) celebrates on the pitch.Source: AFP
Jack Hinshelwood wasted a golden opportunity to haul Brighton level early in the second half as his close-range header from Pervis Estupinan’s cross was palmed away by Ederson.
Ederson raced off his line to save at Kaoru Mitoma’s feet before Pedro scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Pedro made amends for that miss as the Brazilian punished woeful City defending to equalise with 12 minutes left.
Mitoma was given too much space for a pass into Welbeck in the six-yard box. Rico Lewis’s block-tackle stopped Welbeck shooting but Josko Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes didn’t clear the danger, allowing Pedro to pounce with a close-range strike.
Guardiola slumped into his seat but there was worse to come for the City boss in the 83rd minute.
Pedro slipped his pass through City’s leaky defence and O’Riley timed his run perfectly to clip a composed finish past Ederson from 10 yards to leave the champions in turmoil.
RESULTS
Brentford 3 (Wissa 27, 58, Damsgaard 50) Bournemouth 2 (Evanilson 17, Kluivert 49) Brighton 2 (Pedro 78, O’Riley 83) Manchester City 1 (Haaland 23) Crystal Palace 0 Fulham 2 (Smith Rowe 45+2, Wilson 83) West Ham 0 Everton 0 Wolves 2 (Sarabia 2, Cunha 51) Southampton 0
When Ange Postecoglou sat down for his first press conference as Tottenham manager last July, he revealed his vision for his new team.
Aside from being “successful”, Postecoglou wanted Tottenham “to be an aggressive team, a dominant team, a team who takes the game to every opposition home and away”.
With Postecoglou’s debut season as a Premier League manager in the rear-view mirror, it’s hard to argue the Australian hasn’t delivered on his plan, especially the desire to show no fear against Spurs’ opponents.
However, the same pundits who lauded Postecoglou’s bravery and ingenuity for the style of play at the start seemed to turn on him just as quickly once results began to slide.
It was a predictable discourse and one Postecoglou has faced at almost every stop in his managerial career.
However, one game – and one specific moment – proved that no matter what the pundits said, the Australian would not waver from his beliefs.
This is how Postecoglou silenced the doubters, at least for now, and guided Tottenham back to the bright lights of European football, all without the club’s record goal scorer.
Postecoglou laid out his ambitions for Tottenham in his first press conference. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE REVEALS GREAT SPURS ‘HOPE AND DESIRE’ AMID GLARING $157M HOLE
Along with an outline of what he wanted from Tottenham during games, Postecoglou made it abundantly clear it would be no overnight transformation.
But, at the very least, he wanted fans to see the foundations for what was to come.
“We had a massive rebuild at Celtic but at the beginning, even though the results weren’t there, the supporters could see what we were trying to do and get behind us,” Postecoglou said.
“I don’t know whether it’s going to be a rocky start or a good start for us but my hope and desire and what I’m going to try to do is give supporters hope that we’re going to embark on something special.”
What made Postecoglou’s rebuild all the more difficult was the drawn-out transfer saga surrounding superstar striker Harry Kane.
In the 2022-23 campaign, Kane accounted for 43 per cent of Tottenham’s 70 league goals but he was so much more than just a goalscorer. Kane was Tottenham.
Kane left Tottenham to go to Bayern Munich. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Kane was sold to Bayern Munich for $157 million on the eve of Tottenham’s Premier League opener against Brentford, although Postecoglou insisted he planned for the superstar’s exit.
It’s impossible to replace Kane directly, so Postecoglou opted to upgrade several positions across the squad prior to Kane’s departure.
Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro’s temporary deals became permanent while Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Mickey van de Ven and Brennan Johnson all arrived in the summer, with Johnson joining on deadline day.
With the loss of Kane coupled with the squad needing to adapt to Postecoglou’s methods, the Australian was reluctant to set any expectations for the season ahead, at least externally.
“Again, from the outset what’s important is that we try and establish some key principles of who we want to be first of all,” Postecoglou said.
Well, if Postecoglou didn’t want to vocalise any concrete goals, the stunning unbeaten run to start the season gave fans plenty of reason to dream.
Maddison was one of Postecoglou’s first signings. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
POP ICON GETS BEHIND ANGE AS SPURS DARE TO DREAM
In Postecoglou’s first season at Celtic, a draw and three losses in the first seven league games — including a defeat to bitter rivals Rangers — had some sections of the fanbase already doubting his credentials.
It was the complete opposite at Tottenham.
Postecoglou oversaw a pulsating 2-2 draw against Brentford to start and the results that followed led to a tidal wave of positivity and optimism from Spurs supporters.
Tottenham went on a staggering 10-game unbeaten run featuring victories over Manchester United and Liverpool, albeit the latter result was dripping in controversy as the Reds were wrongly denied a goal.
Not even bitter rivals Arsenal could stop Tottenham as the first north London derby of the season ended 2-2.
Yet the one game in this dizzying run that truly united the fan base was a 2-1 victory over lowly Sheffield United.
Tottenham celebrate after scoring a late, late winner to beat Sheffield United. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Blades looked set to escape north London with a highly valuable victory and were ahead as late as the 97th minute.
Just 180 seconds later, Kulusevski scored what proved to be the game winner as the stadium erupted in a chorus of joy.
Tottenham sat in first with 26 points from a possible 30, Postecoglou was constantly serenaded to the tune of Robbie Williams’ Angels — with the pop icon even signing the amended version himself — and fans dared to dream of what could be.
But Tottenham supporters were quickly brought crashing back to earth in the club’s 11th game of the season as a reporter’s prediction about how Postecoglou’s first season would unfold came true.
Postecoglou laps up the support from the adoring Tottenham fans. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW EERIE PREDICTION CAME TRUE AS LOSS SPARKS GREAT DEBATE
In early November, Tottenham welcomed a Chelsea team stuck in mid-table having won just three of their opening 10 games.
Postecoglou’s side began brightly as Kulusevski scored in the sixth minute and looked a threat every time they went forward against Chelsea’s fragile backline.
But the contest flipped on its head in the 33rd minute when Tottenham defender Cristian Romero got sent off and Cole Palmer buried the resulting penalty to equalise.
It went from bad to worse for Tottenham when star duo Van de Ven and Maddison were forced off with significant injuries just before half time.
If that wasn’t grim enough, Destiny Udogie’s second yellow in the 55th minute reduced the hosts to just nine men.
Much to the surprise of the wider football community — except those who have followed Postecoglou’s career closely — Tottenham refused to park their nine men behind the ball and continued to pour numbers forward in attack.
Yes, it meant Chelsea’s speedy wingers got behind Tottenham’s defensive line with ease, but it is not the Postecoglou way to simply roll over and accept defeat.
