Tottenham Hotspur’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night not only secured their place in the semi-finals of the Europa League but may have also bought Ange Postecoglou some much-needed credit with a fanbase that had started to question his leadership.
Dominic Solanke’s penalty just before half-time settled a tense quarter-final second leg in Germany, where Spurs showed discipline and resilience against an opponent currently on track to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The goal came after a VAR intervention — something Postecoglou has previously expressed frustration with — but this time the technology worked in his favour.
Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos clattered into James Maddison as the midfielder attempted to reach a chipped pass, and after initially escaping punishment, the referee reversed his decision at the monitor. Solanke made no mistake from the spot.
Postecoglou praised the courage of Maddison, who had to be substituted after the incident, calling it “unbelievable courage” and suggesting the challenge should have warranted a red card.
“He knew he was going to get a pretty severe knock but put his body on the line,” the Australian said after the game. “I’m super proud of the lads. In such a big game, they delivered a performance and it means we’re through to a semi-final.”
The Australian has endured a difficult first season in charge, and his remarks in September about typically winning trophies in his second year have since loomed awkwardly. But this performance — particularly the maturity and control shown across both legs — suggests Tottenham still have something to play for.
Postecoglou admitted that with the club’s best players unavailable for long spells, progress has been difficult, but he pointed to the togetherness of the group as a key factor in reaching this stage of the competition.
His players certainly showed that unity in Frankfurt. Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie were outstanding at the back, Rodrigo Bentancur marshalled the midfield, and Brennan Johnson and Mathys Tel stretched the defence throughout.
Though Frankfurt pressed hard after the break, Spurs stayed compact and weathered the storm, with Guglielmo Vicario pulling off a key save late on to preserve the lead.
Postecoglou was quick to downplay talk of destiny or turning points but acknowledged the significance of what his players achieved. “We’re in the semi-final. We’ll play a difficult opponent, but we’ve given ourselves a chance,” he said. “That’s all you can ask for at this point in the season.”
For all the noise surrounding his future, Postecoglou remains unwavering. “I’m the same manager today that I was yesterday,” he said. “For me, it’s always about the dressing room. Do the players believe? Do the staff believe? That’s much more important.”
On the evidence of Thursday night, they still do.
Source: Football Today / Digpu NewsTex