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Spurs defender Micky van de Ven has admitted he "was completely surprised by" the club's move to part ways with ex-boss Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian's spell in charge was terminated a just over two weeks after he guided the team to victory in the European final, delivering the team's first major trophy in nearly two decades.

Yet, this European success was not matched in the Premier League, with the side ending up in a lowly 17th position in his last season in charge.

He was succeeded by former Brentford boss Thomas Frank during the off-season, but Spurs are presently 11th in the table, with 22 points, following a 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

"He was a really good manager. I have a lot of respect for him," the Dutch defender told a podcast.

"I don't know how everything went backstage. I didn't expect it. It was strange how everything went after - he's the manager that brought a trophy to Tottenham," he continued.

"Later, when he got sacked, I sent a message to my dad 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 campaign, taking over from Antonio Conte. He enjoyed early success with his attacking style of play, collecting 26 points from his first ten league matches.

Nevertheless, that fine start was halted with four defeats in five games, and the club's form deteriorated, eventually missing out on a top-four finish by a narrow two-point margin.

The following season, they won just 11 out of 38 league matches.

Tactical Concerns Revealed

While he appreciated the attacking approach, Netherlands international the defender believes the squad was missing a "alternative strategy" and revealed he and defensive partner Cristian Romero discussed taking a more cautious style with the manager.

"I liked the attacking football at that time but I appreciate what we have now with our current manager. We are more secure at the back. I don't like getting exposed every game on the break," he said.

"At the beginning under Postecoglou, no team was used to playing against our style. We were playing unbelievable football."

"However, coaches analyse everything and people figured out what we were doing. At times we lacked a backup plan and we were being caught out. We didn't have solutions to resolve it."

"At one point me and Romero walked up to the gaffer and suggested we need to change some things and be more defensive to make sure 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.'"