An iconic image emphasised how wedded Postecoglou is to his philosophy and also proved The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare correct in his pre-season prediction.
“I think there will be quite a tedious debate,” Eccleshare told The View From The Lane podcast in August.
“The way this will pan out is that Postecoglou will get a lot of plaudits early on because he plays attacking football.
“But there will come a point at which they lose badly to a team they’re expected to beat because they play in this certain way.
“There will be a lot of pundits saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m all for good football but there comes a time you’ve got to shut up shop. I don’t care who you are, you’ve got to show more respect to the opposition.’”
Despite going down to nine men, Postecoglou still used a high defensive line against Chelsea. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Those critical pundits came out swinging after the Chelsea defeat.
“I have to say, there was a bit of an arrogance about not changing it,” former Chelsea defender and talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy said, adding Postecoglou’s stubbornness was “naive”.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson was equally critical.
“I’d never seen anything like it,” Merson told Sky Sports.
“But Ange Postecoglou should have changed tactics. It was very easy. If that was Man City playing Tottenham, it would have been 10-1 at least.”
Even Tottenham legend and former England manager Glenn Hoddle was stunned at Postecoglou’s refusal to adapt.
“If Tottenham keeps playing that high, near the halfway line, then I think it’s footballing suicide with 10 men,” Hoddle told Premier League Productions during the halftime break.
“They had defenders in there that they’ve had it work, but it seems to me they haven’t changed their tactics. They’ve got to change.”
Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou was peppered with questions as to why he did not change his approach with nine men on the park.
“It is just who we are mate,” Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference.
“It is who we are and who we will be for as long as I am here. If we go down to five men, we will have a go.”
Only Postecoglou could have the ability to make Tottenham fans view a 4-1 defeat to a rival team through an optimistic lens.
However, the debate slowly turned against him as results became harder to come by in the second half of the season.
Postecoglou’s approach against Chelsea had pundits questioning his bold tactics. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE’S BRUTAL VERDICT AS ‘WORST EXPERIENCE’ LEAVES AUSSIE SEETHING
After the Chelsea defeat, Tottenham failed to win any of their next four games as Postecoglou grappled with a mounting injury list that exposed a worrying lack of depth, especially in defence.
Tottenham ultimately kept just one clean sheet from the Chelsea clash on November 6 through to the 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on March 10.
Conceding goals off of set pieces also proved to be problematic, with Tottenham shipping the fifth-most (16) throughout the season.
There were calls from the external world for Postecoglou to appoint a specialist set piece coach to combat the issue but the Aussie refused, insisting his assistant coaches Ryan Mason and Mile Jedinak were well-equipped at the role.
“There are far more important things that we need to concentrate on at the moment in terms of the team we’re building,” Postecoglou said.
Although Tottenham’s form in the second half of the season was patchy, the 4-0 victory over Villa had many believing a top four finish was achievable.
But Postecoglou’s side won just four out of their final 11 games as the Champions League dream slipped further and further away.
Granted, Tottenham had to face Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in their final seven games.
Tottenham’s form dropped off a cliff at the end of the season. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The defeat to City proved to be especially bruising — and eye-opening — for the Aussie boss.
Tottenham had to win if they were to remain in the mix for the Champions League, but victory would have also put Arsenal in the box seat to win the Premier League title.
Lose or draw that match and they could kiss the Champions League goodbye for another season.
Sections of the Tottenham fan base made it clear they weren’t terribly fussed about losing to City, especially if it robbed their bitter rivals of a first league title in 10 years.
When asked before the game about the supporters being okay with defeat, Postecoglou bristled and responded: “I understand rivalry, but I have never, and will never, understand if someone wants their own team to lose.”
Tottenham would lose 2-0 to City amid a subdued atmosphere within the stadium as Postecoglou delivered an explosive post-match press conference where he criticised the club’s “fragile foundations”.
The defeat to Manchester City left Postecoglou with a bitter taste in his mouth. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It left The Telegraph’s Matt Law believing either Postecoglou or Tottenham had to fully adapt to the other and could not maintain their stubbornness.
“In many respects Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are a match made in heaven,” Law wrote.
“But if the marriage is not to ultimately end in another messy divorce, then something will have to give.
“Put simply, either Tottenham have to change or Postecoglou does because the last three months have demonstrated that stubbornness from both sides will grow into something much more damaging.”
A few days after the game, the Aussie boss conceded it was “probably the worst experience” he’s had as a manager during a match and “got it wrong” in terms of what he expected the atmosphere and the fans’ sentiments to be.
Postecoglou and Tottenham managed to end the season on a high as a comfortable 3-0 win over Sheffield United ensured a spot in the Europa League for next season.
Tottenham qualified for the Europa League. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW PL VACUUM COULD GIVE SPURS BIG BOOST AS HISTORY ON ANGE’S SIDE
Although some may look back on Tottenham’s season wondering what could have been, Postecoglou’s debut Premier League campaign should fill supporters with optimism.
Objectively it was a better season than the 22/23 one: under Postecoglou, Tottenham finished with more points, won more games, scored more and conceded less.
Let’s not forget Postecoglou did all of this without Kane’s goals.
Another cause for a positive outlook is how Postecoglou traditionally fares in his second season at a club.
During his stints with the Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic, the 58-year-old averaged more points per game in his second season.
The summer window will give Postecoglou another chance to shape the squad further into his mould and ship out those who he does not believe can play his high-octane brand of football.
There could also be a serious vacuum at the top of the ladder which opens the door wide open for Postecoglou and Tottenham to return to the top four.
With Jurgen Klopp no longer at the helm for Liverpool, new boss Arne Slot will hope to avoid the slump attached to those replacing long-term managers.
There’s plenty to look forward to in Postecoglou’s second season at Tottenham. (Photo by Barrington Coombs/PA Images via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
David Moyes couldn’t do it at Manchester United after he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson and Unai Emery struggled at Arsenal as Arsene Wenger’s successor, so there’s every chance Slot and Liverpool slide down the ladder.
Chelsea will also have a new manager in Enzo Maresca as the Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino despite the latter leading the club to a sixth-place finish.
There’s also a chance Aston Villa take a slight tumble as they contend with the club’s first Champions League campaign in 41 years.
A return to Europe’s elite club competition next season would represent yet another improvement for Postecoglou.
So too would winning a trophy, something Tottenham have not done since 2008.
After spending 15 years trying to escape the quagmire of the National League, Wrexham have earned back-to-back promotions and can now plan for League One, the third tier of the English football pyramid.
A 6-0 thrashing of Forest Green on April 14 sealed promotion for Wrexham as they returned to League One for the first time since 2005.
