'The harsh lesson that glory is not enough for Levy'
- Published
Many Tottenham fans will feel it was right to sack Ange Postecoglou, but others will believe his success earned him the right to a third season, an opportunity to build on the emotional scenes witnessed in Bilbao, then on the streets at the Europa League homecoming.
The Premier League placing will be 'Exhibit A' in the case against Postecoglou, but it is a reflection of the cold state of the game these days when securing a club's first silverware in 17 years sees you out of a job.
Comparisons will be made with Manchester United's ill-fated and expensive decision to keep Erik ten Hag last summer after they won the FA Cup, only to sack him in October, but they had also won silverware under his predecessors Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal.
Spurs, by contrast, were starved of trophies until Postecoglou changed all that. They had no recent history of winning until the Australian arrived following a brilliant spell at Celtic.
Postecoglou achieved something that was beyond those who went before him, illustrious names like Mauricio Pochettino, Mourinho and Antonio Conte, by providing Spurs with the glory they once regarded as their hallmark - and he clearly wanted to carry on in charge.
Daniel Levy was basking in the glory Postecoglou brought him, but this did not stop him taking a decision which he insisted could not be shaped by emotion.
The pressure and scrutiny will now switch back to the chairman, who has followed his long track record of sacking managers who did not win trophies by sacking the one who did.
Postecoglou brought glory - only to learn the harsh lesson that it is not enough for Levy.