Ange Postecoglou on Spurs Exit: “I Knew It Was Done”

Ange Postecoglou has described his Tottenham Hotspur dismissal as “unusual” and revealed he knew his time was up even before lifting the Europa League trophy in May.

Just a few months later, the Australian is back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, and he’s determined to make the most of his new challenge.

Ange Postecoglou has arrived at his new home. 🏡🌳 pic.twitter.com/qk6fNItFad

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) September 11, 2025

“It Wasn’t a Surprise”

Postecoglou’s spell at Tottenham was a rollercoaster. His first season brought a fifth-placed finish and widespread praise for his fearless, front-foot football, reigniting excitement at Spurs after years of pragmatic coaches. His second delivered long-awaited silverware, ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.

But the domestic campaign told a very different story. Spurs slumped to 17th in the Premier League, losing 22 matches, and by June, former chairman Daniel Levy decided change was needed. Ex-Brentford boss Thomas Frank was appointed as Postecoglou’s successor.

The 60-year-old, speaking to press in his first press conference as Forest manager, admits he saw it coming.

“It was unusual because it’s never happened to me before. It’s the first time I’ve been sacked. It’s the first time I’ve had an off-season off. You wonder about the next opportunity.

It wasn’t great, I knew it was coming before the final. It wasn’t a surprise. We had the parade but I knew it was done.”

Despite the abrupt ending, he insists he left Spurs with pride.

“We put the Spurs supporters through some tough times, but there isn’t a Spurs fan that I have come across that doesn’t hug me and want to take me out for dinner, so I must have done something right.”

A Complex Legacy

Postecoglou’s two seasons in north London remain hard to pin down. His philosophy and character won admirers early on, and the Europa League win proved he could deliver when it mattered. Yet the collapse in the league was costly and ultimately decisive.

Reflecting on it, he admitted the end felt oddly at odds with the achievement.

“You certainly don’t know when these things come to an end. I certainly didn’t think I would finish up after winning a trophy.”

There’s also a certain irony to how things turned out. Famously bullish in his Spurs days, Postecoglou said he would win something in his second year, and true to his word, he did, but it was not enough to keep his job.

Ange Postecoglou is promosing trophies at Forest 🏆 pic.twitter.com/3gXdrkG7UP

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 11, 2025

A Fresh Start at Forest

Now, Postecoglou has swapped north London for Nottingham. He was unveiled this week as Forest’s new head coach, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo after his departure following disagreements with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

The Australian revealed the move developed rapidly.

“It developed over the weekend but came to a head on the Monday. My staff were in different parts of the world. We had to make some quick decisions. They got me at a good time, I’d just done the school run. Once we got into discussions over the weekend, it didn’t take too much for me to realise it was a great opportunity.”

And the lure of Forest was obvious.

“I was really keen to go to a club that would give me the platform to continue what I’ve been doing in my career. If you asked me at the start of the year if a job with Nottingham Forest was a possibility then I’d have said no because of the job Nuno had done. The opportunity presented itself and I was here to take it.”

A Clear Philosophy

Postecoglou knows he inherits a squad in transition but says his footballing identity won’t change.

“It’s familiar territory for me. Similar when I took over at Spurs… three games in it’ll be a gradual process. Nuno was transitioning into something different. But we’re all different. It’s just a matter of making it as smooth as possible.”

That means front-foot, attacking football, even with all the risks attached.

“I do like my teams to play exciting football and score goals and get fans excited. I make no apologies about that, that’s just the way I am. We want to dominate the ball and score goals. All of it with the end goal of winning football games. If you win games then you can win trophies.”

And in a nod to his Tottenham experience, Postecoglou even joked about his ambitions in Nottingham.

“Of course I can win one [a trophy in my first year], I might have to, to get a second year!”

'I MAY HAVE TO WIN A TROPHY TO GET A SECOND YEAR HERE MATE!' 🏆 | Ange Postecoglou pic.twitter.com/HNxXOvd55E

— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) September 11, 2025

A Respect for Tradition

Postecoglou also stressed the importance of Forest’s heritage, though he quickly dismissed comparisons with Brian Clough.

“There will never be any comparison between me and Brian Clough. He is a standalone legend and a figure you cannot compare to. I am a student of the game. He did it at a football club where no one expects that sort of thing. It means it’s different.”

Instead, he wants to build something sustainable of his own at a club with a history of domestic and continental success.

“For the most part, what you see is what you get. I try to be myself. I’m very passionate about what I do. I love creating things that are lasting. Every club I’ve been to, I’d like to think I’d be welcome back because I left a mark. That takes time.”

Looking Ahead

At 60, the Australian insists he is as driven as ever.

“I’m excited. Not really sure when the next opportunity will arise. It happened and I’m excited. It’s great to be back in the Premier League and in charge of a club with a storied history.”

For a coach who has been written off at various points in his career and has managed all over the globe, from Australia to Japan to Scotland, the challenge of Forest is just the latest step.

And after an “unusual” Spurs exit, Postecoglou is already looking firmly forward, with his first game in the Forest dugout coming this Saturday lunchtime at Arsenal.