Who is the best fit as Spurs' next manager?
Things happen fairly quickly in football. I actually started putting this blog together this morning when Poch was technically still Spurs manager. There were some sources that stated he'd be given the upcoming West Ham game to save his career at Tottenham but to be quite frank that didn't make any sense. The differences between the manager and the owner had become irreconcilable and that was clearly having an effect on the dressing room. Another game regardless of the result wasn't going to change that relationship and Levy was always going to act. The fact that Arsenal, as well as potentially some other clubs, are likely to be in the market for a new coach soon probably served to bring this issue to a head.
So who's going to be the next man in charge at Spurs? I've had a look at who the bookies are suggesting are in line and created this analysis based on 5 key areas
1.Suitability of playing style
"The game is about glory" and "to dare is to do". Tottenham have a history of wanting to play attacking football that sometimes puts style above substance. A suitable manager would presumably be one who likes his team's to play a brand of football that would be appreciated by the Spurs faithful.
2. Suitability to the role
Beyond just the style of football, Spurs need to find a manager or coach that fits into their system. Levy is unlikely to tolerate too big a personality or a man who demands too much as Poch has just discovered. The perfect Tottenham manager will be able to work on a tight budget, get the most from his playing squad and potentially bring through some young players.
3. Availability
Kind of obvious, we can be linked with as many top managers as we like but if they aren't willing and able to join then it's nothing more than media speculation.
4. Reputation
As the dust settles on Poch's career most would say that he had a successful era at the club but the one massive hole in his CV remains a lack of trophies. It seems reasonable to believe that Spurs would be looking for a coach who can deliver that elusive silverware.
5. Longevity of appointment
Nothing is a given in the football management game but you feel that certain candidates would be appointed with an aim to building a squad over a period of time whereas others are more of a stop-gap to steady the ship over the next 6-18months.
Jose Mourinho
At present, the former Chelsea and United manager seems to be the bookies favourite to take over at Spurs. As my chart shows his availability is his strong point and no doubt the chance to manage in London again would be attractive to the Portuguese coach. Another appealing aspect of "The Special One" is the fact that he's delivered trophies at every club he's managed. That being said the way he has left United and Chelsea left a bitter taste in the mouths of many of their supporters and has somewhat tarnished his reputation. Given that his football ethos is largely at odds with what Spurs are about and the fact that he'd probably demand a hefty transfer budget, it seems to me that any appointment of Mourinho would only be for the short-term.
Brendan Rodgers
Leceister have been transformed in the 10 months since Rodgers arrived from Celtic and that form has already seen his name linked with a variety of positions. He certainly plays football more in keeping with the Spurs style and presumably, any appointment would be for the longer term. However, is he about to walk out on a Leicester side that have clearly taken to his approach and find themselves sitting 2nd in the league to manage a divided Spurs dressing room? In regards reputation and history Spurs might be a bigger club but Rodgers knows that he'd struggle to get any sizeable transfer budget out of Levy in much the same way that Poch did so would he really be trading up if he were to take the job right now?
Carlo Ancelotti
The man has been everywhere and won everything. He's stuck in a bizarre situation at Napoli with an owner who is far too hands-on for Ancelotti's liking and is therefore almost certainly looking for a way out. The trouble is would things be that much different at Spurs? Ancelotti is a big personality and would want control of large parts of the football club that Levy is simply not likely to give away. His recent CV also suggests that he's not a man for a long-term role and so his graph is left looking very much like that of Mourinho's with the exception that Jose is available and is already in London. AC Milan are rumoured to be prepared to offer the Italian a lifeline and perhaps he'd be more interested in making the move to Northern Italy as opposed to North London.
