Ange Postecoglou’s position as Tottenham Hotspur manager is hanging by a thread following a turbulent run of form, increasing fan frustration, and a string of difficult results that have left the club’s season on the brink of collapse.

Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was Tottenham’s 16th defeat in the Premier League this season a stat that starkly contrasts with the optimism that surrounded Postecoglou’s arrival from Celtic. The defeat not only dropped Spurs to 14th in the table but also widened the rift between the manager and a growing section of the fanbase.

Tensions boiled over in the second half of the Chelsea game when Postecoglou substituted young star Lucas Bergvall for Pape Matar Sarr. The decision was met with chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” from the travelling supporters. Postecoglou appeared to respond by cupping his ear toward the fans an action he later explained as a gesture misinterpreted in the heat of the moment. “I just wanted to hear them cheer,” he insisted, referencing Sarr’s earlier disallowed goal.

The Australian coach has since acknowledged the speculation over his future and admitted that there are “some outstanding candidates out there” should Spurs choose to move in a different direction. However, he reaffirmed his commitment to the job and his belief in the long-term project he was brought in to build.

Club chairman Daniel Levy is believed to still be backing the manager for now. Sources indicate Levy is willing to give Postecoglou a chance to turn things around, especially considering the long injury list that has disrupted the squad throughout the season. But with Spurs preparing for a crucial Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt and a Premier League clash against Leicester City looming, Postecoglou’s margin for error is razor-thin.

Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood has come to Postecoglou’s defense, arguing that the manager deserves more time and better transfer support. “He’s been working with limited resources and has had key players out injured,” Sherwood said. “Get him the right tools and he’ll deliver.”

Still, the numbers are damning. Postecoglou has now lost four consecutive league games to Chelsea an unwanted record for a Spurs manager and fan confidence is clearly eroding. The coming fixtures may well decide whether the Postecoglou project gets the time it was promised or becomes another name on Tottenham’s growing list of short-lived managerial tenures.

All eyes will be on Frankfurt and Leicester. Postecoglou may be defiant, but he knows as well as anyone that results, not promises, are what truly count in North London.