Ange Postecoglou [Will Palmer/SPP]

LET us consider what the crystal ball gazers told us this season would look like: no Harry Kane, an untried manager in the Premier League, and a squad with too many bit parts. It was going to be a struggle, wasn’t it?

As one Tottenham blogger pointed out, 27 leading national pundits did not predict Spurs would be anywhere near the top six, let alone the top four.

So the fact Ange Postecoglou’s debut term saw his side push till the second-to-last game for a Champions League spot is punching above expectations.

Big Ange showed how he had got the players onboard immediately with that thrilling 10-game unbeaten run that saw us top the table.

If it hadn’t been for Micky van de Ven’s hamstring, Cristian Romero’s reputation and Chelsea having a weird uber-hatred of us, we might well have continued in that vein for a while longer. What unfolded was a mixture of crucial injuries, a little drop in form here and there, and some dollops of bad luck. Combined with other sides getting into their stride, the balloon had burst by Christmas.

But those heightened expectations shouldn’t mean this season has been a let down. Let’s look at what Postecoglou has actually done: we have played some great football at times, particularly in comparison to the brand Antonio Conte served up.

We have some exciting players we have fallen hard for, including Micky and Radu Drăgușin.

If there is a criticism, it’s about our frontmen. Sometimes toothless, remember the forward line included the greatest-ever goalscorer to play for the club just six days before the season started. Before he joined, Big Ange told the world: “I was a massive fan of Johan Cruyff, a massive fan of that Ajax team. That led me to look at the aesthetics of football, rather than just the end result.” If that is what he is aiming for, we should all be happy.

He also said: “You can’t have square pegs in round holes. It’s not just about getting talented footballers, it’s about getting people who fit into my football.” So give him a couple more transfer windows.

And then there was this: “I see other teams playing aggressive, attacking football – they are games I switch on and watch. They are the football teams I want to produce.”

So for all the grumpiness about missing out on the top four, Postecoglou deserves a massive round of applause. His first season has been a success. The foundations for a team in his image are being laid.

We look forward, as ever, with nervous anticipation.