Tottenham Hotspur have endured a challenging season, with inconsistent performances leaving fans frustrated. The North London derby loss to Arsenal has only added to the pressure, particularly with the crucial away match against Manchester United looming.
A victory at Old Trafford would be essential to reigniting Spurs’ top-four hopes, but the club’s struggles are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore,
With an opening game draw to newly promoted Leicester City, Spurs thought they had papered over the cracks by thrashing Everton, but more of the same problems from last season have begun to rear their head. The Manchester United vs Tottenham odds are in the Red Devils’ favour for precisely this issue – just one clean sheet all season at the time of writing.
Ange Postecoglou’s first year in charge was a whirlwind. While he introduced an exciting and attacking style of football that Spurs fans had long been deprived of, they have been unable to stop leaking goals.
Defensive fragilities and injuries to key players resulted in the club missing out on Champions League football for the second consecutive season. On top of this, the wait for silverware, now stretching 16 years, continues to haunt Spurs.
Chairman Daniel Levy has shown little patience when it comes to managers and should the strain of expectation prove too much for Postecoglou, especially if results don’t improve, his future at the club could be in doubt.
A win against United would buy him time, but if a change is needed, here are three potential replacements for the Australian.
Graham Potter
After departing from Chelsea in the 2022/23 season, speculation surrounds Graham Potter’s next move. Initially making a name for himself in Sweden, Potter guided Östersund from the fourth tier to the Europa League knockout stages, where they famously defeated Arsenal.
His success earned him a return to England with Swansea City and later Brighton, where he built a reputation for developing players and playing an attractive brand of football.
Despite a challenging spell at Chelsea, Potter’s ability to thrive in difficult situations and his tactical nous make him an ideal candidate for Tottenham, bringing a balanced approach to rebuild their fortunes and try to upset the Premier League betting by snatching a spot in the top four.
Thomas Frank
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has quietly established himself as one of the Premier League’s most astute tacticians.
The Dane has guided the Bees to a stable position in the top flight, despite a shaky period midway through last season, and his man-management skills have earned praise, particularly for his work with players like Christian Eriksen and Ivan Toney.
Frank’s ability to get the best out of his squad could make him a perfect fit for Tottenham’s ambitions, and many feel he could quickly adapt to working with an improved squad and bigger budget – regularly losing his best players in west London.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate could be an intriguing option for Spurs. The former England manager has a reputation for excelling in tournament football and might be the man to finally bring silverware back to Tottenham, reaching consecutive finals of the Euros as well as the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup with the Three Lions.
Having worked with key Spurs players like James Maddison and potentially getting the best out of recent signing Dominic Solanke, Southgate’s familiarity with the Premier League and his leadership could be the catalyst Tottenham need to calm things down.
Though one of his main criticisms during his England tenure was that his football can be overly cautious, finding the right blend of caution and attacking intent could be key to getting the best out of Tottenham.