27/03/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | MAR 27, 2026

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Ange ‘not done yet’ as he watches Spurs and Forest battle relegation

ANGE POSTECOGLOU said yesterday he was “not done yet” while admitting it was hard to watch as the two clubs that dumped him last year battle to avoid English Premier League relegation. The former Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest boss has been out of work since October. But the Australian is almost ready to take the plunge back into the turbulent waters of European football. “I want to win things still. I still have that

Postecoglou oversaw the end of Spurs’ 17 year wait for a major trophy when they beat Manchester United in the 2025 Europa League final. But poor league form meant he was still sacked after two years in the role before an ill fated 40 days as Forest boss before being axed in October. Since his departure, both clubs have contin ued to struggle and are in a desperate relega tion fight with Tottenham just one point above the drop zone and Forest three. – AFP Drop Zone Drama: Final Stretch NOTTINGHAM FOREST Position: 16th | Played: 31 | Points: 32 Remaining fixtures: April 12 – Aston Villa (H); April 19 – Burnley (H); April 24 – Sunderland (A); May 2 – Chelsea (A); May 9 – Newcastle (H); May 17 – Man United (A); May 24 – Bournemouth (H). Where to pick up points? A home fixture against seemingly doomed Burnley is a golden opportunity for Forest to collect three more points and one further win in addition to that could be enough to get over the line. A home game against a mid-table Bournemouth side who may have nothing to play for on the final day could be their best chance. Tricky contests? Games against three (Man Utd, Chelsea, Villa) of the current top six still await Forest. Final straight? It’s not the best with a journey to Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the sea son. Hosting Bournemouth on the final day could offer a chance to snatch the points required if things aren’t wrapped up by then. A home match against Newcastle could also be worse. Things could be com plicated if they are still going in the Europa League. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Position: 17th | Played: 31 | Points: 30 Remaining fixtures: April 12 – Sunderland (A); April 18 – Brighton (H); April 25 – Wolves (A); May 2 – Aston Villa (A); May 9 – Leeds (H); May 17 – Chelsea (A); May 24 – Everton (H). Where to pick up points? Spurs can’t pick up points from any where. On paper, a game away to Wolves at the end of April is a good opportunity for three points, as is a potentially pivotal clash with Leeds but every clash is tough cur rently. Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of “every single one”, given their recent form, away games at Villa and Chelsea don’t look too fruitful. Even fixtures against Brighton and Everton suddenly look that much more dangerous as well. Final straight? Leeds at home as the third-last game is absolutely huge. Should that game go awry and Spurs head into the final two matches in the relegation zone, then a trip to Stamford Bridge and clash with Everton to finish up appear unlikely to provide suc cour.

Postecoglou, 60, said he does not know exactly where he will go next, but “I’ve got an idea”. “I think part of it is going to be making sure that the people I work with are ready for what I’m going to deliver and that they understand me as a person and the kind of football (I play), and I see the ambition in them,” he said. “I know whatever it is going to be, I have this thing in my head that this will be the best one I’ve done yet because of the recent experi ences, maybe I needed them.”

drive and passion to achieve, that hasn’t changed,” he told Australian sport’s radio sta tion SEN . “The fact now it’s the first time I’m coming off a bad experience – that’s just more fuel for me. “Wherever I go there will be plenty of scep ticism – that’s brilliant, that’s what I need. Get the gloves, put the helmet on again and go really hard. “I still feel like what I do still has an impact at this level,” he added. “I’m not done yet, mate!”

Tottenham teeter on the edge Spurs sit one point above the relegation zone and are on their longest winless run in 91 years, a perilous position brought on by a series of catastrophic decisions

Forest’s Igor Jesus (left) in action against Spurs’ Kevin Danso during the Premier League clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium recently. – R EUTE R S PIC

