Team Sherwood, who led Tottenham, stated that a statue of coach Ange Postecoglou should be erected.
Sherwood noted in an interview published in The Sun on the 15th (Korea time), "If Tottenham wins the UEFA Europa League (UEL), a statue of coach Postecoglou will be erected outside the club. The reason I say this is that he will have completed his mission of bringing a trophy to Tottenham."
He added, "Also, if we win the UEL, we will secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for next season. This will not only be a success on the pitch, but also an enormous gain in terms of player acquisitions. Tottenham, with a UCL spot, will be an attractive option for players looking for new clubs in the transfer market."
Tottenham defeated AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) 3-1 in the second leg of the 16th round of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League (UEL) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 14th.
After losing the first leg 0-1 on the 7th, Tottenham turned it around in the second leg. They successfully advanced to the quarterfinals with an aggregate score of 3-2.
Currently sitting in 13th place in the Premier League, Tottenham has been eliminated from both the EFL Cup and FA Cup, leaving the UEL as the only tournament where they have a realistic hope of winning this season.
Tottenham deployed a 4-3-3 formation. Son Heung-min, Solanke, and Odeberg were placed in the attacking line. In the midfield, Maddison, Berival, and Sarr started, while the defense was secured by Spence, van de Ven, Romero, and Pedro Porro. The goalkeeper was Vicario.
Son Heung-min, who played the full game, delivered his 11th assist of the season.
Son Heung-min led the Tottenham attack. In the 22nd minute of the first half, he delivered a sharp cross from the left flank that seemed destined for a teammate, but the opposing goalkeeper managed to punch the ball away first.
Tottenham scored the first goal in the 25th minute of the first half. Son Heung-min played a pivotal role. Seeing Son Heung-min pressuring him, Alkmaar defender Hook attempted to kick the ball away from his own half. However, the ball deflected off Son Heung-min and found its way to Tottenham forward Solanke, who was near the box. Tottenham quickly created a counterattack opportunity as Odeberg, rushing into the penalty area, received the ball and struck a powerful shot that hit the back of the net.
With Odeberg's goal, the aggregate score after both legs was balanced at 1-1.
In the 33rd minute of the first half, Son Heung-min aimed for a goal himself. He moved in from the left side toward the center and took a decisive right-footed shot, which was saved. Three minutes later, he aimed for the team's second goal with a similar attacking route, but this time the defense cleared Son Heung-min's shot. In the 3rd minute of the second half, Tottenham added another goal. Son Heung-min provided the assist, and Maddison scored. On a counterattack opportunity, Son Heung-min received a horizontal pass while on the left flank. He charged into the Alkmaar box and delivered a short pass to Maddison, who scored with a precise shot into the right corner of the goal. Tottenham took the lead with an aggregate score of 2-1.
In the 16th minute of the second half, changes were made to Tottenham's defense. Coach Ange Postecoglou substituted van de Ven for Gray.
Just after the change in the Tottenham defense, Alkmaar scored in the 18th minute of the second half. Tottenham's careless handling of the ball in their own half provided the opportunity. Due to miscommunication between Berival and Odeberg, neither player managed to deal with the ball properly. Taking advantage of this, Koopmeiners intercepted the ball near the box and succeeded in scoring with a swift shot. The aggregate score became 2-2.
In the 29th minute of the second half, Tottenham regained the lead. Once again, it started with Son Heung-min's feet. He received a pass from Maddison coming from the back and passed it cleverly to the advancing Spence on the left flank. He quickly delivered a cross into the penalty area, which Solanke touched with his heel, allowing the ball to fall to Odeberg, who had previously provided the chance for a goal. Odeberg erupted with a right-footed inside shot that found the net. Tottenham led once again with an aggregate score of 3-2.
Four minutes of stoppage time were awarded. Alkmaar fought hard for an additional goal, but Tottenham did not give them any opportunities. Tottenham confirmed their advancement to the quarterfinals.
After the match, coach Postecoglou expressed, "It’s not easy to start the second leg after losing the first leg 0-1. We had the task of preventing the opponent from scoring again, but from the start of the match, we operated calmly and systematically. We trapped the opponent in their own half and prevented them from coming near our goal. Especially, the first goal came from strong pressure."
He continued, "As soon as the second half started, we scored as we wanted. However, we easily conceded a goal, which allowed the match to level again. Still, the players responded well and added another goal. We should have finished with one or two more goals, but we couldn't."
Regarding Tottenham, which continues to pursue its challenges until the end, Sherwood emphasized, "It is already a club with excellent facilities and a great stadium, along with a coach who aims for attacking football. All elements will work positively. However, for all of this to become a reality, we absolutely must win this tournament. I believe Tottenham will win. I have a strange feeling that they will eventually lift the trophy. However, if they fail, it will be a very tough few months for everyone involved with Tottenham. If this season ends without a trophy, the atmosphere within the club will become quite harsh."
[OSEN = Reporter Woo Chung-won]