Congratulations to Tottenham Hotspur. The 2025 Europa League finals. Final score 1 nil against Manchester United.
The 17-year weight for Silverware in North London for Spurs comes to an end. Of course, we'll talk about Manchester United and what this means for them going forward in just a moment. I've been in the studio watching the game with Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards.
Roy, of course, a lot of people want your thoughts on your former club, Manchester United, but did the better team win today? Yeah, I think so. I think they we worried this after the second half, they shut up shop very early and obviously just going to be defensive, but they defended really well, unlike Spurs, shall we say.
United lack really quality and when United are dependent on Harry Maguire to get you out of jail at the end of the game, it sums up their problem and I think the goal summed up the game. really lack of quality um poor decision make from United at the end but what a great night for Spurs considering the season had the pressure they were under the manager you look at the celebrations there well done to Spurs yeah and well done to Anasta Cogler we spoke about his um many quotes Jamie the fact that he said he always wins in his second season he was really going up against the media yesterday saying he's no clown he's definitely put that to bed now hasn't he oh he's not a clown Uh listen, he's a very quotable manager. He's on the front foot in press conferences.
A lot of the time this season that's come back to haunt him in so many ways. But that quote now will be remembered forever because he does always win in his second season. He's shut us all up.
He's proven us all wrong. Speak for yourself. But uh yeah, everybody everybody remembered more for that quote than actually the trophy that he's won because that's something that's sort of been used to beat him all season because no one could see Tottenham winning anything.
The run that he won, losing 21, I think league games in the Premier League this season. I mean Royy's right. I mean in terms of the stand, it was actually it was actually exciting because it was that bad.
It was there was almost anxiety to it. You know, everyone was giving the ball away. I mean it was a shocking game but but anyone who wins a cup final you with a supporter a player coaching staff no one cares how you play no one's going to looking at the stats or looking at the game it's all about winning and that was absolutely massive for them look at the pictures though great for them Tottenham fans oh it's absolutely brilliant don't forget there's no Madison no Kulfki as well I think it showed in the game Jamie summed it up perfectly the game wasn't great but it doesn't matter no one remembers what the game's like people remember who wins and sometimes who loses.
I mean, it's just a great moment for them because imagine the pressure coming into this game for both clubs as well and put pressure on himself, but he delivered and that's all you can do and I'm delighted for him because in his first season I thought he did really well, was playing really good football this season. They've been short of where they they need to be. But to go away with the Europa League trophy, um they deserved it on the night.
Yeah. An has delivered the first European trophy the Tottenham Hotspur in 41 years. But let's talk about Anastlu because many felt that today was going to be his penultimate game.
Do you think based on this result based on what he's delivered to the club he should stay on? I'm not sure what he wants to do. I think it's a chance for him to reflect.
Is the ball in his court then? Yeah. Well, I think so.
Yeah. But obviously where the club made a decision before this because the league form has been so bad. We can't forget that.
Obviously, they can enjoy it tonight, but when you reflect on the season, it hasn't been good enough. But it's it's a nice problem now for the club to have because they're in the Champions League. You'd like to think the club would want them to stay on and give him a chance to impress again next year.
A big transfer window coming up. They'll have financial backing, of course, because of the rewards that come with winning tonight. And uh yeah, you hope he Yeah, you can.
I hope he stays on. Yeah. Can I can I just ask you from a manager's point of view now?
And you said he hope he he stays on. So, does he deserve to get what he wants in the transfer market? Now, I know they've had a lot of injuries this season.
Has he taken a club forward? Well, when you look at the fans, the reaction there tonight in the win, you know, I obviously good question in terms of cup football and European football. Yeah, it's fantastic, but they they certainly can't be happy with the league campaign.
This what he's got the confidence from the owner. We don't know what the atmosphere is like, the training ground, is it good or bad, but they've shown tonight they were fighting for the manager. No one would have thought for one second to keep a clean sheet tonight.
But obviously that that goes on to United as well. United's lack of quality. But as I said, I hope he stays on.
He's been there what two seasons. He's a very good four season. The second one was difficult.
Give the man a chance. Why not? Let's not forget this.