Ű BY BEN MCALEER

take stock of the perilous situation they find themselves in. Years of underspending, cutting corners and mismanagement are finally catching up on Spurs. The departure of Daniel Levy was supposed to usher in a new era with “The Lewis Family” in charge. A leopard, though, never changes its spots. ENIC have exhausted the fans’ patience. The appointments of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange were questionable on paper. In practice, they’ve arguably been the worst the club has ever made. And with Tudor unlikely to be in charge in time for the trip to Sunderland next month, the question on everyone’s lips is: what next for Tottenham? It’s a question few, if any, can answer. If Tudor goes, who comes in? And how do they correct the club’s current predicament? Defeat to Forest extended Spurs’ winless streak in the league to 13 matches, their longest such run in 91 years, according to Squawka . Are there any positives the club can take? Well, they have key personnel still to return from injury. Mohammed Kudus is expected back after the international break. Spurs have missed his spark down the flank. Despite not playing since the 1-1 draw with Sunderland in January, the Ghanaian still ranks fourth for successful dribbles (52) in the Premier League this season. Rodrigo Bentancur will at least provide a semblance of experience in the middle of the park once he recovers from a hamstring issue. Saying that, we’re clutching at straws here. This is very much a Spurs side in dire straits. “Every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s usually been an oncoming train,” Postecoglou said when he spoke of Tottenham’s injury crisis last season. At least the Australian had hope. For Spurs fans, there is none. The tunnel has been plunged into darkness and is taking the north London powerhouse straight into the Championship. – The Independent

Following that (un)eventful London Derby, the only way has been down for Spurs. Since the start of November, Tottenham have beaten as many German teams as they have English sides. That would be somewhat forgivable if Spurs plied their trade in the Bundesliga. Frank, unsurprisingly, was sacked last month. In came the master firefighter, Igor Tudor. To Dare is Tudor. The ultimate interim manager, who’d saved Udinese – twice – and hauled Lazio and Juventus to Europe with a final season flourish. Fans are yet to see the best of Tudor. Truth is, they probably never will. Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest marked Spurs’ fifth defeat from his seven games in charge. They’ve lost to Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace, and now the Tricky Trees in a relegation six-pointer. The only victory was a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Spurs lost the two-legged tie 7-5. They won the battle but lost the war. And with seven games to go, Spurs are very much staring into the abyss. Sunday was sup posed to be the turning point. Spurs rescued a late point at Liverpool last week. The afore mentioned home triumph over Atletico fol lowed suit, a morale-boosting victory if you will. Yet as Spurs have found out all too often this season, the Premier League and the Champions League are a whole different kettle of fish. The capital side won all five home European games this season. They’ve won twice in front of their fans in England’s top tier this term. Only a Sheffield Wednesday side in administration and on the receiving end of two points deductions have a worse home record than Spurs in the top four tiers of English football. In truth, Spurs will have welcomed the international break, if only to ease the relent lessness of the season. It’s a chance to actually

I T wasn’t supposed to be like this. Not Sunday, and not this season. Tottenham Hotspur are in freefall. They are plummet ing to earth without a parachute, and hop ing West Ham can cushion their landing. The relegation fears are real. The 2025/26 campaign was supposed to be the one when Spurs really pushed on. The Europa League triumph was expected to be the springboard for further success. They’d finally won. But at what cost? Out went Ange Postecoglou, and in came Thomas Frank. A steady hand on the tiller, or so it seemed. To the Dane’s credit, it started off well enough. Spurs went blow-for-blow with Champions League winners PSG in the Super Cup. They were minutes away from a second European trophy in the space of three months. They beat Manchester City and West Ham in the opening weeks with ease. The north London side made a solid start to their Champions League campaign, beating Villarreal 1-0 in front of their fans. The wheels, though, started to come off at the beginning of November. Spurs’ home form had already been called into question. Their sole league win in their opening four at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium came on the first weekend of the season against Burnley. It took a late Joao Palhinha equaliser against table footers Wolves to ensure they didn’t lose all of the subsequent three. In a bid to correct their form, Frank called on the fans to back the team as Chelsea made the short trip across the capital. Spurs needed the supporters to drag them over the line. “We need the fans behind us,” the former Brentford head coach outlined. Spurs put in one of the worst performances of the season. That was the game the penny dropped for most. “I’m beginning to think that Thomas Frank was not the brilliant tactician I thought he was.”