Granted, there has been nowhere near as much fanfare surrounding the Welsh club’s achievement compared to when they won the National League last season.
Perhaps it is because of the many near-misses that came with trying to get out of the fifth tier, giving a town down on its luck for so long something to cheer for once again.
Regardless of how many bottles of beers and champagne have been sprayed and consumed, Wrexham must now prepare for next season as they inch closer towards the bright lights of the Premier League.
It is a dream Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have never shied away from, even when the club were in the National League.
But they are now just two leagues away from English football’s top tier and the billions of eyeballs that come with it.
League One will present its own unique set of challenges, with every club going to be a harder test than what Wrexham has ever faced and on a weekly basis.
Unfortunately for the club, it could also mean the end of the road for several of the cult heroes football fans have come to know and love from watching the hit series Welcome to Wrexham.
Wrexham are going up to League One. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CULT HERO, SKIPPER TO FACE BRUTAL PROMOTION REALITY
At the end of this season, 11 Wrexham players will be out of contract: Steven Fletcher, Eoghan O’Connell, Mark Howard, Rob Lainton, Ben Tozer, James McClean, Callum McFadzean, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Aaron Hayden, Liam Hall and skipper Luke Young.
Of that group, only Hall, McClean and Fletcher arrived after Wrexham had been promoted to League Two.
Hall, a 19-year-old goalkeeper, has the option for an extra year on his contract and could be kept on.
As for McClean and Fletcher, who have made a combined 867 appearances across the Premier League all the way down to League Two, they have made vital contributions to Wrexham’s season despite their respective ages of 35 and 37.
McClean has three league goals and ten assists to his name while Fletcher has proven to be somewhat of a super sub, scoring eight league goals for Wrexham.
With all of their veteran nous, Wrexham could and likely will keep both on for another season as they navigate the perils of League One.
But what about the rest of that out-of-contract group?
Rob Lainton, the injury-riddled goalkeeper who has featured heavily on the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, has been with the club since November 2018.
But he’s likely to be a casualty of a ruthless player cull given Arsenal loanee Arthur Okonkwo was first choice goalkeeper and Howard the preferred backup.
As for Howard, who is 37, he would likely be offered a new deal with the expectation he would be the back-up for whoever Wrexham decide to pursue as their first-choice goalkeeper next season.
Lainton’s time at Wrexham is likely up. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Either way, at least one of Lainton or Howard is likely to move on, if not both.
That brings us to the defenders amongst the expiring contract crew in Tozer, O’Connell, McFadzean, Tunnicliffe and Hayden.
Of this group, O’Connell is the biggest contributor having started 28 league games for Wrexham and makes the most sense to remain at the club.
As for the other four, it’s grim reading.
Tozer, 34, has made the matchday squad on 42 occasions but has started in just 25 as his age and lack of pace has somewhat caught up to him, although his infamous long throws remain a lethal asset in Wrexham’s arsenal.
It would be no surprise to see McFadzean depart having made just two appearances off the bench in League Two all season long.
Same goes for Tunnicliffe who has made seven league appearances in total.
Hayden, who has endured his own injury issues at Wrexham but also contributes with vital goals, has started in 15 of the 16 games he was in the squad.
At 27, he could be kept on but having failed to nail down a starting spot in League Two, there’s little reason to believe that will change in a higher division.
And what of club captain Young, who joined Wrexham way back in 2018?
A brutal call will likely have to be made on Young who has battled with injuries and has started just 12 league games this season along with 13 appearances off the bench.
Even though he dons the skipper’s armband, Wrexham cannot rely on players like Young who, despite their lengthy tenures at the club, simply haven’t earned consistent starts in League Two.
But this is the ruthless, brutal nature of English football’s lower tiers and for Wrexham, they are going to have to make some uncomfortable decisions for some familiar faces.
Wrexham skipper Luke Young may be cut loose. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
THE FALLEN GIANTS HOLDING WREXHAM BACK AS KEY STARS FINALLY ON LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
When Wrexham made several marquee signings while in the National League, those players had dropped down from League One and League Two.
Superstar striker Paul Mullin was lured to the club from League Two’s Cambridge United, Ollie Palmer joined from Wimbledon in League One and Elliott Lee moved from Luton Town, who were in the Championship.
Those players were, quite simply, far too good for the fifth tier.
Understandably, a key reason why Wrexham were able to sign these players was largely because of McElhenney and Reynolds’ deep pockets, pockets none of their National League rivals could ever compete with.
Wrexham once again loaded up on players from above when they made it to League Two, signing McClean from Wigan Athletic (League One), George Evans from Millwall (Championship), Will Boyle from Huddersfield (Championship) and Jack Marriott from Fleetwood Town (League One).
When Wrexham were in the National League and League Two, these players were largely head and shoulders above the competition.
But what will happen in League One, when these players won’t have the advantage over some of their lesser rivals?
Mullin, 29, has only played a single season in League One and scored just three league goals for Tranmere Rovers from 20 appearances in the 2019/20 season.
Yet his 24 league goals this season proves Mullin is aging like a fine wine and could enjoy better fortunes in the third tier.
Although Palmer joined from Wimbledon who were in League One, he hadn’t exactly lit up the third tier with just 10 goals in 41 total appearances for the Dons.
However, he brings much more to Wrexham’s style than just goals and as evidenced from the documentary, is a lively presence amongst the squad.
Mullin scored 24 goals over the course of the League Two season. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Lee, a diminutive attacking midfielder who knows how to score, has already proved himself in League One having amassed 113 total appearances with 24 goals and 13 assists to his name across five seasons in the third tier.
Assuming McClean puts pen to paper and stays in Wrexham for another season, he brings plenty of pedigree having played 221 games in the Championship.
The Irishman, 35, has also proved his durability having featured in 37 league games this season.
With the squad now starting to level out in terms of where the level they’ve played in their career, Wrexham may be forced to heavily invest in their squad once more.
But when they have previously been able to offer generous financial packages teams couldn’t compete with, that might not be the case in League One.
Stockport County, who have already secured the championship in League Two, have strong financial backing and will rival Wrexham in the transfer market.
McClean has proved to be a shrewd signing for Wrexham since arriving from Wigan last summer. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Throw in Charlton, Wigan Athletic, Reading, Blackpool and Huddersfield, who have all been in the Premier League at some stage since 2007, and one realises how big the calibre of clubs in the third tier are compared to League Two.
Simply, Wrexham are going to have a serious fight on their hands if they are going to go for back-to-back-to-back promotions.
But one key factor in their favour is the manager, Phil Parkinson.
The Wrexham boss has overseen more games in League One (385) than any other division in his managerial career, meaning he knows exactly what’s required to not only avoid the drop, but succeed.
