Micky van de Ven reveals text he sent Ange Postecoglou after shock Tottenham sack
Micky van de Ven has now opened up on Tottenham’s decision to sack Ange Postecoglou after his Europa League triumph and what he told the Australian after his departure.
The decision by Tottenham Hotspur to sack Ange Postecoglou has left opinion split among those connected with the club, given what he achieved during his two-year stint in north London.
The Australian was the man who ended Spurs’ near two-decade wait for silverware, delivering the Europa League trophy in Bilbao, Spain, and in doing so, he wrote his name into the club’s modern history.
However, Postecoglou also presided over the club’s worst-ever Premier League campaign, with Tottenham sitting 17th after losing 22 league games, a damaging run that ultimately led the board to decide to part ways.
Micky van de Ven reacts to Ange Postecoglou sacking at Tottenham
Although Postecoglou has since departed, his influence clearly lingers within the Tottenham dressing room, with several players continuing to speak warmly about his impact and man-management.
James Maddison had already spoken earlier this season about how much he enjoyed playing under Postecoglou, and now Micky van de Ven has opened up on the Australian and the club’s decision to sack him, speaking to The Overlap.
Reflecting on Postecoglou as a coach and the abrupt nature of his exit, van de Ven said: “I think even if he (Postecoglou) could, what you say, he was a really good manager.
“I still really like him to this day, and I do not know how everything went backstage, that he won the Europa League and then got sacked afterwards, I have no clue.”
The Dutch defender then addressed whether he ever expected Postecoglou to lose his job, explaining how the constant speculation contrasted sharply with the outcome.
“No, no, no, I did not expect it. Of course, you see a lot of rumours out there because everybody was on Ange, especially the media.
“You saw everything popping up on your phone; there was not a day where I scrolled and saw nothing about our gaffer.
“There was always something about him, but it was strange how everything went afterwards. When you think he was the manager that won silverware for Tottenham and then afterwards he got sacked, I just sent a text to my dad and my friends saying I never expected this.”
What van de Ven told Postecoglou after Spurs sacking
Van de Ven also revealed that he reached out to Postecoglou directly following the decision, underlining the personal relationship the pair shared during their time together at Spurs.
Speaking again to The Overlap, the centre-back explained what that message contained and why he chose his words carefully.
“I just told him all the best in the future. I did not say it was a strange decision from the club, I just said I never expected this to happen and I thanked him for the two years I had with him.
“I had a good relationship with him, I was close with him, and he was the manager that brought me to Tottenham. He was the first person I spoke to, and when I had been there three days he was just like, nah, you play.”
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