The cracks at Spurs that Europa League glory could not hide

Tottenham's euphoric players stepped disconnected nan level nan time aft nan nighttime earlier and ventured consecutive into cardinal London.

The squad, according to well-placed sources, ended up successful trendy London nightspot Mistress of Mayfair to people nan club's Europa League last triumph complete Manchester United successful Bilbao.

Once there, nan players frantically waved achromatic array handkerchiefs supra their heads to a unrecorded rendition of Freed From Desire expertly played by nan in-house saxophonist.

Their manager, Ange Postecoglou, was elsewhere - having a abstracted ceremony successful nan capital.

Outwardly, nan caput coach's narration pinch his squad appeared to beryllium 1 of nan strongest reasons to support nan 59-year-old.

Away from nan glare of nan cameras, however, location were cracks successful that togetherness.

Now, conscionable 16 days aft triumph successful Bilbao, Postecoglou has been sacked aft his customary second-season success.

Here we look astatine immoderate of nan cardinal reasons - from a breakdown successful relationships, to interest complete injuries, strategies and signings - earlier assessing who mightiness beryllium next.

Public backing from a big of players - including cardinal figures Cristian Romero and James Maddison - and nan squad's determination to see Postecoglou successful their on-pitch celebrations successful Bilbao appeared to beryllium an denotation of heavy connections.

But it had not gone unnoticed that Postecoglou had go progressively distant from nan squad successful caller months.

At nan commencement of his reign, nan Australian would regularly person meal - surely astatine distant games - pinch nan remainder of his team.

Recently, however, his obligatory ham and food toastie had been delivered to his room by a personnel of staff.

On those distant trips, it had been known for him not to beryllium visible astir nan squad edifice until noon.

As a result, immoderate players started taking issues they'd usually attack Postecoglou pinch to different members of nan backroom team.

That isn't to opportunity nan players didn't for illustration Postecoglou. They did.

They recovered him a refreshing alteration from nan insular and sulky demeanour of Antonio Conte.

The nationalist messages of support for Postecoglou since nan last provides grounds that location remains a enslaved betwixt nan group and their manager.

While Postecoglou whitethorn person maintained a disagreement betwixt himself and his players successful caller months, his loyalty to his unit cannot beryllium questioned.

Indeed, it was said nan biggest interest Postecoglou had astir losing his occupation was his staff. He had been astatine pains to make judge they would beryllium looked after.

The communicative of Tottenham's run started pinch nan sojourn of 1 of European football's emerging 'Golden Boys'.

It is simply a little-known truth that Spurs' preparations for nan 2024-25 run started pinch a sojourn from Desire Doue.

The talented attacker, past playing for Rennes, was truthful intrigued by Postecoglou's task he made an undercover sojourn to nan club's training crushed successful Enfield amid optimism a woody could beryllium done.

Fast guardant 9 months and Doue, who successful nan interim had signed for Paris St-Germain, was nan star of nan Champions League final.

In retrospect, Spurs' nonaccomplishment to lure him was a motion of what was to travel - a bid of blows during a genuinely forgettable home season.

It's important to accent their inability to onshore Doue, 20, wasn't for nan want of trying - but while his estimation has soared, Tottenham and Postecoglou were near successful despair each excessively often.

Speak to those down nan scenes astatine Tottenham and they will explicate injuries person been nan astir pertinent facet down their caller issues.

Romero, Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Guglielmo Vicario are among nan players to person spent extended spells connected nan sidelines this play - galore pinch muscular issues.

Maddison, Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall were each unavailable successful Bilbao while Son started connected nan chair because he was deemed unfit having only precocious returned from injury.

Multiple sources person told BBC Sport nan club's wounded grounds has been astatine nan centre of immoderate clash betwixt members of nan coaching squad and aesculapian and spot and conditioning unit complete nan people of nan season.

"It's been nan blasted game," 1 well-placed root said.