The opposition last season wanted to sack the manager and won an FA Cup final against Manchester City. Great sort of scenes. They beat Man City, the biggest rivals, and it put their owners in a position where they felt they couldn't then because almost the supporters.
you're looking to support us here tonight as well with an Costa it definitely makes it more difficult but what you don't want to do is lose a manager in the first few months of a season and he's bought a lot of players and look what's happened to Ruben Amaran if he maybe come in the summer it's his summer it's his players that he brings in that he came in you've got to be really sure if you want to keep what you don't want to do is spend money and then you change the manager in November if it continues the league form I don't think one game should completely cloud that you know the the plan of maybe what what the owner was he? Even though it's a great and you know what if Andikovi was to go whether it was his decision or the club's decision. I mean what a way to go out.
Yeah, what a way to go out on a high there. Stick around because of course we will get into Manchester United and what this means for the club going forward but very briefly could you sum up how the fans may be feeling right now. Do you know I just when you think things can't get any worse for Man United?
They have. It's been the story all year. Yeah.
They've been getting out of jail a little bit with European football and it's been covering obviously the huge cracks at Man United. So when you lose tonight, but you can't keep you can't be all season they've been so easy to beat. They got a bit lucky in Europe a few times and tonight again ultimately not good enough.
Didn't show enough quality, not enough options off the bench. And again, if I go back to it, if you're dependent on Harry Maguire to get you out of jail, you're in trouble. The Tottenham are going to be playing Champions League football next season, one of six teams.
We're still yet to find out the the other remaining from the Premier League finishes this weekend, but how does this Tottenham side fare in Champions League football, Jamie? Uh, listen, who knows what the team will look like next season? There will be plenty of change.
It might be in the dugout. It might obviously personnel will change. Uh, listen, of course, they'll find it tough if, you know, the squad they have right now.
We, you know, who cares? They won't care, but you know, the actual quality of the Tottenham team. We saw that on show tonight.
I mean, they only had one shot on target in the game. Scores the goal. They talk about being clinical, but they weren't two great teams and uh yeah, it would be tough on but listen, Tottenham will be a different proposition next season.
They'll have more money to spend with Champions League money and as I said, I'm sure there'll be a few changes with that squad. And but listen, right now is not really the time to be thinking about next season. It's the here and now, enjoy the night, have a few drinks, have a have a party.
And they've won more than Arsenal this year. Yeah, they've had a much better season. Yeah, we can get into that in just a moment.
Yeah. Well, you think of clubs out there, Spurs get as criticized as much as any club out there, don't they? They weren't Spursy today, weren't they?
No, they certainly weren't Spursy. They defended really well attacking play. They weren't great.
Again, we look at the stats. Was it three shots on target or whoever? But listen, we made the point earlier.
It doesn't really matter. But for all the critics over the years of Spurs, we've said, "Oh, they've had they've got a lovely stadium, but it's all about getting trophies. " They can get their hands on that trophy tonight and really enjoy it.
And obviously, the big rewards and of course when you come back preseason is the fact you're in the Champions League next year. The knock on effect for the club is fantastic. You look at the United end there, how how they must be feeling.
But it's Spurs night. Enjoy it. Yeah, enjoy it.
Like we said, it's their first European trophy in 41 years. What an achievement by this squad and an postlu. Micah, what do you feel be going through the minds of the Manchester United players?
Oh, I mean despair in terms of the game, you know, with the experience I had with Fernandez and Casemiro. I just thought they would get over the line in big moments. We say so much whether it's Champion League, whether it's Europa League, that big big players step up in big moments.
And Fernandez couldn't get a grip on the game today. I thought Spurs defended really well when they needed to. Um I said before the game in terms of the way Spurs could get at United as well.
And it it paid dividend because they've obviously watched that. I thought Unogi did well against United, but if you're looking at United now, I think it's not good enough. Predictable, weren't they my predictable in terms of predictable, but it I think the bigger picture is, and we'll get into it a little bit later, is if they would have won tonight, everything would have been fine.
You get to the to the champions. Yes. Papering over the cracks, but we've been talking about Man United for for a while now and and they're not good not good enough.
