Ange Postecoglou has finally delivered on his promise.
The Australian manager led Tottenham Hotspur to their first European trophy in 41 years, and their first piece of silverware in 17 years, after a 1–0 victory over Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final on Thursday morning in Bilbao.
When asked how he felt about the historic win, Postecoglou quoted his favourite Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating.
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“After an unlikely victory, this is one for the true believers,” Postecoglou said.
“And this certainly is one for the true believers, that means the unbelievable players who never wavered, never lost faith in me or in what we were doing. Unbelievable football staff, led by brilliant coaches.”
“And the supporters,” he added. “Every supporter I bumped into was kind, reassuring me. They believed in what I was doing.”
However, before their recent triumph, not everything was going smoothly for Tottenham. The club endured a significant letdown during the 2024–25 season, struggling in the Premier League and spending much of the campaign hovering near the relegation zone.
By late April, Spurs were sitting 16th on the league table, one of their poorest domestic performances in recent history.
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In response to that, Postecoglou insisted that many had “missed the point”
"People can bang on the 20 league defeats, and where we are. But you know, they are missing the point of what we are trying to build and what I am trying to do," he said.
Postecoglou also referenced an old comment from Levy, chairman of Spurs.
"I remember even when I signed, the club and even Daniel sort of said, 'We went after winners, it didn’t work, and now we’ve got Ange.'"
"Mate, I’m a winner. I have been a serial winner my whole career," he said.
"I know people dismiss my achievements because they didn’t happen on this side of the world, but for me, they’re all hard-earned, and all I’ve done my whole career is win things."
The victory is just the beginning of a new chapter for Spurs. When asked why he chose to prioritise the Europa League early this January and how it fits into his long-term vision for the club, Postecoglou responded:
"Everything I’ve done, from training to decisions, was to be for the best possible chance in Europe," he said.
"That’s come at a cost. I just felt the end game was more important.
"We've got a young group. You can talk to them about success and what it means, but until they can really experience it.
"It would accelerate the opportunities to build a team that can be successful and competitive at the highest level for years to come."
Spurs' next scheduled game is on Sunday, May 25, against Brighton & Hove Albion at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This match is part of the final gameweek of the 2024–25 Premier League season.