Micky van de Ven on Postecoglou’s Dismissal
Micky van de Ven, a defender for Tottenham Hotspur, has expressed his bewilderment over the club’s recent decision to part ways with manager Ange Postecoglou. This decision comes after Postecoglou achieved a significant milestone for the club by securing a trophy, thereby ending a lengthy 17-year drought for silverware. Just last month, he fulfilled his promise by guiding Spurs to victory in the Europa League, yet this success was overshadowed by a disappointing Premier League finish, where the team ended up in 17th place.
Player Reactions
Van de Ven commented on the matter in an interview with Voetbal Zone, noting:
“That was ultimately a choice from the club. We, as players, have little to say about that. Of course, he is the first coach in a long time who has won a trophy and had success at Spurs. So if you look at it that way, it is of course a strange choice.”
The defender acknowledged that the decision fell solely on club management and mentioned ongoing speculation about Brentford’s head coach, Thomas Frank, potentially replacing Postecoglou. Van de Ven stated:
“Of course, we see some rumours about the Brentford head coach [Thomas Frank], who it will probably be. So yes, a choice from the club about which we have little to say.”
He is not alone in his sentiments; several of his teammates, including Son Heung-Min, Yves Bissouma, and Pedro Porro, have also publicly recognized Postecoglou’s contributions to the team. Van de Ven remarked:
“I think many of the players got along with [Postecoglou] well. And of course, he is the first coach who has brought success to Spurs in a long time.”
He praised Postecoglou’s qualities, stating:
“That also shows that he has a certain quality. That also means that he has a winning mentality, 100%.”
Reflecting on Team Performance
The defender did not shy away from acknowledging the underperformance in the Premier League, attributing it to various factors beyond just the coach. He concluded by reiterating his surprise at Postecoglou’s dismissal, suggesting the team’s struggles were a collective issue rather than solely the coach’s fault.
