Ange out? Every Tottenham manager since winning the League Cup in 2008

Tottenham Hotspur they are just one game away from the League Cup final, beating Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-final.

A win or draw in the second leg at Anfield will ensure the club play in their first cup final since the 2020/21 season, when they reached the final EFL Cuponly to lose to Manchester City.

Ange Postecoglou encountered a lot of criticism in this term, especially with the club which is in the 12th u Premier League desk at the time of writing.

But could winning the first trophy since 2008 be a catalyst for progress? The jury is still out on the Australian but he could become the first manager to lead Spurs to a major trophy since Juande Ramos 17 years ago.

Since the Spaniard was sacked after a terrible start to the 2008/09 season, the north Londoners have employed eight permanent managers. We’ve ranked these managers according to their attempts to end Tottenham’s trophy drought.

8

Mauricio Pochettino

July 2014 – November 2019

Backwards, dismissal Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019 was a big mistake. Of course, the beginning of that season didn’t exactly go according to plan, but this was the man who led the club to Champions League finale just a few months ago.

The lowest Spurs finished in the Premier League under the leadership of the Argentine he was fifth during the first seasonqualifying for the Champions League over the next four campaigns.

In the first league, he averaged 1.89 points per gamefinishing as runners-up during the 2016/17 season, with the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min developing into world-class players.

7

Harry Redknapp

October 2008 – June 2012

While Pochettino put Spurs in the top four, Harry Redknapp was the first to achieve the feat.

Taking over from Juande Ramos was not easy, but the veteran manager began to slowly turn things around, finishing fourth during his first full season in charge, which qualified Spurs for the Champions League.

Reaching the quarter-finals the following season was highly impressive, and while Redknapp could not lead them to the trophy, the standards he set gave Pochettino a platform to build on when he took over in 2014.

6

Ange Postecoglou

July 2023 – today

If – and it’s a big if – Postecoglou can lead Spurs to the League Cup, it could prove to be a major turning point for the former Celtic manager.

At times, the football on display is sublime, with wins over Manchester City and Manchester United being the highlights. Sticking to his attacking philosophy when some games call for a more pragmatic approach could be seen as tactical naivety, but the Aussie sticks to what he’s good at.

Injuries have not helped Spurs this season, and if given time, Postecoglou could be a successful club manager.

5

Andre Villas-Boas

July 2012 – December 2013

Being sacked after eight months as Chelsea manager did not stop André Villas-Boas from trying again in the Premier League, this time with Spurs.

During the 2012/13 season. he led the club to fifth place, perhaps relying too much on the brilliance of Gareth Bale at times, but the football on display was superb.

They scored 70 goals that term in the Premier League – the fifth best attacking team in the division – but that would not save Villas-Boas.

Indeed, he was sacked in December 2013 following a 5-0 defeat by Liverpool, ending his 18-month spell in England.

4

Antonio Conte

November 2021 – March 2023

Antonio Conte took over the club in November 2021 following the sacking of Nun Espírito Santo and led the club to fourth place, losing just six games in the process.

Despite this, Spurs failed to progress past the last 16 of the Champions League during 2022/23, while Conte lasted until March 2023 before being sacked after a run of one win in the previous five games.

3

Tim Sherwood

December 2013 – June 2014

Tim Sherwood lasted just 26 games in charge of Spurs but had a 59% win percentage in the Premier League.

Although football under the Englishman was not the best, his dedication to giving young talents a chance must be acknowledged.

Indeed, it was Sherwood who gave Kane his first Premier League start. 435 appearances and 280 goals laterfreeing him was one of Sherwood’s better moments.

Spurs were kicked out of the League Cup in his first game, before he was handed a permanent role a few days later. Unfortunately, losses to Arsenal (twice) combined with heavy defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City during his tenure meant he only lasted until the end of the 2013/14 season.

His replacement was Pochettino, who spent a much more productive time in charge of the club.

2

Jose Mourinho

November 2019 – April 2021

After the sudden sacking of Mauricio Pochettino, it was obvious that Spurs would need a manager who could take the club to the next level – winning trophies.

In this regard, Jose Mourinho sounded like an ideal candidate. His last stint at Manchester United saw him win two major trophies in his debut season, although things soon turned sour.

The Portuguese coach lasted just 86 games in charge, leading the club to sixth place in the 2019/20 season. Indeed, it was Mourinho who last guided the club to a major final, securing their place in the League Cup final against Manchester City.

By the time the game kicked off, the former Chelsea boss had been sacked and had lasted just 17 months in north London. Given the promise of his appointment, Mourinho’s time at Spurs has been very poor.

1

Nuno Espírito Santo

July 2021 – November 2021

It is perhaps no surprise to see Nún Espírito Santo ranked as the worst manager the club has had since 2008, as his tenure at the club has been nothing short of dismal.

He worked wonders with Wolverhampton Wanderers, taking them from the Championship to back-to-back seventh-place finishes in the top flight, but struggled mightily at Spurs.

In all, he managed just 17 games for the club, winning nine, but the football on display was largely memorable. Losses to Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Crystal Palace in the Premier League didn’t help him much and he was sacked in November 2021.