Parkinson has also twice led teams in League One to promotion, guiding Colchester United to a second-place finish in 2005/06 and Bolton Wanderers in 2016/17.
There’s also no understating the momentum generated by consecutive promotions, either.
Just look at Ipswich Town, who are on the brink of going from League One all the way to the Premier League in the space of two seasons.
With Parkinson’s know-how of navigating League One coupled with a squad that really only knows success, it’s a lethal combination.
But how might they strengthen the squad ahead of its biggest challenge yet?
Parkinson has led teams to promotion from League One on two occasions. (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WHO MIGHT JOIN THE WREXHAM REVOLUTION NEXT?
Given Wrexham’s ability to attract a strong calibre of players to lower leagues, there’s plenty of anticipation regarding who could be tempted to join the team in League One.
One obvious candidate Wrexham would love to snap up is goalkeeper Okonkwo.
The 22-year-old’s contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the season and Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker has gone on the record stating he is “desperate” to keep the goalkeeper at the club.
However, Okonkwo’s wages could prove to be a stumbling block given Wrexham reportedly paid less than half of his wages during his loan spell, per The Athletic.
There were also reports Wrexham, along with Bolton and Charlton, were tracking 21-year-old Northern Irish talent Benji Magee.
TEAMTalk claimed Wrexham were tracking the Loughgall forward during a season in which he scored 16 goals in 31 games in the Northern Ireland top flight.
More transfer speculation for Wrexham awaits, especially now that they know which league they will be competing in next season.
But if the whispers regarding Okonkwo and Magee suggest anything, it’s that Wrexham may look to bring in younger talents with resale potential as opposed to proven stars that will only depreciate in value.
An incredibly difficult season awaits for Wrexham, especially with a handful of League One teams claiming Premier League status at least once from the turn of the century.
But with McElhenney and Reynolds at the helm, it doesn’t feel like Wrexham’s Hollywood story is going to end any time soon.
In a topsy-turvy debut season in the world’s most popular football league, Ange Postecoglou once again finds himself the flavour of the minute.
The Australian was feted after a record-breaking start to his first Premier League season with Tottenham before Postecoglou found himself under pressure through a string of lean results.
Consecutive wins over Newcastle and Nottingham Forest then righted the ship and rejuvenated calls for “Big Ange” to look elsewhere already.
Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville got the ball rolling, speaking glowingly of the 58-year-old’s impact after that victory over Forest.
“What he’s done in such a short period of time is quite staggering,” Neville said on Sky Sports.
Manchester United are having another difficult season and inset, Australian manager Ange Postecoglou. Photos: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“He’s put something in place that’s breathtaking to watch but actually, is quite complex when you watch it from a football point of view.”
He also had a direct suggestion on where the Greek-born Aussie could turn next.
“Spurs fans won’t like this but he is amazing, and if you’re Manchester City losing Pep Guardiola in a year or two, you’d be looking at Ange Postecoglou now thinking ‘wow that’s exactly what we want to see’,” he said.
“But for the time being Spurs have just got to enjoy this because it’s brilliant to watch.
“What they can do is enjoy one of the best brands of football I’ve seen in 10 years since I finished playing football.
“I love watching Tottenham Hotspur play.”
United played a dour, defensive style in a 0-0 draw with Liverpool last weekend. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But one of Postecoglou’s compatriots and former players has another idea.
While Postecoglou has said a number of times he was a Liverpool fan as a kid, Manchester United took the reins from the powerhouse Anfield outfit in the early 90s and didn’t let up for another two decades.
The Mancunians won a staggering 13 league titles between 1993 and 2013 under manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Since that remarkable run, however, the Red Devils have flamed out in spectacular fashion.
After Ferguson retired following that 2013 title, United have had no less than eight different men at the helm and none has come close to adding another league title to the kitty.
Speaking on The Optus Sport Football Podcast, former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer believes Postecoglou could be the ideal person to end that wretched run for one of the world’s biggest clubs.
Postecoglou has had plenty of reasons to smile so far in England. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFPFormer Premier League keeper Mark Schwarzer believes Postecoglou could be a good fit at Old Trafford. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I’m surprised that Gary Neville wouldn’t be saying Manchester United should be trying to get him,” Schwarzer said.
“If they want to make a change, that’s the person they should be heading for because he plays the attractive sort of football that Manchester United also have had in the past.
“I know he fits the City Group, he fits that Manchester City thing. I totally understand that. That makes 100 per cent sense.
“What I’m saying is, if I were Man United, I’d be going, hang on a second, I want to play a bit like that and I want to have a bit of Ange Postecoglou.”
It has been a memorable run from the A-League and the Socceroos to Japanese football, Scotland and now England for Postecoglou.
It seems the sky is the limit on where he could take his managerial career next.
Terry Venables was saluted as an “innovative” and “charming” manager after the charismatic former England, Tottenham and Barcelona boss died aged 80 on Monday (AEDT).
Venables guided England to the Euro 96 semi-finals, led Barcelona to the 1986 European Cup final and won the 1991 FA Cup with Tottenham during a managerial career that made him one of English football’s most admired coaches.
“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness,” Venables’ family said in a statement.
“We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives.” Venables’ vibrant personality and love of attacking football established him as a firm favourite with players and fans alike.
Gary Lineker, signed by Venables for Barcelona in 1986 and then Tottenham in 1989, encapsulated the feelings of the football world as he paid a heartfelt tribute to his trailblazing former manager.
“Devastated to hear that Terry Venables has died. The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for,” he wrote on social media.
“He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend.
“He’ll be hugely missed. RIP Terry.”
Tottenham legend Terry Venables passed away. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Tottenham paid tribute to Venables’ by holding a minute’s applause ahead of their Premier League fixture with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Both teams wore black armbands, while an image of Venables was displayed on two big screens in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Venables masterminded England’s run to the last four of Euro 96 on home soil at Wembley, with the highlights including a stunning 4-1 rout of the Netherlands and a memorable 2-0 victory over Scotland.
They fell agonisingly short in the semi-finals, losing on penalties to eventual winners Germany, bringing an end to his reign after two years.
England’s current boss Gareth Southgate, who infamously missed a crucial penalty in that shootout against Germany, praised Venables’ empathy, as well as his tactical acumen.
“Tactically excellent, he had a wonderful manner, capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star,” he said.
“He was open-minded, forward-thinking, enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to flourish and have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history.
“A brilliant man, who made people feel special, I’m very sad to hear of his passing and my thoughts are with Yvette and all of his family.”
