Two years ago today, Ange Postecoglou was appointed manager of the English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur.
Today, he was officially sacked.
He has just won them the 2nd most prestigious award in International Club Football, the UEFA Europa League.
They still fired him. Why?
Cutting costs, of course. There’s no other logical explanation, is it?
By all measures, he was an overachiever. He brought the kind of value this Club lacked and made it perform. He put heart and soul into it and he was successful, yet they still sacked him.
Bear in mind that even though they finished #17 in the Premier League, through this Europa League win they have not only won a trophy - something they hadn’t done in 17 years - but have secured a spot to participate in the UEFA Champions League next year - the most prestigious competition in International Club Football.
So Ange brought them not only trophies, but security as well. He set them on a path of success, and he did so by focusing on his goal and avoiding the distractions.
He was the best thing that happened to that club in a very long time, yet they couldn’t see his value and threw him under the bus even when he sent them to the top.
Task failed successfully, how we like to say sometimes.
This is a learning moment. A teachable moment.
This teaches us the future is always uncertain, always unpredictable. It tells us we should always prioritize ourselves, because nobody else will. That there will be obstacles at every level, no matter the seniority or the league you play in.
And it tells us that no matter how good you are, and how much you achieve, people will hang you out to dry with no compassion and no regard for your wellbeing. No matter your performances, somewhere there is someone more powerful for which you are a statistic, a note on a piece of paper. Who just doesn’t care.
Think about yourself. Nobody else does.
Fight for yourself. Nobody else does.
Aim to be the best at what you do, but don’t expect everybody to even understand what you are. Few will be able to.
Break through obstacles and never stop, regardless of how tough the next one is. You will feel even more satisfied when you finally surpass it.
And, above all, be zen. As Bruce Lee used to say, be like water.
This post was not about Ange Postecoglou.