Place in Spurs' hall of fame would not protect Ange from the sack

But fortunes of club’s former managers prove that he may be better off elsewhere, by Dan Kilpatrick

- Dan Kilpatrick

If Ange Postecoglou wanted a reminder that there is life after Tottenham, he need only have glanced down the touchline during Monday's defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Nuno Espirito Santo was derided following his four-month stint at Spurs in 2021, written off by many as a coach who was ill-suited in tactics and personality for the upper-reaches of the Premier League. Yet, on Monday night Nuno completed the double over his former club as Forest moved back into the top three, well-placed for a remarkable return to the European Cup for the first time since the Brian Clough era.

The Portuguese’s counter-punching style and low-key oratory are a better fit for Forest than a so-called “big six” club, but Nuno stands as a reminder that a succession of managers have been successful before and after their time at White Hart Lane - but not at Spurs. Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, both labelled dinosaurs during miserable spells in north London, are other recent examples.