Michael Dawson Exclusive - Ange Is One Win Away From Being A Spurs Legend

Former Tottenham defender Michael Dawson believes tonight's Europa League final is a chance for Ange Postecoglou to become a Spurs legend. 

Tottenham have waited 17 years for a trophy, since Juande Ramos guided the club to a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the final of the League Cup. 

Spurs supporters regard Ramos in very high regard following that success. 

Mauricio Pochettino is also fondly remembered for taking the club to the final of the Champions League in 2019.

Dawson, who was speaking exclusively to Gambling.com, believes Postecoglou can secure his status as a Spurs legend with victory over Manchester United in Bilbao.

"Ange will go down in history if he can win it," Dawson said. 

"Winning trophies is history. We still talk about 2008 and Juande Ramos, who got sacked eight months after we won [the 2008 League Cup]. 

“He and the players will realise that their Premier League campaign has been well below par, and embarrassing really at times, with how many games they have lost, and being in 17th position.

"He has put all his eggs in one basket and I've got absolutely no problem with that. 

"They've been criticised, they've been questioned, yes they've had injuries, but it ultimately hasn't been good enough. 

"So it's all on this game and it can be a positive season, because Spurs will have Champions League football next season if they win."

Nothing To Fear With Manchester United

For many years, facing Manchester United was a daunting prospect.

However, since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, that fear factor has diminished season after season, to the point that there is no longer a reason to fear the Red Devils, who are slight favourites with football betting sites to win the Europa League.

Dawson believes his former club have a better squad than United and is urging Postecoglou and his players to ignore United's past history.

"You look at them [United] and think you can go there and win," Dawson said.

"The amount of games they've lost at home this season is remarkable. 

"When I played, you went to Old Trafford, and you’d think, can we get a point? If you got a win it was some achievement.

“Now, teams like West Ham, who've been struggling, go there and win. So they don't have that fear factor. It's still Manchester United, but it's not the Manchester United of old.

“I think Spurs have got a great opportunity. 

“I look at the squads and Spurs have got a far superior squad than what Manchester United have at this moment in time.”

Time To Bury The Term 'Spursy'

For many seasons, Tottenham have been the butt of many jokes in the football world. 

So much so, that the word 'Spursy' is commonly used when failing to capitalise on golden opportunities in embarrassing fashion. 

The Europa League final is a chance to bury that stigma, for a while anyway.

Dawson is confident his former club can put their Premier League woes behind them and for Postecoglou to deliver on winning a trophy in his second season. 

Asked what the score would be in Bilbao, Dawson replied: "3-1 to Spurs. I'm really excited and I haven't said that too many times - having watched Spurs this season. 

"It's been a really, really poor Premier League campaign. However, it could end up with silverware. 

“So they have to flip it on from a negative to a real positive, and I think that's what Ange has done in the Europa League.  

“Now, it's the big one against Manchester United. It's huge for both clubs, but for Spurs because it’s been so long.

"All the noise outside the football club about not winning a trophy, I certainly know inside the club they’ll be sick of hearing that. 

“So if they can get that off their back and then look forward, they can have a real positive season in the end - if they win it. 

"At the start of the season, it was all about Champions League football. 

"That was the aim from the players and from Ange, having done so well last year, to miss out by two points by finishing fifth. 

"Then 12 months on and it goes down to fifth position in the league, but that's gone."