January can be the crucial month in the lifespan of a Tottenham manager. During Daniel Levy’s 24 years as chairman, there was once Harry Redknapp, warning of “bare bones” through Kevin Bond’s 4x4 window. The very public breakdown of Levy’s relations with Antonio Conte in 2023 came not long after the Italian failed to get what he wanted in the January sales. Tension boiled, too, with José Mourinho during the same month’s window.
Ange Postecoglou keeps his personal view of the ownership and the club’s executive class to himself. When the end comes for a Spurs manager it usually follows behind-the-scenes issues with Levy becoming headlines and Postecoglou continues to pride himself on not looking for excuses or relying on short-term solutions. As he resumed media duties after a six-day new-year rest where he said “the main driver was recovery”, the Australian betrayed little pressure following Spurs’ deeply unsatisfactory Christmas period, starting with a 6-3 home destruction by Liverpool, falling into Nottingham Forest’s traps in losing 1-0 on Boxing Day and then conceding a late equaliser to Wolves.
