Ange Postecoglou believes winning the Europa League could prove a turning point for Tottenham, who are without silverware in 17 years.
Spurs face Manchester United in Bilbao on May 21, with the two Premier League sides battling in the Europa League final for a success that would secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Both teams have struggled in domestic action this campaign, with Spurs a lowly 17th after Sunday’s 2-0 reverse to Crystal Palace at home, thanks to an Eberechi Eze brace.
That defeat was Spurs’ 24th across all competitions, only losing more matches in a single season in their history in 1991-92 (25 defeats).
However, Spurs still have a chance to salvage a woeful season, and Postecoglou believes European success could inspire a turnaround from top to bottom at the club.
“For me personally, great, it’s another trophy I can reminisce about in my old age,” the Spurs boss said. “But more importantly for the club, I’ve always said that it’s the significance of what it does to people that really impacts you.
“A lot of the success I’ve had has been really significant stuff. Yokohama hadn’t won the championship for 14 years, Australia had never won a continental championship, and Brisbane hadn’t won one.
“South Melbourne, my first job, hadn’t won in seven years and Celtic was one year, but that’s a long time in Scotland. They had to wrestle back the dominance they’ve had for so long.
“When you look at the historical backdrop of this club for the past 20-odd years, it feels like a turning point for how people perceive this club and how this club perceives itself, which I think is the biggest thing.
“Until you do it, irrespective of what else you accomplish, people are going to say you haven’t won anything. In our game, and in life in general, that’s the things that matter most when people asses where you are at.”
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Spurs have not secured silverware since winning the EFL Cup in 2008, while their last European trophy came way back in 1984 when they won the UEFA Cup.
They also lost the Champions League final to Liverpool in 2019 and were beaten by Manchester City in the EFL Cup final two years later.
Tottenham have won nine matches in the Europa League this season (D3 L2), however, their most ever victories in the same campaign across major European competition.
A 2-0 win in the second leg of the semi-finals against Bodo/Glimt also made back-to-back away wins in major European competition for the first time since November 2013.
With that in mind, the Australian manager is keen to use the upcoming final as a catalyst for change.
“Irrespective of what the opposition say or what anyone else says, you’ve got to try and break that cycle and whatever motivation you need to do that, you tap into,” he added.
“Maybe there are things we tap into but to really do something as big as we want to do there’s got to be a higher purpose than just shutting people’s mouths up.
“That’ll happen anyway and it is more about can you make an impact. I often say to the players that at the end of your careers, what you want to be able to do is go back to the clubs you served and know you’ve made an impact.
“The photos I see up on the walls at the stadium are all of Bill Nicholson. The 1984 winning team. A lot of them are in black and white. Can we get this group up on that wall?”
