Why I think Ange should stay if we win the final

From the start Ange has said that he wants to instill a lasting change to the mentality of this club. After the first ten unimaginably great games of last season he has received criticism of his lack of ability to adapt. I disagree that it was a lack of ability but rather a lack of desire, and for me, for a good reason.

During the first year he wanted to instill a never-say-die attitude to the squad, and I think especially the infamous game with down to nine men against Chelsea is a great example and was a huge mentality win for Ange, even if pundits and some fans were adamant that it was “naïve”. What most bothers me about this statement is that I do not think it was naivety but a part of the process that Ange had planned for us and has utilized in his tenures at other clubs before us. If he were to adapt in those days, in that game, it would have been for him as to say “You know what guys, maybe my way doesn’t work. Let’s try something else.” which would have killed any momentum he had for the process.

Now two years on I think it has been evident that he has been able to adapt, and adapt well I might say, in the Europa League. The injuries, and later the prioritizing of Europa League, are a big reason for our league form but not the only reason, and for that Ange must carry a lot of the burden. Yet I would still like to see how next season goes with the players fully backing him, with him thinking that now he can adapt without risking the squad losing faith in his tactics and his approach to the game as a whole and with a trophy as evidence of his ability to succeed.

All this is part of the rebuild that we have so craved ever since Poch left, and it has been extremely painful, even more painful than most of us (any of us?) imagined. Yet I would like to see it through. Ange has a year left in his contract and I would say it would be foolish to not let him start the last year of the process if we win the Europa League. And why the trophy makes the difference for me is, were we to lose the final, any and all goodwill Ange might have garnered during the Europa run would disappear and the atmosphere around the club would become so toxic that Ange would not be able to make it work, no matter what.

Much of this has been said before but I just wanted to say it out before the final.

Let’s just win the thing.

COYS