The big debate: Where should Spurs go next after Igor Tudor’s 44-day reign officially ends on Sunday? our reporters have a say
Roberto De Zerbi is the overwhelming favorite to become the next Spurs manager (Image: PA)
Tottenham are looking for their fourth manager in the past nine months after Igor Tudor’s disastrous reign officially ended on Sunday. Mr. Tudor was in command in north London for just 44 days.
He won just one of the eight matches he was in charge of, drew one and lost the other five, taking Spurs perilously close to the pit of relegation.
With seven games remaining, they sit just one point above the drop zone and are in real danger of slipping into the second tier for the first time since the late 1970s.
So where will they head next? Roberto De Zerbi is by far the favorite to succeed Tudor, but he has his challenges and will need a big bonus to keep them around.
Or should we rely on someone who knows the club well to give the players a backside kick? Our reporter gave his opinion…
read more: Tottenham manager candidate, Arsenal star wants to leave after feeling ‘humiliated’read more: Adi Hütter breaks his silence on Tottenham’s departure with official statement after Igor Tudor’s departure
john cross
With seven games left, Tottenham need a manager who can administer shock therapy. So, on the surface, Roberto De Zerbi is a good fit and will have enough time and games to keep them around.
The former Brighton manager has attracted criticism and comments from at least three Spurs fan groups after publicly supporting former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood during his time in charge of Marseille.
Additionally, De Zerbi is an explosive character and someone who probably won’t be for the long term, even if it’s a permanent appointment and one designed to move the club forward.
De Zerbi is an explosive character (Image: Getty Images)
Tottenham’s team shouldn’t be in too much trouble. Igor Tudor was brought on to give the kick to the backside. They would have been better off with Thomas Frank.
But out of all the candidates, the current choice is De Zerbi. Last week, he was reluctant. This week, he’s open to that. Mauricio Pochettino will continue to coach the United States until after the World Cup. I don’t know if he should go back.
They also looked to former players and coaches. They also considered acquiring Ledley King as an emergency option earlier in the season. This is Tottenham. huge club. Fans are disqualified. De Zerbi would keep them. But you can’t ignore all the opinions about him.
Andy Dunn
To be honest, I don’t understand the appeal of Roberto de Zerbi at all. He has a reputation that diminishes his accomplishments as a manager.
He seems like a high maintenance type and clearly has an average win rate. As a manager, he hasn’t had any notable wins. If you were a betting man, you would bet everything on Antonio Conte for De Zerbi at Spurs.
But if he is the manager they want long-term, they should do everything they can to get him now. It shouldn’t be that difficult. He can get the job, but either he wants it or he doesn’t.
Offer him a decent long-term contract and demand a response within 24 hours. If he changes his attitude, he’s not the one for you. In that case, leave Bruno Salter in charge and make a proper plan after the season.
After all, no manager will ever make that much of a difference in seven games. It’s up to the player. They’re in this mess and they need to get out of it, whoever the manager is.
Conte has had a tumultuous time as Spurs manager (Image: Getty Images)
Felix Keith
Tottenham’s first choice is Roberto De Zerbi, but given what we know about the passionate Italian and his ideal difficult-to-master tactics, this seems to me to be a high-risk strategy. Persuading him to take office this week could make an already dire situation even worse.
What the Spurs need is someone who can motivate a miserable, underperforming team in the short term. There are seven games left in the Premier League season and a few wins could make a big difference. I can’t imagine being demoted. If we can avoid that, a permanent solution will be found in the summer.
Michael Carrick’s success at Manchester United showed that interim managers can work. Ryan Mason has held the job twice in the past, with Football London reporting that Ben Davies could join the coaching staff.
Time is not on our side, so two familiar faces who can energize the team, simplify the approach and instill belief are the way to go.
james whaling
Spurs seem to be fully committed to Roberto De Zerbi, but I’m not convinced he’s right for this situation.
He has already hinted that he is reluctant to solve the problem in the short term, but that view appears to be softening. Does it have something to do with the rather large survival bonus?
I’m just speculating, but if that’s the reason he changed his mind, it doesn’t seem like the best idea. If the Spurs wake up and decide he’s a guy they can stick with long-term in the summer, so be it.
Can Spurs rely on former striker Robbie Keane? (Image: Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock)
But to get to that stage, you should look to someone who, for want of a better word, knows the club well. All sorts of former Spurs figures have thrown themselves into the ring to get them out of this hole.
I think a combination of Ryan Mason, Robbie Keane and Ben Davies or something along those lines is probably the way to go. Everyone who has been involved with the club relatively recently will be able to get the fans on their side and empathize with the players.
But ultimately it’s up to the players to get out of this mess.
alex richards
This is a very tough time for the Spurs hierarchy, a group that hasn’t had any laurels when it comes to managerial appointments for quite some time, but things have gotten even tougher since Daniel Levy was sidelined.
Given the disastrous nature of this season, any manager of any stature will be cautious about signing a contract or asking for next season (although he should actually continue playing).
Some might say it’s worth the risk just to go after number one target Roberto De Zerbi and give him everything he wants. The Italian is considered by some to be a tactical genius and certainly the hype around him never stops.
But he’s also combative, falls out with players and those above them, and has a very ‘Antonio Conte of Spurs’ vibe about him – which means it’s all going to end in tears.
It feels like the Spurs just need to get through the summer, whether it’s a hook or a scam. Perhaps Ben Davies and Bruno Salter will be given the job after that. These two are trusted by the current roster and will be able to encourage and unite an underachieving cast and do what needs to be done before entering the managerial market in a stronger position at the end of the season.
It almost seems reasonable. But being smart is not how Spurs operate these days. So I go and get De Zerbi. Let’s keep a close eye on him and see if he lives up to his reputation.
If he can play for this team and has money promised in the summer, it might be worth the risk and he knows what he’s getting into and will have a chance to evaluate before pre-season. It can move both in the short term and in the long term.
And if everything goes pear-shaped in gloriously quick style…well, the championships in August will be a great place to be.
Connor Mummery
This is Tottenham boss Vinay Venkatesham and Johan Lange’s biggest decision yet. Spurs have seven games left to remain in the Premier League and the next managerial change must be the right one.
Venkatesham and Lange’s decision to appoint Igor Tudor was disastrous. The idea that Italy had success coming in at a similar point in the season to Juventus and Lazio makes sense, but it would be almost a mistake for Spurs to appoint a manager with no Premier League experience and in such a precarious position.
A number of Tottenham legends have been linked with the role, but the likes of Tim Sherwood, Glenn Hoddle and Harry Redknapp have been away for so long that the game has missed their presence.
Roberto De Zerbi is considered the favourite, but supporter groups voiced their concerns over the weekend as the Italian will not be without baggage.
If purely based on his managerial ability, the former Brighton manager might give his players the necessary shock therapy to play the front-footed football the team has been striving for.
Spurs have no intention of sticking their way out of this relegation scrap. Their only chance of survival is to take the game to their opponents and get a result on their own terms.
Martin Domin
They have to have it on the roll.
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