Postecoglou's deep crisis offers moment of greatest strength

Tottenham's manager knows the vultures and pundits are circling, but his mission is driven by the family name

- Jonathan Liew

His passport still bears the name "Angelos Postekos". It was the name legally given to him by his parents, eager for their children to fit into their adopted home, aware that they would face enough obstacles - a different language, a different culture, a different skin tone - without throwing a long name into the bargain.

But he always hated the name Postekos. To him it smelled too much of embarrassment. Of apologising for who you were. Of changing your essence to please others. Of compromise. And so, as soon as he had any say in the matter, he resolved he would be known by the name his father had used, and those who came before him, back in the old country. Before everything changed forever.

And so it is the name of Ange Postecoglou that sits just behind Ruud van Nistelrooy in second place on most oddsmakers' lists of the next Premier League manager to get the sack. Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth appears to be first choice to replace him. According to reports, there has already been some contact and terms are not expected to be an issue.

The vultures and the pundits have been circling for weeks. Marco Silva at Fulham still has his admirers. Brentford are bracing themselves for an approach for Thomas Frank. Meanwhile Postecoglou continues to prepare his Tottenham team for the visit to Stamford Bridge, a ground where Spurs have won once in 35 years. Everything here seems to be pointing in one direction.

Of all the clubs Postecoglou has faced in his long career, Chelsea are the only one to have beaten him the first three times in a row. There is a kind of circularity here, given it was that first defeat - a 4-1 Chelsea win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in late 2023 - that sealed his legend in English football, while also setting the madcap template for what was to follow.