Venables coached the likes of Barcelona, Tottenham, England and Australia in his glittering managerial career. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Allsport UK/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Nicknamed ‘El Tel’, Venables led Barca to the La Liga title in 1985, their first since 1974, and the following season’s European Cup final, where they lost to Steaua Bucharest on penalties.
He was sacked by Barca in 1987 and moved to Tottenham, enjoying success with a side that included Paul Gascoigne and lifted the FA Cup in 1991.
Venables endured an acrimonious end to his spell as manager of the north Londoners after falling out with then owner Alan Sugar.
He won two England caps and made more than 500 club appearances between 1960 and 1975, largely for Chelsea, QPR and Tottenham, where he won the FA Cup in 1967.
Venables also had spells in charge of QPR — taking them to the 1982 FA Cup final — and Crystal Palace, who were labelled the ‘Team of the 80s’ after being promoted with a dashing young side, and the Australian national team.
Hailing Venables’ impact, Tottenham’s current manager Ange Postecoglou said: “If you are asking about a person who embodies everything this football club has always wanted to be, it is Terry.
“It wasn’t just about the way he managed or coached, it was the person he was.
“The biggest testament is that anyone who I have ever come across that has worked with him will say he is by far the best coach, manager and tactician they have come across.”
Giovani Lo Celso and Destiny Udogie were on the scoresheet for Spurs to help erase a 2-0 deficit, but Gianluca Scamacca’s second-half strike helped the Hammers to victory.
Postecoglou is aware the team is far from a finished product yet, conceding “there will be missteps along the way” but knows that is only natural at this stage of Tottenham’s evolution.
Although the Australian boss pleaded for patience, the verdict from several English pundits was largely positive, especially when it came to how they played going forward.
Yet questions remain regarding a major problem that plagued Tottenham throughout their 22/23 campaign.
Under former Tottenham managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, the team would play a frustratingly defensive style of play despite the attacking weapons at their disposal.
Granted, both managers had enjoyed success with that style at previous clubs.
But as modern football has evolved, so too has the way teams must play in order to be successful.
Yet Conte and Mourinho have struggled to truly adapt and in an era where fans want to be entertained as well as achieve success, it is no surprise their tenures at Tottenham unravelled in explosive fashion.
Thankfully, it’s taken 90 minutes to show just how different this team has become.
“One glance at this Tottenham team was enough to confirm a clean break from the risk-averse Antonio Conte era,” The Times’ James Gheerbrant wrote.
“Overall, this felt like an embryonic but promising attacking display, full of fluency, intricate passing and positional rotation.”
A major change from the Conte era was the formation switch.
Under the Italian, Spurs tended to line up in a 3-4-3 formation which relied heavily on the wing-backs to provide width going forward.
But Postecoglou opted for a 4-3-3, the formation he has used to great success at several stops throughout his managerial career.
Tottenham tasted defeat in their first game under Ange Postecoglou. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
James Maddison, Spurs’ marquee summer signing who often played as an attacking midfielder or winger at Leicester City, was deployed in the midfield three and showed glimpses of his immense talent.
He slipped in fellow summer recruit Manor Solomon for a chance but the Israeli winger failed to convert in 45 minutes of action.
Crucially, the key attacking metrics for Tottenham on the stats sheet already proved the players are quickly coming to grips with Postecoglou’s style.
They enjoyed 72 per cent of possession, out-passed West Ham with 574 passes to the Hammers’ 235 at a 91 per cent accuracy while peppering the West Ham goal with 30 shots on goal, with 12 on target.
The Times’ chief football writer Henry Winter was also glowing with praise for the attacking endeavour on display.
“It’s pre-season. You can see what Ange Postecoglou is trying to do, playing attacking, attractive football.
“Just needs work (a lot) on defence, especially at centre-back.”
Winter was not alone in his worries regarding Tottenham’s backline.
Maddison showed glimpses of his quality in the first half. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The first 45 minutes featured Sergio Reguilon, Japhet Tanganga, Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro across the back four while Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies, Davinson Sanchez and Emerson Royal took to the field for the second half.
Postecoglou’s side conceded their first goal when they struggled to clear their lines after a corner, allowing Jarrod Bowen an eternity to whip a cross in which Danny Ings happily converted.
It was Porro who struggled to close down Bowen’s cross while Reguilon failed to beat Ings to the ball and was also at fault alongside Tanganga for West Ham’s second.
Although Postecoglou shouldered the blame for the second goal, which was conceded off a corner, it highlighted the sheer size of the task when it comes to fixing Tottenham’s defensive woes.
The Daily Mail’s Matt Barlow wrote there were “clear vulnerabilities at the back” given the left and right backs were given licence to bomb forward and join in on the attack.
But, more importantly, it sent a timely reminder to Tottenham’s top brass regarding the need for defensive reinforcements.
Postecoglou was given plenty of food for thought by his Tottenham players against West Ham United. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Already clear to see that Tottenham need new defensive additions ahead of the opening game of the 2023/24 campaign, the two goals they conceded against West Ham has sent a message to Daniel Levy that he needs to get transfer deals over the line for new centre-backs ASAP,” Football.London’s Rob Guest wrote.
With friendlies to come against Leicester City and Lion City Sailors in Bangkok and Singapore respectively, Postecoglou will have further opportunities to further drill his style of play into his troops.
But from the first 90 minutes under the Australian boss, UK pundits have already been impressed by the attacking impetus from Tottenham.
It’s now a case of how they solidify the defence in time for the start of the Premier League season.
Just one win separates Ange Postecoglou from accomplishing a feat achieved only seven times in Celtic’s grand history.
The domestic treble — the Scottish Premiership, Scottish League Cup and Scottish FA Cup — is within touching distance for the Hoops.
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The League Cup has already been secured and so too has the league title, while a date with second-tier Inverness Caledonian Thistle looms in the Scottish FA Cup Final on June 4.
What makes this feat even sweeter is the fact Postecoglou’s side knocked out bitter rivals Rangers in both cup competitions and will finish ahead of them in the league standings.
Each trophy hoisted above Postecoglou’s head only strengthens a bond between manager, club and fan rarely seen in modern football.
But it also means the links for Postecoglou and Premier League clubs will not relent.
There’s a strong case for the former Socceroos boss to park up in Glasgow for the foreseeable future.
Guaranteed trophies, an adoring fan base and the opportunity to compete against Europe’s elite has an enormous pull.
But so too is the chance to test yourself in the biggest, most watched league on the planet with access to finances teams across the continent could only dream of.
It’s unlikely The Clash’s hit song ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ is played on repeat on Postecoglou’s Spotify account, but at some stage, he’ll be faced with such a predicament, if he isn’t already.
Postecoglou and Celtic claim Premiership | 02:33
EURO-SIZED ‘CARROT’ LEAVES ANGE BEGGING FOR MORE
Everywhere Postecoglou has stopped off on his managerial journey he has won a trophy and, in some cases, more than one.
