Ultimately, the end is approaching for manager Ange Postecoglou. There is, of course, one final opportunity: to win.
Tottenham Hotspur News reported on the 18th (Korea time) that "Manager Postecoglou is running out of time to keep his position at Tottenham," noting that "Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has begun to take action."
Tottenham lost 0-2 to Fulham in the 29th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League held at Craven Cottage in London, England, on the 16th. With this, Tottenham recorded no wins in three league matches. Tottenham seemed to have turned the tide by successfully overturning against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg, but continued their slump. Tottenham, who started without Son Heung-min in the lineup, struggled with their performance and eventually brought in Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura at the start of the second half. The captain and star striker Son Heung-min stepped onto the field at the beginning of the second half for the second consecutive regular league match, following the 28th round match against Bournemouth (2-2 draw). Including his substitution in the middle of the second half against Manchester City in the 27th round, he has now come on as a substitute in the second half for three straight matches. The frustrating trend continued. Despite making changes to the attack by introducing James Maddison and Wilson Odobert, the situation remained the same. In the 78th minute, they fell behind 0-1 after conceding a goal to Rodrigo Muniz. Former Tottenham player Ryan Sessegnon was introduced in the 87th minute and scored just one minute after stepping on the field, leaving his former team in despair.
On the 10th, during the match against Bournemouth, Son Heung-min entered the game when Tottenham was trailing 0-1 and led to the equalizer by earning and converting a penalty kick.
The match against Fulham was different. Son Heung-min was active on the field but did not make a significant contribution. He has recorded 7 goals and 9 assists in the Premier League this season. Including his records in the UEFA Europa League (3 goals, 2 assists), FA Cup (1 assist), and League Cup (1 goal), he has a total of 11 goals and 12 assists in official matches. According to football statistics outlet Footmob, Son recorded a pass success rate of 86%, 4 successful crosses, 3 chance creations, 3 recoveries, 1 shot, 1 successful ground duel, 1 successful aerial duel, and 1 foul suffered, showcasing his performance. However, there were indeed times when he appeared uncharacteristic. Son notably scolded Destiny Udogie for overlapping movements midway through the second half, and at times, he could not hide his emotions, raising questions after the match, which seemed to reflect the frustration of a captain who could not prevent his team's defeat. Football London noted, "Tottenham had more scoring opportunities in the second half, but failed to capitalize on their chances, including Dominic Solanke's missed attempt." Regarding Son Heung-min, who was substituted in during the second half, they gave him a low score of 5, stating, "He delivered several threatening free kicks and created good chances for Solanke at the end of the match but could not find a decisive breakthrough."
Tottenham is facing a dire situation, with the atmosphere not looking good.
Wayne Rooney criticized Tottenham's performance against Fulham and questioned Postecoglou's player selections.
Rooney criticized, "It is hard to understand why Son Heung-min, James Maddison, Pedro Porro, and Miky van de Ven were left out of the starting lineup." This decision has ultimately led to defeat, further shaking Postecoglou's position.
As the possibility of manager Postecoglou's dismissal grows, discussions about potential candidates for the next Tottenham manager are becoming active. Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth's manager, and Marco Silva, Fulham's manager, are consistently mentioned as strong candidates.
The Telegraph reported on the 17th that "If manager Postecoglou is dismissed, Tottenham is likely to consider Iraola and Silva."
It is highly likely that Postecoglou's future depends on the results in the Europa League. If he wins the Europa League, manager Postecoglou has a good chance of making a comeback.
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