Ange Postecoglou's rollercoaster two-year reign at Tottenham Hotspur is over after the North London club sacked their Australian head coach.
It comes despite Postecoglou guiding Spurs to a 1-0 victory in the Europa League final over fellow Premier League (EPL) side Manchester United in Bilbao last month.
It meant the 59-year-old had delivered on his promise of "always" winning a trophy in his second season.
But it also came at the end of a dismal EPL campaign in which the club finished in 17th place, just above the bottom three teams, who are then relegated to a lower league.
Tottenham confirms sacking
Tottenham confirmed the sacking in a statement released overnight, which read: "Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties.
"We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision.
"We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future — he will always be welcome back at our home."
'Something I will never forget'
Postecoglou also issued a statement, saying: "When I reflect on my time as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride.
"The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime.
"Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.
"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible."
Tottenham face backlash
Postecoglou's sacking sparked shock and outrage as the football world digested the news that a man who had ended his club's long search for silverware had been shown the door a fortnight later.
England manager Thomas Tuchel, himself sacked by Chelsea a year after winning the Champions League in 2021, said: "It just shows you that it is not only about titles, you can survive seasons without titles if your connection, the support and the belief and the trust between the coach and the club is strong then you can overcome seasons without titles.
"If there is slight disbelief, if there are concerns, if the trust is not there anymore, obviously then it is sometimes not even enough to win a trophy after so many years."
