Bissouma shares what he really thinks about Postecoglou after Tottenham talks
Yves Bissouma is in line to start the UEFA Europa League final after a turbulent time at Tottenham.
Despite seemingly falling out of favour midway through the season, Bissouma found his way back into the starting lineup against Bodø/Glimt following a long-term injury to Lucas Bergvall.
The midfielder’s excellent performances across both legs alongside Rodrigo Bentancur have seemingly seen him win back the trust of Ange Postecoglou.
Further injuries to midfield players have propelled his importance, leading to the Mali international only coming on in the second half of Spurs’ 2-0 Premier League defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Friday (16 May) ahead of the Europa League final.
Bissouma piles praise on Postecoglou at Tottenham
Postecoglou revealed his excitement at managing Bissouma almost as soon as he was unveiled as Tottenham manager.
Performances in the first few months justified the former Celtic boss’ judgment, with the Mali international forming a formidable partnership with Pape Matar Sarr in Spurs’ early unbeaten run.
As the team’s form dwindled, so did Bissouma’s, with the midfielder picking up needless suspensions and becoming increasingly unreliable as the anchor of the team.
| Season | Minutes Played | Starts | Substituted In |
| 24/25 | 1,382 | 16 | 11 |
| 23/24 | 2,083 | 26 | 2 |
Further off-field issues and inconsistencies at the start of this season saw him fall further down the pecking order. However, the former Brighton player’s faith in his manager never faltered.
In an interview published by the Evening Standard (17 May), Bissouma said about his relationship with Postecoglou: “It’s never changed. Never changed. We have a good relationship.”
“He’s like a dad or uncle for us. He’s always trying to make us understand what he really wants. For us, he’s Ange, he’s him.”
Bissouma added, “He never blames players. To have a coach like him is something.”
These comments follow Postecoglou’s recent admission that he spoke with Bissouma in April, and told the 28-year-old that he would be needed in the run-in.
Postecoglou maintains player trust
Premier League results have been unacceptable, fuelling the notion that Postecoglou will not survive in his post beyond this season.
The fans and hierarchy alike have generally lost faith in his project, yet the players have not.
Bissouma’s latest admission follows a string of players, such as Guglielmo Vicario, coming out and publicly backing their head coach.
It could influence Daniel Levy‘s final decision, which could be further complicated should Tottenham emerge victorious against Manchester United in the Europa League.