Ange Postecoglou launched a defiant defence of his Tottenham Hotspur side after guiding them to the Europa League final with a 2-0 victory over Bodo/Glimt in Arctic Norway on Thursday night, brushing aside criticism of their league form as Spurs remain on course to end a 17-year trophy drought.
Second-half goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro sealed a 5-1 aggregate win for the North London club and set up a mouth-watering all-English final against Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21.
Tottenham’s last piece of silverware came in the 2008 League Cup, and their progress to only a second European final in four decades has come in spite of a turbulent Premier League campaign which sees them languishing in 16th.
The Australian manager, however, dismissed suggestions that the Europa League run is a smokescreen for domestic failings, and said reaching the final was a significant achievement in its own right.
“It’s going to upset a lot of people, isn’t it?” Postecoglou said, bristling in his post-match press conference. “The latest thing now is that neither of us [Spurs or United] should get a trophy if we win, we’ll just get a team photo because apparently we’re not worthy.
“Who cares if we’re struggling in the league? Why is that even relevant? If it’s so easy to get to a final, why doesn’t everyone who finishes in the top three manage it?”
The Spurs manager, who has faced growing scrutiny over his future amid their domestic slump, referenced the club’s long-standing struggles in major competitions.
“Of course it’s massive. Frame it against what this club and these supporters have been through over the last 15, 20 years. We’ve given them something real to hope for. That matters,” Postecoglou added.
The semi-final, played under freezing conditions in the Arctic Circle, proved to be a challenge for Spurs, but Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale run finally came to an end. The Norwegian champions, from a town with a population of just 55,000, were undone by Tottenham’s quality and experience.
“We should congratulate Tottenham for a good plan,” said Bodo coach Kjetil Knutsen. “They took away our tempo, and we never really got into the match. They had the energy and the power – they wanted it more.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s opponents in the final, Manchester United, completed a commanding 7-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao with a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford, thanks in large part to a Mason Mount double and goals from Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, United manager Ruben Amorim admitted the Red Devils’ vulnerabilities remain evident.
“We have many weaknesses, but we’re fighting,” said Amorim. “If you look at both games, we deserve to be in the final.”
The May 21 final offers both clubs a route to salvage their seasons. Like Tottenham, United have struggled in the Premier League and sit just one point ahead in 15th.
“We’re struggling, both of us,” Amorim said. “But in a final, everything is different. It’s all or nothing now.”
Tottenham have already beaten United three times this season, but Postecoglou isn’t reading too much into past results.
“What matters now is May 21,” he said. “We’ve earned the right to be there. And we plan to make it count.”
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
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The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
