Former Tottenham Hotspur manager, Ange Postecoglou has criticised Tottenham’s transfer strategy and wage structure, claiming the club are “not a big club” financially, following the dismissal of Thomas Frank.
Frank, who replaced Postecoglou last summer, was sacked on Wednesday with Spurs sitting five points above the Premier League relegation zone. His departure marks the continuation of a period of instability at the north London club.
Postecoglu while speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast as reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, he said Tottenham’s financial framework limited their ability to compete for elite targets during his tenure as the club manager.
“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 added.
The Australian manager revealed Spurs were unable to compete for high-profile signings such as Pedro Neto, Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo, and Marc Guehi, all of whom secured major moves elsewhere.
Postecoglou guided Spurs to a fifth-place finish in his first season and ended the club’s 17-year wait for silverware by winning the Europa League in 2025 against Manchester United.
However, a 17th-place league finish the following season ultimately led to his job being terminated.
Reflecting on his time at the club, he suggested Tottenham were unwilling to take the financial risks required to compete consistently at the highest level.
“I felt like Tottenham as a London club were saying, ‘we’re one of the big boys’, and the reality is they are not,” he added. “To actually win, you’ve got to take some risks financially.”