Richarlison's injury-disrupted run has been a existent bony of contention, according to sources, peculiarly successful nan aftermath of nan 4-0 Carabao Cup conclusion by Liverpool successful February when, having only precocious returned from hamstring and groin problems, nan Brazil world injured a calf.

There person been different examples this play erstwhile Postecoglou's squad and nan aesculapian and fittingness section person not seen oculus to eye.

Much has been made of Postecoglou's attacking attack or, much pertinently, nan accusation he was unwilling to adapt.

"It's conscionable who we are, mate," he famously said erstwhile questioned astir his strategies earlier this season.

Some proceed to telephone his evident refusal to ditch his accuracy commendable. Others judge his stubbornness was nan guidelines of Tottenham's difficulties.

Certain members of nan squad felt during nan first half of nan play they were excessively open, and Postecoglou should person considered making protect tweaks. The Australian's evident reluctance to accommodate led to a grade of soul frustration.

Letting a two-goal lead gaffe successful nan 3-2 nonaccomplishment astatine Brighton raised eyebrows, and location was akin angst successful nan 4-3 nonaccomplishment to Chelsea successful December aft Spurs raced 2-0 up wrong 12 minutes.

Intriguingly, well-placed sources insist Postecoglou did tweak his protect attack successful some games.

Postecoglou was besides wide praised for nan measurement he group up his squad sturdily successful nan Europa League quarter-final second-leg triumph complete Eintracht Frankfurt.

Spurs were peculiarly robust successful nan broad semi-final triumph complete Bodo/Glimt, too, past kept different cleanable expanse successful Bilbao to decorativeness nan job.

Speaking successful nan aftermath of nan Europa League last victory, Postecoglou made clear his dream he would enactment successful charge.

It seemed perfectly reasonable, pinch a trophy and Champions League qualification not mostly starring to nan sacking of a manager.

Unfortunately for Postecoglou, Daniel Levy simply wasn't for turning - nan Tottenham president sticking pinch 'Plan A' to dispense pinch nan Australian.

The euphoria and affection directed towards Postecoglou from players and supporters whitethorn person tally immoderate interference, but not capable to alteration nan guidance of travel.

Had Spurs mislaid to United, it is wide acknowledged Postecoglou would person been relieved of his duties earlier now.

Victory added immoderate emotion into nan equation - but intelligibly not capable for Levy to person a alteration of heart.

The hold successful making nan determination is nan consequence of various factors. Most pertinently, Postecoglou, Levy and main shot serviceman Scott Munn - whose occupation is besides nether threat - were distant past week.

But sources person besides claimed Levy wanted to put clip betwixt nan affectional outpouring that came aft nan last and making his decision.

At nan bosom of his reasoning was Tottenham's 17th-place decorativeness successful nan Premier League aft 22 losses successful 38 matches. In nan end, he could not look past it.

In truth successful nan connection announcing his sacking, Spurs pointed retired - pinch eye-opening precision - nan squad had taken 78 points from their past 66 games.

Football Daily

Postecoglou sacked by Spurs

Attention will now move to who replaces Postecoglou.

Multiple sources person told BBC Sport location is an liking successful Brentford caput coach Thomas Frank.

Frank has a bully narration pinch Spurs method head Johan Lange, which could beryllium a deciding facet erstwhile Levy comes to determine who he appoints.

It is understood information was fixed to nan imaginable of making an improbable move for Eddie Howe, but Newcastle's qualification for nan Champions League would, you imagine, nip that successful nan bud.

A return for Mauricio Pochettino would person important support from fans but is simply a move that comes pinch a number of obstacles.

Pochettino is managing nan United States, who will co-host adjacent year's World Cup, and it would return a compensation package described to BBC Sport arsenic 1 of nan "biggest successful shot history" to merchandise him.

Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Fulham's Marco Silva, precocious appointed Al-Hilal leader Simone Inzaghi and Crystal Palace head Oliver Glasner are among nan others to person been considered.

So conscionable a fortnight aft Spurs were partying, each eyes are now connected what coming Levy delivers for nan club.