“The System Works” – Van de Ven Defends Postecoglou After Spurs Chaos
Micky van de Ven insists Ange Postecoglou’s ideas were never the problem at Tottenham, even after a Premier League campaign that ended just one place above relegation. Speaking candidly, the Dutch defender revealed why he still backs his former manager’s philosophy and where it ultimately fell short.
The comments matter because they come from a player who lived through both extremes of Postecoglou’s reign. From a fifth-place finish and Champions League dreams to a season of injuries, defeats and a shock Europa League triumph, Van de Ven saw the system tested to breaking point.
Postecoglou arrived in north London to immediate acclaim, with Spurs playing aggressive, front-foot football that caught the Premier League off guard. Tottenham finished fifth in his first season, just two points off the top four, and belief around the club was high. The Australian even doubled down publicly, declaring that he “always wins things in his second season,” a bold line at a club defined by near misses.
What followed was chaos. Injuries ravaged the squad, including four separate hamstring issues for Van de Ven, and Tottenham’s league form collapsed. Spurs lost 22 Premier League matches and conceded 65 goals, tumbling to 17th place. Yet in Europe, the same team found clarity and purpose, navigating past AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo Glimt to reach the Europa League final.
Despite the physical toll, Van de Ven remains convinced Postecoglou’s principles were sound. Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Overlap with Gary Neville, he explained how demanding the system became over a packed schedule.
“We pressed forward for 90 minutes; we were pressing, pressing, pressing,” Van de Ven said. “Of course you ask a lot from your body if you play every three days, because we played in Europe as well.”
He pointed to a critical moment when results began to slide and flexibility became essential. “At that point, when the results were getting down, Ange was really focused on the system. He believed in his system. Until today, I still believe in his system, because we played some unbelievable football. So the system works. It works, but at some point we need to adapt a bit more, which we didn’t do at that point.”
That refusal to compromise became a talking point inside the dressing room. Van de Ven and fellow center back Cristian Romero eventually approached Postecoglou directly, urging him to adjust, especially in knockout football, where game management matters as much as ideology.
“I and Guti were playing only the Europa League games last season,” Van de Ven revealed. “At one point we walked up to the gaffer and we said, gaffer, we need to change some things. We need to play more defensively sometimes to make sure we win those games.”
He cited a specific example away to Eintracht Frankfurt, where Spurs were leading but continued to attack. “We were 1-0 up. We can’t keep attacking. We just need a low block sometimes and make sure we get the three points.”
Crucially, Postecoglou listened. He empowered his senior defenders to manage situations on the pitch, a subtle but telling shift from his usual all-or-nothing stance. That evolution reached its peak in the Europa League final against Manchester United, another side using Europe as refuge from domestic failure.
Spurs led 1-0 at halftime through Brennan Johnson, and the message changed. “We spoke before the final; everybody just knew we had to win the trophy,” Van de Ven said. “At halftime, Ange said we keep pressing, but when it doesn’t work, just drop back. Lock the back door.”
For a manager known for “it’s who we are, mate,” it was a defining moment. “He was never like that,” Van de Ven admitted. “But then he said, we are 1-0 up and we are going to f—ing win this game.’”
They did. Son Heung-min finally lifted silverware in a Tottenham shirt, and Postecoglou delivered on his promise, only to be sacked 16 days later. Thomas Frank has since taken charge, inheriting a squad shaped by a system that, according to Van de Ven, was never fundamentally flawed.
The lingering question is unavoidable. If adaptation had come earlier, could Spurs have avoided the brink in the league? Or was the Europa League victory proof that Postecoglou’s beliefs only needed time and trust? For now, Van de Ven’s verdict is clear. The system worked. The timing did not.