Ange Postecoglou steered Tottenham to a fifth-placed finish in the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
Gareth Bale is convinced Ange Postecoglou has ‘done an incredible job’ at Tottenham and believes the club’s ‘biggest problem’ this season was that expectations went through the roof thanks to their lightning start.
Postecoglou put pen to paper on a four-year contract with Tottenham after winning back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic last summer, becoming the first Australian to manage in the Premier League.
With Postecoglou at the helm, an unbeaten Tottenham got off to a lightning start to leapfrog champions Manchester City at the top of the table after ten games.
And while Postecoglou has received widespread praise for the attacking style of play he has implemented, a trophyless Spurs struggled for consistency throughout the campaign and had to settle for a fifth-placed finish after losing five of their last seven matches.
But a Dejan Kulusevski-inspired 3-0 victory over Sheffield United on the final day of the season secured Tottenham a place in next year’s Europa League and Bale is confident the club have found ‘the right man for the job’.
‘I think they’ve had a very successful season,’ the ex-Tottenham, Real Madrid and Wales forward told The Independent, speaking at a Mastercard event in London to launch ‘The Pledge Ball’.
‘The biggest problem was that they started so well and the expectation went too much and too soon. It was a bit unfair.
Bale is convinced Tottenham have found the right manager in Postecoglou (Picture: Getty)
‘Ange has done an incredible job. Losing Harry [Kane] was going to be a massive loss, the amount of goals you lose.
‘So to be able to finish higher than in previous seasons speaks massive volumes of how well the manager has done. He has also got them playing the Tottenham way.
‘I went back again this season and it was very enjoyable to watch. Ange is definitely the right man for the job.
‘If they can have a great transfer window this summer, which I’m sure they will, they’ll be in a better place next season.’
Bellingham has enjoyed one of the great debut seasons at the Bernabeu (Picture: Getty)
Switching his attention to another of his old clubs, Real Madrid, Bale reserved special praise for Jude Bellingham, who he feels has far exceeded expectations across a magnificent debut season.
‘I don’t think anyone expected it. His record in the past didn’t suggest he could score that many goals, but he’s probably playing in a more advanced role in Madrid and the team is a lot younger,’ the Welshman added.
‘The environment is obviously more comfortable. He’s slotted in really well and had a fantastic first season.
‘He’s won the league, and to be able to win a Champions League in your first season – obviously from my personal experience it is a great thing to have – gives you that platform to keep pushing on from there.
‘It’s a very nice club to be at, and hopefully they can get another win and keep cementing their title as the kings of Europe.
‘To keep doing it year in and year out I feel is a special skill, especially in that competition.
‘Even if we’re getting beaten we find a way to win. From being inside that dressing room, it’s the drive and determination to not accepting a loss is what keeps them going – and the fans keep pushing you forward.’
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