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Spurs centre-back Micky van de Ven has admitted he "was completely surprised by" the club's move to dismiss former manager Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian's two-year tenure came to an end a just over two weeks after he guided the team to victory in the European final, delivering the club's first piece of silverware in nearly two decades.

However, this continental triumph was not mirrored in the Premier League, with the team ending up in a lowly 17th position in his last season in charge.

He was replaced by former Brentford boss Frank during the summer, but Tottenham currently sit in 11th place, with 22 points from 16 games, following a 3-0 defeat to Forest at the weekend.

"He is a fantastic manager. I still really like him," the Dutch defender stated on a podcast.

"I'm not sure how everything went backstage. I didn't expect it. It was strange how everything went afterwards - he's the manager that won silverware to Tottenham," he added.

"Afterwards, when he was dismissed, I texted to my father and my friends and said, 'I never expected this.'"

Initial Success and Subsequent Struggle

The Australian manager arrived at Spurs from Celtic before the 2023-24 season, taking over from Conte. He enjoyed early success with his attacking style of play, amassing an impressive points haul from his opening 10 Premier League games.

Nevertheless, that unbeaten run came to an abrupt end with four defeats in five matches, and the team's form deteriorated, ultimately failing to secure a top-four finish by a narrow two points.

The following season, they managed only 11 of their 38 league matches.

Tactical Concerns Revealed

While he appreciated Postecoglou's style, Netherlands international the defender thinks the squad lacked a "plan B" and revealed he and fellow centre-back Romero discussed taking a more cautious style with the coach.

"I liked the attacking football under Postecoglou but I appreciate what we have now with our current manager. We are more secure at the back. I dislike getting exposed every game on the break," he said.

"Initially under Postecoglou, no team was accustomed to playing against our style. We were playing exceptional football."

"However, coaches study everything and people figured out what we were doing. Sometimes we didn't really have a backup plan and we were getting exposed. We didn't have solutions to get out."

"On one occasion Romero and I walked up to the manager and said we need to change some things and be more defensive to ensure we secure victory in those games. He was like, 'I agree with you but I want you two guys to sort this on the pitch, ensure everybody knows.'"