And you can't keep just scraping these wins and think it's it it's okay. And we keep talking about the size of Man United. It's just it's it's not right.
It's not good enough. I mean, the one thing I've just seen, you see all the Tottenham players lining up in the kits. James Madison's gone full.
Kids gone full. John Teddy. He did travel with the team despite not being available.
But he's got shin pads on. Yeah. Just having a rub.
You get that for you in 99. No chance of getting the kiss on. No, not for me.
But I think the rules have changed there, haven't they? I think the players, there's more medals in the bigger squads and I think they can get onto the pitch. It was slightly different in my dear.
But listen, Andrew there a relieved man. Whatever you say about him, I know he seems like a laid-back guy and the pressure was getting to him, but there's a lot of relief there because what happens when you when you saw him with his staff there? Yeah.
It's it's relief as much as anything. And you think of this Tottenham Hotspur squad, the likes of Son coming on, he's been a servant to the club 10 years there, one year left on his contract. he now leaves as a trophy winner with the club if he leads the club.
I'm I'm delighted for him maybe more than the manager because I know the manager had a lot of criticism and rightly so, but sometimes we all in the game like to see someone sort of win when they've had a lot of stick. But for me, Son has been one of the best players in the Premier League probably over the last six or seven years. I mean, he could have played for any team, but he's played for Tottenham.
They don't win things. So, a lot of the time we judge players and we say, "What have you won? " You know, you're judging a player and you know, sometimes you have to be in the right place at the right time.
Depends what team you play for. Uh but for me he's been one of the best players in the Premier League since since he's come and he deserves his medal. What can we say about this team?
They are 17th in the Premier League table. They've lost 21 games in the league this season. Yet they have just won a European trophy and they will be playing in Champions League football next season.
Listen listen. I'm I'm not going to forget what I've watched all season two of them tonight. They didn't play particularly well.
They won a final. But let's when we talk about what are we going to say about this team? Let's not say it's a great team.
Let's not call them warriors. Let's not get carried away about what's happened tonight. It's a brilliant moment for that man, the supporters, son, some of the players there.
And they've done they've done well tonight to get over the line. I didn't think they were capable of doing it. I thought the history and the mentality of certain Manchester United players would be too much for this Tottenham team.
But the lack of quality in the game was frightening watching it. It did feel like you were watching a team 16th and 17th in the Premier League. But you know what?
In 10, five, 10 years time, they've won a trophy and Spurs don't win trophies. So, they've created history and they be having get togethers in 20, 25 years today, telling each other they're all legends and and maybe in in in Spurs way, they are. You know, they've done something that very few Spurs teams have done before.
Well, you you guys got to win European trophies. What's it like? What's this moment like?
It was different for me with the league, but in terms of that moment when you get over the line, I was drunk in the dress room with this. Kind of drowned in my sorrows as well, Mike. What was that like?
What was he drinking? Yeah, top shelf. Champagne, I think.
The good stuff. Yeah, the good old days. But Rory, you did say before this game you had a niggly feeling that Spurs could get the job done.
It seems like it's been the year of the underdogs. You look at some of the competition winners across Europe. Newcastle winning the League Cup over Liverpool.
Crystal Palace more recently beating Manchester City in the FA Cup. Bologna in Italy getting their first cup in 51 years. I just had that feeling today when traveling down here.
I was thinking I just had this don't know what it was that sneaky feeling going to beat them. But just if you felt they had the belief of course in any big game you you look at the first goal and when they got that first goal you felt I remember they shut up shop very early. We were we were watching it going there a long way to go yet.
They were almost playing for time after probably 50 odd minutes, but they hung in there. They defended well. United's lack of quality obviously was all for there for everyone to see.
But you you know what? Spurs defended with a bit of spirit, a bit of fight. They defended crosses and corners, one or two mistakes, but everyone helped each other out.
You see good players like Sunday and yeah, you can't begrudge them their success. Huge problems. Obviously, we knew that before for United, but just confirms it.
But yeah, do you know what? credit to Spurs, you know. I mean, listen, we know football, sorry, football is tough and and and it's hard to win trophies.
