'I'm a winner' - inside Postecoglou's second season at Tottenham

Here in Bilbao, Ange Postecoglou backed it all up. Tottenham are Europa League champions. Their 17-year trophy drought is over. Their Champions League status reinstated.

But, for Postecoglou, the euphoria of his team's historic win against Manchester United means far more.

It means he can puff out his chest and say: "I told you so."

"I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don't say things unless I believe them," said Postecoglou in September.

For nine months his critics have been waiting for his now infamous quote to bite him on the backside.

Well, it hasn't. Postecoglou, against the odds, has delivered on his promise.

He has provided the trophy, in his second season at the club, that Tottenham's supporters so desperately crave.

"I'm a winner. Win is what I do the most," said Postecoglou after his side's victory over Manchester United. "Even when I signed, Daniel [Levy] said 'we've gone after winners and it didn't work, now we've got Ange'. Mate, I'm a winner."

It begs the question: what next for the Australian?

There remains major doubt over Postecoglou's future despite this epic night.

In the immediate aftermath of arguably the most significant trophy of his career, Postecoglou hinted that he wanted to stay on as head coach - intimating that he wanted to build on this Europa League success.

His future will be confirmed in the coming days, but amid the jubilation remains clear indications that he will leave Tottenham ahead of next season.

It remains to be seen whether what unfolded here in Spain alters the direction of travel.

But if he does exit, he'll go out via the front door – not ushered out the back. He'll go out a winner.

And all this amid a backdrop of under achievement, transfer disappointments, internal tensions, injuries and supporter disquiet.

The story of Tottenham's campaign starts with the visit of one of European football's emerging Golden Boys.

It is a little known secret that Spurs' preparations for the 2024-25 campaign started with a visit from Desire Doue.

The young attacker, then of Rennes, was so intrigued by Postecoglou's project that he dashed across the Channel to make an undercover viewing of the club's training ground in Enfield amid optimism that a deal for the young attacker was achievable.

Fast-forward nine months and Doue - who signed for Paris St-Germain - is preparing for a Champions League final.

In retrospect, Spurs' failure to lure the 19-year-old was the sign of what was to come - the start of a series of blows during a truly forgettable domestic season.

It's important to stress that Spurs' inability to land Doue certainly wasn't for the want of trying.

Doue's reputation has soared while Tottenham and Postecoglou, so often this season, have been left wallowing in despair.

That's not to say Spurs haven't spent. Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray arrived in July – before Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso came in on loan during the winter window.

It was intriguing then that Postecoglou says that once the January window closed that he decided he would focus the team's attentions on winning the Europa League.

He candidly admitted that his approach was "at odds" with certain people at the club. That was a stark confession and a clear indication of why – despite lifting a trophy - Postecoglou's future is still under threat.

You need only look at the Premier League table to ascertain how putting all their eggs in the European basket affected Spurs' domestic form.

Equally, however, how do you tell Postecoglou he was wrong to prioritise the Europa League after what unfolded on Wednesday?

Speak to those behind the scenes and they will explain injuries have been the most pertinent factor behind Tottenham's predicament.

Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Guglielmo Vicario among many others have spent extended spells on the sidelines this season - many of them with muscular issues.

James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Kulusevski were all unavailable in Bilbao. Son started on the bench because he was deemed unfit having only recently returned from injury.

Indeed, multiple sources have told BBC Sport that the club's crippling injury record has been at the centre of some friction between members of the coaching team and medical and strength and conditioning staff over the course of the season.

"It's been the blame game," one well-placed source said.

According to sources, Richarlison's injury-disrupted campaign has proved a bone of contention, particularly in the aftermath of the 4-0 Carabao Cup defeat by Liverpool in February when, having only recently returned from respective hamstring and groin injuries, the Brazil international suffered a subsequent calf injury.

There have been other examples this season where Postecoglou's team and the medical and fitness department haven't seen eye-to-eye.

Has Postecoglou pushed players too hard? Or are the strength and conditioning and medical departments at fault? The answers will vary depending on who you speak to.

Interestingly, it is understood there were similar strains during Postecoglou's reign at Celtic, with medical staff and the manager not always aligned.

It's pertinent to add that those tensions at Tottenham have eased in recent weeks as the club's walking wounded returned to availability, while Postecoglou has sought to factor in more days off for his players in recent months - their elimination from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup allowing him extra leeway.

Nevertheless, the sheer number of muscular injuries the club have suffered this season indicates an issue that requires rectifying.

As is normal at the end of the season, Tottenham will review the campaign with a view to making departmental improvements ahead of the next.

With the incoming arrival of Vinai Venkatesham as new CEO, it's probable that current chief football officer Scott Munn's position will come under scrutiny at the end of the season.

Tottenham have also held talks with former managing director of football Fabio Paratici over a return to the club following his exit in 2023 after an appeal against a two-and-a-half-year Fifa ban for alleged financial irregularities while at Juventus was rejected by Italy's highest sports court.

It is also fair to assume the club's horrendous injury record will be part of the review process.

The upside of the club's injury issues has been the development of 19-year-olds Bergvall and Archie Gray this season.

Both teenagers were expected to be eased into first-team duty this season - but the pair have made 88 appearances between them so far.

While there is acknowledgement that the experience will be invaluable to the development of both players, there is also an acceptance that the situation has been far from ideal for a club expected to be challenging for a top-five spot.

