Last Monday was an eventful day for the entirety of world football, even more so for Tottenham. If joining the European Super League and backing out from it 48 hours later was not enough drama, the club sacked head coach and manager Jose Mourinho on Monday itself due to recent results and while that is acceptable, there was a lot more going on behind the scenes.
Regardless, Ryan Mason has been appointed as the interim manager for the rest of the season and while he could steady the ship to some extent, Tottenham needs a new manager next season who has the know-how and experience to take Spurs to the next level.
While there have been various names that have been touted as potential replacements for the Portuguese, it would be better to evaluate the Top 5 managers who have the experience and who would match Tottenham’s needs and ambitions.
TOP 5 REPLACEMENTS:
1) Julian Nagelsmann:
Top of Daniel Levy’s managerial preferences lies the German genius in Julian Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann, currently the manager of RB Leipzig is the ‘new genius’ on the block and while an experienced option would be better, Nagelsmann fits Tottenham’s needs perfectly. While Nagelsmann has less than 3 years of coaching at the top, the German certainly has the know-how and is the perfect representation of modern-day football. Fast, attacking football, gegenpressing, new ideas- Nagelsmann ticks every box of Tottenham’s wishlist in a manager, and as per Football Insider, Tottenham have made contact with Nagelsmann regarding a managerial position for the next season.
However, with Leipzig not planning on letting go of the German any time soon, it will be a hard sell for Daniel Levy. Moreover, with Hansi Flick leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season, Nagelsmann would be odds on favourite for the job and Tottenham would then find it really hard to sell their project to Nagelsmann.
2) Nuno Espirito Santo:
Replace one Portuguese with the other? The last 48 hours have been rife with rumours and speculation regarding Nuno Espirito’s job at Wolves and how he could be close to signing a deal with Tottenham. However, while Nuno has dismissed these rumours to some extent, one can see why this deal might actually be possible. Although Nuno’s current contract with Wolves runs till June 2023, a job at one of the ‘big six’ is not something you receive every day and might also be Nuno’s one shot at proving his worth at a top club.
The likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, and both the Manchester Clubs will quite possibly never appoint the Portuguese, at least not in the near future, and in such a scenario, Nuno might have to take what he gets. Moreover, his experience in the Premier League is a huge bonus while he has a good eye for transfers and can shape and restructure the club like Mauricio Pochettino did when he first arrived at the club. While Tottenham will have to offer a huge contract, Nuno will certainly be worth it.
3) Massimiliano Allegri:
Experienced and technically sound, Massimiliano Allegri’s resume fits Tottenham’s ambitions perfectly. The Italian has been out of a job for over 2 years now and is ready to dive back into management. However, Tottenham might not be the club Allegri sees himself at. While Daniel Levy has the money to lure Allegri to London, the Tottenham project may not be the most exciting one on Allegri’s list.
While Allegri’s CV ensures that he can get Tottenham to the top, his football might not be something Tottenham are quite ready for as they prefer counter-attacking and fast football rather than Allegri’s pragmatic approach to the game. While there are chances that Tottenham can convince the Italian, it looks like an unlikely replacement.
4) Brendan Rodgers:
Probably the most sensible name on this list, Brendan Rodgers would be the ideal replacement for Mourinho at Tottenham. With Rodgers being a disciple of Mourinho, he has the pragmatism as well as the knack of modern-day attacking football while he showcased his managerial capabilities at a top club in Liverpool, previously as well. Now, with Leicester City, Rodgers is over-achieving season after season and has won over the Foxes fan base in less than 2 years due to their performances.
While Rodgers has never successfully managed a club competing in both Europe and domestically, Spurs might be the ideal club for him as it is a perfect step-up and the expectations will not be mismanaged. On the downside, it would be a herculean task for Rodgers to leave Leicester as he still has 4 more years on his current contract with the Foxes and Spurs will need to spend a certain amount just for bringing the Irish to the club.
5) Scott Parker:
Ex-Tottenham player, Scott Parker while not high up Daniel Levy’s list is a possible choice Spurs could look into given the fact that Parker has some Premier League experience under his belt after this season. While Fulham may not be the most exciting team in the League, it is what Scott Parker is doing with the personnel provided which has impressed most critics.
Clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United have appointed former players with little to no experience in the last 2 years, however, it brings some sort of positive atmosphere to the club and if the necessary time is provided, even Scott Parker could deliver the trophies for Tottenham. While Parker may be the last resort for Tottenham, it might not be the worst replacement and could turn out to be a happy surprise for most people at the club.
Apart from the 5 managers mentioned above, the likes of Marcelino (Athletic Bilbao), Erik Ten Hag (Ajax), Roberto Martinez (ex-Belgium and Everton manager) and Ralph Haasenhuttl (Southampton) have been touted as possible replacements, however, with most of them already committed to long term contracts or different ambitions, it seems unlikely that Spurs will approach any of them.
Next season is one rife with new possibilities and opportunities for Tottenham and the choice they make will surely need to be a good one as Tottenham finally looks like a squad that can win things but lacks a manager of the same ilk.
