Soccer
Brennan Johnson says Tottenham’s Europa League triumph provides a fitting “mic drop” moment for Ange Postecoglou, who was subsequently able to deliver his promise.
Postecoglou – a man under constant scrutiny during a disappointing campaign for his side, who sit 17th in the Premier League – raised eyebrows several months ago after asserting that he always wins something in his second season at a club.
Yet, the Australian fulfilled that self-imposed pressure by delivering Tottenham’s first silverware in 17 years, as Johnson’s scruffy first-half strike was enough to edge out Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao.
Postecoglou did so in his 100th game in charge of Spurs, becoming the first manager to reach the landmark in a major final while in charge of an English side since George Ramsay with Aston Villa in the 1892 FA Cup.
And Johnson believes the head coach deserves credit for the trust placed in the players, despite their struggles, after sealing qualification for next season’s Champions League.
“He’s done his job,” the Wales international told TNT Sports. “He says he wins in his second year, and he has. I think if there’s ever a time for a mic drop, it’s now.
“I can’t thank him enough for how much trust he’s had in us. Some of the performances haven’t been good enough. He has a really good way of getting everyone up for it [in this competition] and, today, it shows.”
Second season, mate. pic.twitter.com/C1fbHLOufc
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 21, 2025
“I’m so happy right now,” Johnson added. “This season hasn’t been good at all, but not one of us players care about that.
“This is what it’s all about. This club hasn’t won a trophy for 17 years. It means so much. All the fans and players get battered for not winning trophies, but we’ve got the first one in a while today.
“Ever since I came here, everyone says Tottenham are a good team, but can never get it done. We got it done.
“Tottenham finishing 17th in the Premier League isn’t good enough, but we’ve had an unbelievable run [in this competition]. The fans have been so good, every home game, every away game.
Spurs had to dig deep to protect their lead during the second half. Micky van de Ven acrobatically cleared off the line, while Guglielmo Vicario made a superb save to deny Luke Shaw’s last-gasp header.
“I still can’t believe what we’ve done tonight,” Vicario told TNT Sports. “This group of players have written history in the real sense of the term.
“We knew before the game, we needed effort from everyone. We delivered, and now we can celebrate.”
Read MoreSoccerNews