Ramon Vega Dismisses Calls for Mauricio Pochettino’s Return, Backs Postecoglou Amid Spurs’ Struggles
Tottenham Hotspur’s turbulent run of form has led to growing frustration among fans, with some calling for a managerial change. However, former Spurs defender Ramon Vega has urged supporters to abandon the idea of replacing Ange Postecoglou with former boss Mauricio Pochettino, making it clear that such a move is neither feasible nor logical.
Spurs’ recent struggles have seen them win just one of their last eight Premier League matches, amplifying pressure on Postecoglou. Their situation worsened further after back-to-back cup eliminations—first suffering a humbling 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, followed by a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, which ended their FA Cup campaign. These results have heightened speculation over Postecoglou’s job security, with reports last week suggesting he could be at risk if he failed to beat Villa.
While it remains uncertain whether the Tottenham hierarchy would consider sacking Postecoglou, many fans appear to be growing impatient. The injuries that have plagued the squad are well-documented, and club officials are reportedly sympathetic to the manager’s predicament. However, that hasn’t stopped discussions among the fanbase about potential replacements, with Pochettino’s name frequently emerging as a desired candidate.
Vega: Pochettino Is Not an Option
Despite the increasing clamor for Pochettino’s return, Vega has dismissed the idea entirely, citing both professional and ethical reasons. Taking to social media platform X, the former Spurs defender was emphatic in his stance.
“There’s no point in calling for Pochettino,” Vega wrote. “First, he is already contracted and committed to @USMNT (United States Men’s National Team), and it would be disrespectful both to him and to the USMNT to even consider it. Second, he was dismissed from Tottenham without proper support, despite leading the club to the Champions League final in Madrid—a monumental achievement.”
Vega further criticized the club’s long-standing issues at the executive level, arguing that a managerial change would do little to solve Tottenham’s deeper structural problems.
“This was a golden opportunity to build a proper footballing project, yet the board squandered it. The same revolving issues persist, stemming from a lack of genuine backing for the football department. Changing Ange will not fix anything. The real solution lies in shifting the mentality at the top and committing fully to a football-first approach.”
Postecoglou Frustrated by Agenda-Driven Criticism
Postecoglou, for his part, has shown resilience in the face of mounting scrutiny. He believes the criticism directed at him and his squad is unfairly exaggerated, particularly given the significant injury crisis the team has endured.
Following the loss to Aston Villa, the Australian coach strongly defended his players, emphasizing how challenging it has been to manage a squad missing 11 first-team members. He pointed out how other clubs, including Liverpool, have struggled when dealing with even short-term injuries.
“Take those players out of any team—how did Liverpool do today?” Postecoglou said. “And that was just for one game. Try doing that for two and a half months, across multiple competitions. Any team would struggle in that situation.”
Postecoglou highlighted the reliance on young, inexperienced players in such difficult circumstances.
“We had two 18-year-olds, a 17-year-old, a 19-year-old, and a 21-year-old goalkeeper starting against one of the best teams in the country. Aston Villa, by contrast, had a full week of rest. They didn’t play on Thursday night against Liverpool—we did, and we had no chance to rotate.”
When asked whether he was concerned about his own job security, Postecoglou was dismissive, stating that his primary focus remained on his squad and their development.
“I’m not talking about myself—people can judge me however they want. They can say I’ve done a bad job, that I’m not up to it, that’s fine. But you can’t be critical of these players in this situation. If you’re going to judge us, then be fair—apply the same standards to every team when they have nine, ten, or eleven players out. The reality is, no other team has dealt with this level of disruption for this long.”
A Show of Support for the Players
Postecoglou further insisted that his players have given everything they possibly can despite the adversity they’ve faced.
“My job is to get this group to play in a way that brings us success. Whether people believe I can do that is for others to decide, but there has to be a greater appreciation for what these players have endured. They have been outstanding for two and a half months, battling through unprecedented challenges.
Criticism of them is simply not objective analysis. If the agenda is just to push me out, fine—people can say what they want about me. But in terms of these players, they deserve nothing but admiration for what they’ve done. I can’t praise them highly enough.”
What’s Next for Tottenham?
As things stand, Postecoglou retains the backing of the Spurs hierarchy, who acknowledge the significant hurdles he has faced. However, if the team’s form does not improve soon, the pressure may become too intense to ignore.
For now, Vega’s words serve as a reminder that Tottenham’s problems run deeper than just the manager. Until the club’s leadership shows greater commitment to long-term footballing success, changing the man in the dugout will likely only offer a temporary fix.
Tottenham fans told to forget about replacing Ange Postecoglou with one Big name manager who many believed is the only solution
