Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was in a buoyant mood heading into the season, and before a ball was kicked he stated that he "usually wins things in his second season" at a club. A bold statement.
He later doubled down on this after a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in the North London Derby, saying he "always wins something in his second season."
However the seasons hasn't quite panned out that way. Tottenham currently sit 14th in the Premier League and were knocked out of both domestic cups, with the Europa League the only chance Postecoglou now has of delivering on his statement and potentially saving his job.
Tottenham boss Postecoglou facing the sack with London rival's manager pipped to replace him - report
Former Tottenham scout Mick Brown believes Postecoglou will be lucky to be in the dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium come the start of next season, and suggests Fulham boss Marco Silva is being lined up to replace him.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said: “Tottenham, unless they put a run together from now to the end of the season, you would think that things might happen there in terms of the sack for the manage.
“Silva would certainly be top of the pops in terms of competition for that [managerial] spot, that’s what I’m hearing from my sources there.”
Silva's Fulham are currently six places and 12 points above Spurs in the Premier League, and in the last game before the international break strengthened their bid for European football after beating Postecoglou's side 2-0.
O ver the past few years, there's been plenty of interest in Silva, who was ranked 34 in FourFourTwo's best managers in the world, but a reported £7.5 million release clause in his contract with The Cottagers has put off potential suitors as of yet.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is another manager Daniel Levy is reportedly interested in, but the Basque-boss looks set to lead Bournemouth to European football for the first time and it may be tough to entice him away from the south coast.
Winning the Europa League would certainly change the narrative surrounding Postecoglou's future at Tottenham, as winning the tournament would grant them a place in the Champions League.
Failure to do so would almost certainly mean no European football next season, and it would most likely mean the writing was on the wall for the ex-Celtic boss.
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