Much has been made of Postecoglou's attacking approach - or, more pertinently, the accusation that he was unwilling to adapt.

"It's just who we are, mate," he famously answered when questioned about his offensive tactics earlier this season.

Some continue to call his apparent refusal to ditch his philosophy as commendable. Others believe his stubbornness is at the root of Tottenham's difficulties.

Indeed, certain members of the team felt that - during the opening half of the season - they were too open and Postecoglou should have considered making defensive tweaks. The Australian's apparent reluctance to adapt led to a degree of internal frustration.

While letting a two-goal lead slip in the 3-2 loss at Brighton raised eyebrows, there was similar angst in the 4-3 loss to Chelsea in December after Spurs raced to a 2-0 advantage inside 12 minutes.

Intriguingly, well-placed sources insist Postecoglou did defensively tweak his approach in both games according to the fact his team had taken two-goal advantages.

Furthermore, Postecoglou was widely praised for the way he sturdily set up his team in the Europa League quarter-final second leg win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

They were particularly robust in the comprehensive semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt, too. And then another European clean-sheet here in Bilbao to finish the job.

Those games represent a clear move away from 'Ange-Ball' towards a more cautious approach; the last few weeks of the European season illustrating that Postecoglou has a plan B after all.

In the end, Postecoglou was willing to change. Whether it's enough to change the course of the exit strategy remains to be seen.

In Postecoglou's defence, the club's relentless schedule hasn't necessarily lent itself to the exploration and embedding of new strategies.

Yet, the club's poor domestic campaign - and the manner of victory in Frankfurt - does suggest the team may have benefitted from further defensive adjustments throughout the season.

Sentiments towards the manager and his methods vary at all clubs and are dependent on a myriad of variables.

Indeed, it is normal that negativity reigns during a season as bad as Spurs have had. It is also normal for the manager's mood to fluctuate according to results.

Certain members of the squad have found Postecoglou increasingly distant at junctures this season.

At least two players during the second half of the season have approached alternative training ground staff on matters they would ordinarily go to Postecoglou with.

But by and large those at the club's Enfield training facility have generally found Postecoglou a likeable character, certainly last season when things were going well.

They found him a refreshing change from the insular and sulky demeanour of Antonio Conte.

Indeed the jubilant scenes here at the Estadio San Mames conveyed an aura of togetherness.

"They never lost faith in me," Postecoglou eulogised after victory.

There has been a perpetuated narrative that Postecoglou's position depended solely on success in the Europa League.

That isn't strictly true, though the tournament did offer Tottenham a route back into the Champions League and their first trophy since 2008 - and thus an opportunity to grasp what Postecoglou could claim to be a successful season.

But while it is undeniable the Europa League campaign is a factor in determining Postecoglou's fate, it isn't the only consideration.

Because it would be negligent of the Tottenham board to completely dismiss the team's abysmal league campaign that has seen them lose 21 of their 37 games so far.

There is a general feeling at Tottenham the team is performing well below its means. The argument the club have underspent in the transfer market in recent years is hard to contest.

But, by the same token, they did smash their transfer record last summer by signing Solanke from Bournemouth for £65m.

Relationships are key here. Does Daniel Levy believe that the players are still with their beleaguered manager?

Some most certainly are; public comments from Maddison and Van de Ven backing their underfire manager in recent weeks.

The post-match scenes were another indication that Postecoglou's players are on board.

But it is also true to say that others need convincing.

Another factor at play is Postecoglou's connection with the club's supporters.

The Australian put his infamous ear-cupping moment during the defeat by Chelsea down to misinterpretation, insisting he wasn't goading his own fans after Pape Matar Sarr had just scored a goal - that was eventually disallowed - moments after Spurs followers barracked him for bringing the midfielder on for Bergvall.

Nevertheless, a large section of supporters, certainly prior to victory over Manchester United, had given up on Postecoglou and have been vocal in their disapproval. The club are aware of the discontent. Whether that feeling has shifted after Bilbao remains to be seen.

The merits of a fresh approach - a different set of eyes on the squad - is also a consideration.

Tottenham watched Manchester United retain Erik ten Hag last summer after leading them to the FA Cup only for the Dutchman to be sacked just five months later.

That Tottenham have won one of their previous 11 in the Premier League is damning. Of course, these are vastly unusual circumstances; when does a team 17th in the Premier League lift a European trophy?

That won't be lost on chairman Levy.

How Tottenham would look to replace Postecoglou will depend on who is entrusted with making that decision.

For instance, if Johan Lange, the club's technical director, has influence over the decision, the chances of Brentford head coach Thomas Frank of replacing Postecoglou could increase.

Lange is believed to be a big admirer of his countryman, who has vast experience of working within the sort of data-driven recruitment ethos that the Tottenham executive is implementing.

If Paratici is to return, he will have his own ideas.

Fulham manager Marco Silva, Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner also have admirers at Spurs.

Some supporters yearn for the return of Mauricio Pochettino, but removing the Argentine from his USA contract would cost close to £20m – a fee Spurs would be highly reluctant to pay.

Are those options improvements on Postecoglou? It's a question Levy will answer soon.

"Que sera, sera," quipped Postecoglou as he ended his victory news conference. You wonder if Levy already has the answer to "what will be" for Postecoglou.