Will Postecoglou repeat second-season successes at Spurs?

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said last month he “always” wins a trophy in his second season in charge.

After a successful first campaign in north London in which the Australian guided Spurs to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League, fans’ expectations of winning a first trophy in 17 years has increased – expectation which Postecoglou fuelled.

Spurs’ last piece of silverware came in the 2008 EFL Cup under Juande Ramos – the only competition they have won in the 21st Century.

They have the opportunity to outline their trophy-winning credentials on Wednesday when they host Manchester City in the Carabao Cup last 16 (20:15 GMT).

Tottenham also remain one of the favourites to win the Europa League with three wins from three so far.

But is second-season success really a given for Postecoglou’s Spurs? How often does a manager go without a trophy in their first campaign, then win silverware in their second? And how have previous Spurs managers fared during their second season?

Does Postecoglou ‘always’ win in his second season?

Postecoglou is not wrong to highlight the pattern of his successes – as he recently said, it is a “fact” he has always won a trophy in his second season in charge.

The 59-year-old won the Australian title with both South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar, and the Japanese league with Yokohama F Marinos – all in his second season or second full season.

He also won the Asian Cup two years after becoming Australia manager, and the Scottish Premiership in both seasons with Celtic.

There are three clubs he failed to win trophies with, but he did not see out two seasons in charge of them – Panachaiki, Whittlesea Zebras, and Melbourne Victory.

If Postecoglou tastes second-season success with Spurs he would become only the second Tottenham boss to do so after Arthur Rowe, who won the second division in 1949-50 having taken charge of their final game of the previous season.

Which other managers have won a trophy in their second season?

Postecoglou’s trophy declarations may be “facts”, but until he has delivered on such promises they only serve to invite more pressure – something ever-present for Tottenham managers.

A second season at the helm is a luxury many have not been afforded with Andre Villas-Boas, Tim Sherwood and Antonio Conte all dismissed before being able to complete a second season. Nuno Espirito Santo was in charge for less than four months.

The closest Spurs have come to repeating Rowe’s success of 75 years ago was under Jose Mourinho, but the Portuguese coach was denied the chance to get over the line.

After 17 months in charge Mourinho was dismissed just one week before the 2021 EFL Cup final, which Spurs lost 1-0 to Manchester City under the interim stewardship of Ryan Mason.

Pep Guardiola’s first of six Premier League titles with Manchester City came in his second season

Time is something not often afforded to the modern-day manager.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s first Manchester United trophy came in his third season in charge and his first league title during his seventh. Today, Ferguson may not have been granted the opportunity.

And going without a trophy in the first season, then winning one in the second, is not common in the Premier League.

Postecoglou would join a pretty exclusive list which includes Pep Guardiola, Roberto Mancini, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho.

It was during Mourinho’s second season at Chelsea that he guided them to the EFL Cup, beating Spurs 2-0 in the 2015 final.

Guardiola won nothing with Manchester City in his first season at the helm, before securing the Premier League and EFL Cup in his second.

Are Spurs Manchester City’s bogey team?

Although Tottenham’s Premier League form has been patchy – with Postecoglou’s all-out attacking style coming under criticism following defeats by Brighton and Crystal Palace – results against Manchester City can give them confidence.

Guardiola’s side have often struggled against the north London club, with Spurs winning seven and drawing three of their past 20 meetings in all competitions.

The Manchester City manager has lost seven times to Spurs during his eight-year tenure, only tasting defeat more against Liverpool and Manchester United with eight.

At home, Spurs’ record is particularly good against Manchester City. In the Premier League, four out of their past five meetings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have ended in victory.

They may take confidence from Guardiola’s suggestion that he plans to not “waste energy” on the EFL Cup and instead field a second-string side.

But only one of those Spurs wins has come during the knockout stages of a cup competition, when Mauricio Pochettino’s side stunned Manchester City in the 2018-19 Champions League quarter-finals.

City were victorious in the 2021 EFL Cup final, and last season in the FA Cup fourth round.