But should Postecoglou match a feat Celtic managed just three times in a staggering 113 years before an unprecedented run of four trebles in a row from 2016 to 2010, it would be his most successful spell at a single destination.
Hamish Carton, the author of Never Stop: How Ange Postecoglou Brought the Fire Back to Celtic, conceded Celtic’s 2016/17 ‘invincibles’ treble “is never going to be beaten.”
But should Postecoglou complete the clean sweep, it would certainly come close.
“I think it would be the second best out of that recent run of five,” Carton told foxsports.com.au.
“Just given that the connection there is between the fans and the team and how relentless we’ve been.
“Also given we’ve beaten Rangers in all three competitions, I think that makes it special. We’ve beaten the second-best team in the country in every competition to hopefully win the treble.”
With the objective of retaining their status as kings of Scotland secured, it also means Postecoglou will get another crack at leading his troops in the lucrative UEFA Champions League.
Thanks to Scotland being ranked ninth in UEFA’s coefficient table at the conclusion of last season, the Scottish Premiership champions receive automatic entry into the group stage.
Postecoglou was handed a brutal reality check in terms of the ruthlessness of Europe’s elite in his debut Champions League campaign.
Despite creating plenty of chances, even against the likes of defending champions Real Madrid, Celtic shipped 15 goals across their five group games.
But the heartening fact Celtic more than held their own and played Postecoglou’s eye-catching brand of football should provide plenty of respite even if they didn’t win a game.
It’s why Socceroos legend Robbie Slater believes Postecoglou will want to stay in Glasgow to right those European wrongs.
“The only question mark over Celtic this season is the Champions League,” Slater said on the Fox Football Podcast.
Postecoglou is one trophy away from leading Celtic to yet another treble. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“That’s one of the reasons I think he’ll stay. I think the Champions League carrot of going again.
“(He’s) experienced it with this group of players, there’s some new ones but this group of players largely have experienced that one (campaign), which might make them do even better in the next one.
“I think that makes him stay.”
Champions League aside, the mere fact Postecoglou is at a massive club cannot be understated.
Throughout his entire managerial career, the 58-year-old has yearned for a job that would reflect the passion he has for the game.
At Celtic, it’s a match made in heaven.
Granted, the success Postecoglou has had in Glasgow is aided by the deep pockets of the club, resources which blow almost every team in Scotland out of the water.
It inevitably led to Rangers boss Michael Beale’s infamous “lucky man” jibe due to the funds available to Postecoglou but, in typical Ange fashion, the Aussie had the perfect reply.
And it highlights just why he loves the job so much.
Postecoglou has developed an exceptional bond between himself, his players and Celtic fans. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I would never use that language about somebody in my position,” Postecoglou said.
“I’m not sure which bit is ‘lucky’. I think Michael at the time was referring to the fact I had money to spend but I didn’t get to this position out of luck.
“I worked 25 years of coaching to be entrusted at a club like this. This isn’t my first job.
“If it was my first job maybe I’d be lucky but it’s not, it’s 25 years of hard work.”
Trophies, constant participation in the Champions League and an adoring fanbase is a lifestyle Postecoglou could get used to.
But, as his managerial career has shown, he’s never been one to set up shop at one club for too long.
Which is why the noise surrounding a move south of the Scottish border is only going to ramp up the longer he stays at Celtic and the more trophies he wins.
If anything, it’s already started.
Postecoglou has caught the eye of Premier League teams. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
‘ONLY A MATTER OF TIME’ BEFORE PL SWITCH?
Scottish football fans know it’s very much a case of death, taxes and a successful Celtic or Rangers manager being linked with a Premier League move.
Brendan Rodgers and Steven Gerrard were the most recent managers of the famous rivals to make the switch down south to significantly varying degrees of success.
Rodgers joined Leicester City midway through the 2018/19 season from Celtic, a decision that left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Hoops fans.
The Northern Irishman went on to lead Leicester to consecutive fifth-place finishes from 2020 to 2022 while also winning the 2020/21 FA Cup, the first time the Foxes had won the prestigious trophy.
However, Rodgers’ Midas touch eventually ran out this season and was sacked by Leicester with the club hurtling towards the Championship.
As for Gerrard, he moved to Aston Villa in November 2021 to replace Dean Smith.
Despite four wins from his opening six games and ensuring the club’s safety, the wheels quickly fell off the Gerrard wagon and he was sacked less than a year into the role.
Perhaps both are a cautionary tale for Postecoglou, although the success of Rodgers should not be seen as a deterrent.
However, Carton’s bold claim on Postecoglou’s ability compared to Rodgers and Gerrard bodes well for any such Premier League switch.
Steven Gerrard’s failed spell at Aston Villa should serve as a cautionary tale for Posteecoglou. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I’d say for me, Ange is probably a better manager than those two,” Carton said.
“He’s doing possibly even more amazing things than those two. I know Rodgers won back-to-back trebles, but the competition now is much better.”
After his successful first season at the helm Postecoglou has gone from strength-to-strength in Glasgow and eviscerated the early scepticism that surrounded his appointment.
It’s why there has been links aplenty for Postecoglou and various Premier League vacancies.
The likes of Brighton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and Everton to name a few were all credited with some form of interest in the Celtic boss.
Carton notes it’s “become a bit of a laughing matter among the Celtic support” at just how frequently Postecoglou’s name pops up whenever there’s a new role to fill.
But the intrigue surrounding Postecoglou’s future stepped up a notch when he went from being linked to mid-table clubs to the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
Granted, it’s likely the London heavyweights go down a different route when it comes to their new man in their respective dugouts.
But the shift in calibre of teams Postecoglou was linked with reiterates a claim former Manchester City star Micah Richards made in his column for the Daily Mail.
“It was interesting to see Ange Postecoglou linked with the Chelsea job,” Richards wrote.
Former Manchester City star Micah Richards is a fan of Postecoglou. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I spoke to Joe Hart shortly after he joined Celtic in August 2021 and he raved about his new manager, particularly about his character and outlook on life.
“He plays brave football and Joe said nothing flusters him. It is only a matter of time before a club here takes a plunge on him.”
There’s also the school of thought, fair or unfair, that there is a ceiling on what Postecoglou can do in Scotland.
With Celtic, Postecoglou is expected to hoover up trophies given the gap in quality between the Hoops and the rest of the Scottish top flight with the exception of Rangers.
“Postecoglou is a man who does things his own way but not even the 2015 Asian coach of the year can change how modern European football works,” Duerden wrote.
“There is a limit to what anyone can do in Scotland, even at a huge club like Celtic and even with top-class recruitment.
