Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane has now issued his verdict on Ange Postecoglou after watching Tottenham Hotspur lose their fourth consecutive game.
The Lilywhites were sent packing back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without any points on Sunday after Liverpool dispatched of them.
It has been a rough few weeks for Tottenham who have seen their Champions League dreams shattered by four league defeats in a row.
But Ange Postecoglou still has Spurs on course for an improved season after they finished in eighth last term under Antonio Conte.
The last four Premier League games for Tottenham have provided zero points, four goals scored and 13 conceded.
It is not good enough for a side who aspired to be playing among Europe’s elite next season.
And after the latest defeat at Anfield, Keane shared his thoughts on what Spurs should do with Postecoglou.
The Australian has not even completed his first season at the helm yet in north London and could still secure a solid finish with wins over Burnley and Sheffield United.
What Roy Keane said about Ange Postecoglou after Liverpool defeat
Spurs started the season in sensational style with the Lilywhites looking like a real threat to any side in the league.
Beating the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and drawing away to Arsenal and Manchester City got Postecoglou’s project off to a seriously strong start.
However, the defeat to Chelsea at home in November changed the season for Spurs and they have never really looked like the same side since.
Injuries have, of course, played their part with James Maddison‘s form dropping off a cliff following his return from the ankle injury.
And it is apparent Keane believed these are the type of things which need to be factored in to how Postecoglou’s first season is assessed.
Speaking on Sky Sports after the game, Keane came to the defence of Postecoglou after watching Spurs beaten again.
“Rightly or wrongly, we are reflecting on the last three, four or five games. But if you think back to the start of the season, there were big challenges for him,” he said.
“He was new to the Premier League, there were question marks over his CV, which was unfair. But he has had a pretty decent season.
“It’s just over the last few games where they have fallen away. You start analysing Spurs and the perception of Spurs is that there is always a softness to them. He has got to try and change that.
“He will look back on some positives at the end of the season, but to get to the next level, when you finish fifth or sixth, that next step of competing and getting into the Champions League is the hardest step. But give the man a chance.”
Will Tottenham be better off without Champions League football?
Any realistic hope of finishing fourth can now be forgotten with Spurs looking to secure fifth spot over the final three games.
It would be a lie for anyone at the club to say they do not want to see Tottenham playing in the Champions League next season.
However, on the back of some of the recent displays, it has to be questioned whether they are yet up to the level required to compete in that competition.
With the recent financial report showing just how well Tottenham are doing off the pitch, Champions League revenue is not a massive deal breaker ahead of the summer.
The Europa League will offer Tottenham with a more realistic opportunity at lifting some silverware and would likely provide opposition closer to their level.
But it is what Postecoglou makes of the opportunity with Tottenham’s cup displays leaving a lot to be desired so far this season.