Daniel Levy shows his confidence in under-fire Postecoglou as pressure continues to mount on manager and club CEO.
Daniel Levy wants under-fire Postecoglou to plot course through Spurs’ storm. The chairman continues to hope the return of key players from injury can help to save a dismal Premier League season.
If Levy wants to make the managerial move, he has few good external candidates who could take Postecoglou’s place immediately. Internally, there would be Ryan Mason, the assistant who has twice volunteered to serve as interim head coach, and Matt Wells, the senior assistant coach.
Spurs’ 2-1 home loss to Leicester on Sunday increased Postecoglou’s under scrutiny. Following the 3-2 loss against Everton, it was their second straight loss to relegation-threatened opponents.
Postecoglou’s club is now 15th in the league after dropping five points from 11 games. Some supporters are concerned that Spurs may face relegation because they are eight points ahead of Wolves, who are now in third place.
Given that Spurs are at one of the lowest points of Levy’s 24-year chairmanship, the Australian must be grateful that the axe has not yet fallen on him. Nevertheless, the club’s injury problem, particularly in defence, does help, and the team still hopes to win the cups. Spurs are active in the FA Cup, where they travel to Aston Villa in the fourth round on Sunday week, and the Carabao Cup, where they play Liverpool in the second leg of the semi-final at Anfield next Thursday, leading 1-0 from the first. This Sunday’s league trip to Brentford marks the start of that crucial time.
Support during the January transfer window is something else Postecoglou desires. With a list of absentees that has reached the double digits, he has frequently discussed the need for strengthening. In order to cover for the injured No. 1 Guglielmo Vicario, the team did sign custodian Antonin Kinsky at the beginning of the month.
It has been puzzling, though, that they have not made any moves to bolster their outfield, especially in the area of center-half, where they appeared to be lacking even at the beginning of the season before Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were sidelined by fitness concerns.
Even though the January market is typically difficult, you may still add players, especially if you’re willing to pay more than you need to. The club is concentrating on making at least one acquisition between now and the window shutting on Monday. Postecoglou has stated that he wants a fresh player for the front line.