Eddie Howe
Is Eddie Howe destined to always be passed over for a bigger job or is it more the fact that he is quite content where he is at Bournemouth? I've put his reputation lower than any of the other names above him on this list because he hasn't won anything and yet taking Bournemouth from the basement of English League football to the Premier League is nothing short of a miracle. Let's not forget that he's done it on a tiny budget and played attractive football along the way. Certainly, the pressure and expectations of managing at Spurs would be far greater than he currently has and perhaps it's that uncertainty as to whether he can step-up that has seen teams go for other options. Personally, I think he's a very intelligent, very articulate young coach who has gotten the best out of a limited squad.
Julian Nagelsmann
The young German has won plenty of plaudits for the way his RB Leipzig side plays and it would certainly be a style that would fit the ethos at White Hart Lane. Hiring a German manager seems to be very much in vogue at the moment but despite Nagelsmann's early success, he is another coach who doesn't bring with him an experience of winning trophies. Rumours about Spurs making an approach for the Nagelsmann have grown over the last couple of days but it remains to be seen whether this is just fanciful speculation from the newspapers or based on any hard facts. Much like Rodgers, Nagelsmann would be exchanging a side sitting 2nd in its league and top of its Champions League group for one that is in 14th and struggling to find an identity. Levy would need to other a rather large carrot or 2 to secure his man.
Carlo Ancelotti would be the best option i think. He has many winning record in his pocket and has a good reputation.
Hopefully Spur management will appoint him
Levy just sacked their best coach in years. Redknapp is the only one that came close.
I think his case is similar to Klopp last season with Dortmund. He's a very good coach who could have won somethings for them assuming Levy released the funds.
€324m on transfers since 2014 and that's on 22 players. When you compare it to Klopp €442m on 13 players since 2015...you know the problem is from the head(Levy).
I don't know if he's still earning £6m as chief executive of the club but I feel that should be reduced. He's earning around twice what other premier league executives are earning. He should divert the funds to improve player wages.
Jose Mourinho will be a big win for Spurs and can be their doom too. He will surely turn their season around but what about the future. When he asks Levy to release €150m for transfer, I doubt if he's going to release such amount.
Mou will definitely want to win something for them too. He will focus on maybe the FA and win (lol), so the press won't have anything to say on his barrenness.
Any other manager apart from Mourinho will only meet (maybe) Pochettino height and never surpass it as long as Levy is still there.
It's Mou.
https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/1197040181657784320?s=19
I agree it's a big shame to lose Poch, he's done a lot for the club and I think he could have achieved more with the backing of Levy. At the end of the day though, a manager is just an employee of the club. If you are at odds over the direction and vision of a company (and clubs are just companies) then expect to be sacked. It's the same as would happen to you and I in our jobs.
While there are a lot of toxic factors at Spurs at the moment, I think that Poch's attitude wasn't helping the situation. I'm sure that Jose was on the radar of Arsenal and maybe even Bayern and Real Madrid so Levy took the opportunity to act first.
A contract until 2023! That's much longer than I thought Jose would get and I'd be surprised if he stays at Spurs that long. We'll see how it works out for him. I actually think he's got fewer "big personalities" to deal with in the Spurs dressing room than he did at either Chelsea or United but we'll see how players like Alli and Eriksen who have both been underperforming for some time respond to him. He must have had some assurances over transfer funds or he wouldn't have taken the job. At the very least it makes me a little more interested to watch Spurs because they have been truly awful this season and I've found myself not bothering to watch some of their matches!
In my opinion Carlo Ancelotti is more suitable because he is young and also a man who is very true and prosperous
Usually they already have someone lined up before they let the other person go in most sports. That time in the middle when they are training and stuff is too precious to waste by not having a coach and trying to find a new one. I guess the only time that might not be the case is if the person were to leave suddenly . With media and social media these days I sometimes feel like the general public knows the coach is leaving before the coach even does!
Indeed they did have someone lined up and about 12hrs after sacking Poch they have appointed Jose Mourinho. As I suggested in the blog, I think the timing also has something to do with the fact that several clubs will be in the market for a new manager soon so Levy wanted to ensure he got first pick!