“If the ambition is to work at the highest level of world football, the Premier League offers the best opportunity with cashed-up clubs, elite fellow coaches and worldwide attention.”
Leicester fall back into relegation zone | 01:01
Although the bright lights of the Premier League are extremely enticing, it is one of, if not the most, cutthroat leagues in the world.
This season, 15 managers have come and gone in a bloodbath the likes of which we have never seen.
It highlights the ruthlessness in which owners are willing to dispose of managers in the pursuit of the big dollar signs the Premier League brings.
Slater believes the trigger-happy nature of Premier League owners will have Postecoglou wary of taking any job down south.
“What we’ve talked about in the unstable environment of the Premier League where basically it looks like if you take over and you don’t hit the ground running, you get sacked,” Slater said.
“That’s where Ange could (be concerned). If he does turn around and goes to, say, Chelsea, he knows that you’ve got to hit the ground running. You don’t get time. That’s not a question, just a fact.
“Can he deal with that? He did at Celtic. He had to hit the ground running. The first few weeks they were talking: ‘he’s not the right [man].’ Then he turned it around very quickly and obviously won the title and everything was sweet.”
Yet the flipside of the remarkable managerial turnover is that there’s likely to be more Premier League openings than ever before.
Could Chelsea owner Todd Boehly make a play for Postecoglou? (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Going into next season, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Tottenham, Chelsea and Leicester City will all need new managers.
Granted, one of Leicester or Leeds are a high chance of dropping down to the Championship, something Postecoglou seems unlikely to do at this stage of his managerial career.
Chelsea also seem destined to appoint former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino which takes them off the table.
But it still leaves a number of Premier League teams needing a fresh face in the dugout and some clubs not listed earlier may swing the axe at the end of the season.
The sheer amount of vacancies in the English top flight is something we’ve never seen and it may not come around again.
It presents a big dilemma for Postecoglou: could he choose to cash in on his stocks when they’re sky high, or does he roll the dice on a third season with Celtic and maintain his trajectory?
If, and it’s a big if, results begin to slip away a little, the naysayers will immediately latch on.
It will also only drive up the argument that Postecoglou may not be able to cut it in the Premier League if he can’t keep the momentum up for three seasons in Scotland where it is essentially a two-horse race.
Additionally, Postecoglou doesn’t have the immediate backing of media pundits in England who will happily namedrop former players as suitable candidates for managerial openings.
No matter how often they may have failed in previous roles, certain individuals (ahem, Frank Lampard) continue getting jobs in high positions.
Postecoglou almost certainly wouldn’t receive the same treatment by those pundits, especially if things turn a little sour up north.
Where will Ange end up next season? | 00:56
ANGE IS ‘THE KING’ OF GLASGOW … LONG MAY HE REIGN?
Despite being hailed as somewhat of a deity in the green and white half of Glasgow, The Guardian’s Ewan Murray knows there is a ceiling as to what Postecoglou can achieve with the club.
“There should, however, be no harm in speculating on or, in Celtic’s case, planning for the inevitable,” The Guardian’s Ewan Murray wrote.
“This is a consequence of success. Clubs who need a manager to reboot attitudes, a playing squad, tactics and a transfer vision will note Postecoglou’s body of work.
“Celtic should not be the end game for players or managers who aspire to be the best.”
What’s most clear when assessing the views of pundits everywhere is Postecoglou will eventually move on.
Modern football dictates as such.
Rarely do managers stay in one place for very long anymore, with Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp at Manchester City and Liverpool respectively the notable exceptions to the rule.
It remains to be seen whether Postecoglou would leave on his own terms or if he will be nudged aside, but all signs point to the former given his tight-knit connection with the fanbase.
Of course, the most critical element of this discussion, which has been largely ignored by all parties concerned, is that a club must make a concrete offer to Postecoglou.
At this stage, it is all paper talk and betting markets sending the rumour mill into overdrive.
And for all the glitz and glamour on offer in the Premier League, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Just ask Steven Gerrard.
Everton thrash Brighton in important win | 01:16
It’s why Slater believes the level-headed Postecoglou won’t even cast so much as a sideways glance at the Premier League.
“I’ve got a feeling he might stay at Celtic,” Slater said.
“He’s the king. They love him. And he’s got another crack at the Champions League.
“I think that’s the thing that grabs him. If you go to Chelsea he’s got no European football. If you go to the (other mid-table) teams we’re talking about there’s no European football. Even Spurs doesn’t look like (playing) European football. Do you give away the Champions League?
“If there’s a safe seat in football in the world, Ange is in one of them.”
Safe seats in football are extremely difficult to come by, as are constant opportunities to qualify for the Champions League.
And Carton, much like large portions of the adoring Celtic fanbase, cannot see why Postecoglou would give that up so soon into his Glasgow adventure.
“He’s waited so long for this kind of gig, the fans adore him,” Carton said.
“Wherever he goes for the rest of his career, he’ll never find another club where he’s loved as much as this, I’m confident in saying that.
“He’s got a group of players who are doing amazing and have so much more potential.
“It’s not as if he’s only got five to 10 years left in management, he could have another 20 years so he’s got plenty of time to enjoy and achieve at Celtic and then eventually move on.
Sam Allardyce insisted Wednesday that he is “as good as” Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp as he plots to keep Leeds in the Premier League following the sacking of Javi Gracia.
The Spaniard was dismissed with four games to go after just 10 weeks in charge, with the club outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
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Allardyce, 68, is Leeds’ third permanent manager of a turbulent season — Gracia replaced Jesse Marsch in February, while director of football Victor Orta left Elland Road by mutual consent on Tuesday.
“We thank Javi and his team for their efforts under difficult circumstances,” the club said in a statement.
“The remaining four games of the season will be overseen by experienced head coach Sam Allardyce.”
The former Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and England boss has been out of work since the end of the 2020/21 season after failing to save West Brom from top-flight relegation.
He said it was a “shock” to get the call from Leeds but he had no hesitation in agreeing to join the club, who returned to the top flight in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa.
Sam Allardyce is back in a Premier League dugout. (Photo by Molly Darlington – Pool/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Allardyce is reported to have agreed a basic salary of $AUD941k for his four games in charge, with a $4.7 million bonus if he can keep Leeds up.
He told his first press conference as manager that taking the job was probably his “biggest challenge” due to the short timescale.
Leeds travel to title-chasing Manchester City on Saturday, before hosting third-placed Newcastle. A trip to West Ham and an Elland Road encounter with European hopefuls Tottenham round out the season.
