Former Tottenham manager, Ange Postecoglou, has taken a swipe at the club’s financial strength and transfer approach, insisting Spurs cannot be regarded as a “big club” when it comes to spending power.
Postecoglou made the remarks shortly after the sacking of his successor, Thomas Frank, who was dismissed on Wednesday with Tottenham sitting just five points above the relegation zone.
Speaking on Stick to Football, a show on The Overlap, as reported by BBC Sport, the Australian coach said Tottenham’s wage structure and spending limits made it difficult to compete for elite players during his time in charge.
“When you look at their expenditure and particularly their wage structure, they’re not a big club.
“When we were trying to sign players, we weren’t in the market for those players,” he said.
Postecoglou explained that Tottenham missed out on several high-profile signings because the club were unwilling or unable to match financial demands.
The former Spurs boss, however, enjoyed early success at the club. He led Tottenham to a fifth-place finish in his first season and ended their 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League in 2025.
But a poor run the following season, which saw Tottenham finish 17th in the league, eventually cost him his job.
Reflecting on his tenure, Postecoglou suggested the club often tried to project itself as one of Europe’s elite sides, but lacked the financial aggression needed to sustain success at the highest level.
“I felt like Tottenham as a club were saying, ‘we’re one of the big boys’, and the reality is I don’t think they are.
“To actually win, you’ve got to take some risks,” he added.