Allardyce admitted the fixtures were tough, joking: “We start with an easy one on Saturday. Can’t get any easier than Manchester City away, can it?” The Englishman, relegated from the top flight for the first time in his 30-year managerial career at West Brom, firmly stated his credentials.
“Far too many people think that I am old and antiquated, which is so far from the truth,” he said.
Allardyce could earn millions if he keeps Leeds United up. (Photo by Rui Vieira – Pool/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I might be 68 and look old, but there’s nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not (Manchester City boss) Pep, not (Liverpool manager) Klopp, not (Arsenal’s Mikel) Arteta.
“It’s all there with me and I share it with them. They do what they do, I do what I do. In terms of knowledge and depth of knowledge, I’m up there with them. I’m not saying I’m better than them, but certainly as good as they are.
“I just wish that sometimes you can get the opportunity that you can show it but that’s never going to happen for me now apart from keep Leeds up and if I stayed at Leeds this club was big enough to build a team that was going to challenge those boys eventually.
“But that’s a long story away.” Gracia collected 10 points from his first six games in charge but a terrible run of results last month sent Leeds into a downward spiral.
The former West Brom boss feels he’s on the same level as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth followed 4-1, 5-1 and 6-1 defeats to Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Liverpool.
The 23 goals Leeds conceded during April is a Premier League record for a single month.
Gracia’s dismissal means there have been 15 managerial changes in the Premier League this season — five more than in any other previous campaign.
Leeds are the fourth top-flight side to have parted ways with two managers this season.
Former Watford boss Gracia issued a statement in which he said he was “grateful for the opportunity and proud of the team” after a “very intense period”.
Despite his impressive record as a club manager, Allardyce lasted only 67 days and one match as England boss before being forced out after a newspaper sting in 2016.
He was asked whether he could be at Elland Road beyond the end of the season. “Never say never,” he said. “It depends what happens at the end of the four matches … and how I feel.”
Leeds United are reportedly considering interim boss Javi Gracia’s future at the club, with the Premier League side lining up a shock move for Sam Allardyce as his replacement.
Gracia moved to Elland Road in late February on a deal until the end of the season after the club decided to part ways with Jesse Marsch on the back of a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on February 5.
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The Spaniard won three and drew once in his first six games, but has overseen a horrid run of four losses in five in which Leeds conceded an alarming 18 goals.
It is the most recent defeat — a 4-1 loss away to Bournemouth — that has sounded the alarm bells at Elland Road as Leeds sit in 17th place with four games remaining.
According to The Athletic, the dramatic downturn in form has placed Gracia’s position in danger, with the former Watford boss “increasingly likely to be sacked” on the back of the Cherries defeat.
Sam Allardyce could be in line for a sensational return to management with Leeds United. (Photo by Rui Vieira – Pool/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The same report claims Allardyce has “emerged as a leading contender” to take over in an almighty gamble to preserve their Premier League status for a third-straight season.
Allardyce has been out of work since stepping down as West Bromwich Albion boss at the end of the 2020/21 season in which the Baggies were relegated.
It was the first time Allardyce had been relegated from the Premier League in his managerial career.
Should he be appointed as Leeds’ interim boss, it would be the 68-year-old’s 14th managerial gig.
But keeping Leeds up would be no easy feat given their incredibly daunting run-in to the end of the season.
Leeds will play Manchester City (away), Newcastle (home), West Ham United (away) and Tottenham Hotspur (home).
Arsenal surged eight points clear at the top of the Premier League as Bukayo Saka’s brace inspired a 4-1 rout of Crystal Palace on Monday (AEDT).
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring in the first half at the Emirates Stadium to put the leaders on course for a sixth successive league victory.
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It was redemption for Martinelli, whose missed penalty condemned Arsenal to Europa League last 16 defeat in their shootout against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday.
Mikel Arteta’s side needed just 45 minutes against struggling Palace to erase the bitter taste of that loss.
Saka followed Martinelli’s goal by doubling Arsenal’s lead before halftime. Granit Xhaka netted the third after the interval and Jeff Schlupp’s reply was no consolation as the influential Saka’s second capped Arsenal’s stylish display.
Arsenal now have a substantial eight-point lead over second placed Manchester City, who took the weekend off from Premier League duty to thrash Burnley in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
With a game in hand on Arsenal and a crucial clash with the Gunners looming on April 26, Pep Guardiola’s champions will still believe they can win a fifth title in six seasons.
But heading into the international break, Arsenal have ensured the fate of the title race will be in their hands in the final 10 games.
Bukayo Saka celebrates Arsenal’s big win. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
“I’m really pleased with the way we reacted after the Sporting game. We showed a lot of determination,” Arteta said.
“It feels very good, especially with the way we have played and the results we have picked up.
“The desire and energy impressed me. They must come back from the international break with the same mindset they had before.”
Arteta reserved special praise for Saka, who is the first player to reach at least 10 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League this season.
“The whole team did really well but Bukayo was really good today, affecting the result with his contribution,” he said.
“That is what we need. We need our front players firing and making the difference and today they did that again.”
After surrendering top spot with a defeat against City in February, Arsenal have responded impressively, showing a maturity and composure far beyond the Gunners’ teams that routinely underachieved in recent years.
Arteta deserves immense credit for transforming a side that blew their top four place last season.
Less than a year later, Arsenal, the first English side ever to win nine London derbies in a single season, have the look of champions elect.
Arteta had labelled the Palace clash as the most important match of his managerial career and his players once again rose to the challenge.
Granit Xhaka got on the scoresheet for the Gunners against Crystal Palace. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
They had the ideal opponents in a Palace team now without a win in their 13 matches in 2023 and reeling from Friday’s sacking of boss Patrick Vieira.
Vieira was a key member of the last title-winning Arsenal side 19 years ago and Gunners fans chanted his name throughout the game.
Arsenal made the breakthrough in the 28th minute when Saka wriggled free in the penalty area to collect Ben White’s pass and pulled his cross back to Martinelli.
The Brazilian forward took a clever touch to elude Joel Ward before driving a clinical finish past Joe Whitworth from 12 yards for his sixth goal in his last eight appearances.
Saka ensured Arsenal’s relentless pressure paid dividends again in the 43rd minute.
He played the ball back to White and his return pass was perfectly weighted for the England forward, who planted a cool finish into the far corner from close-range.
Arsenal were rampant and Xhaka put the result beyond doubt in the 55th minute. A sumptuous exchange of passes around the Palace area left the visitors bewildered before Xhaka applied a deft finishing touch to Leandro Trossard’s through-ball.
Schlupp stabbed in Palace’s first league goal in nearly seven hours after Arsenal failed to clear a 63rd minute corner.
But Saka had the last word with his 13th goal this season, a fine first-time finish from Kieran Tierney’s 74th minute pass.
