Sitting as England’s sixth most successful football club, Tottenham Hotspur have collected their fair share of memories under different management over the years.
From their first ever manager in Frank Brettell, to the recent exploits of Mauricio Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou, and current stewardship of Thomas Frank, Spurs have become a staple of the nation’s top flight.
With the complete guide of Tottenham managers, Tottenham Hotspur News takes a look at some of the most iconic figures at the helm throughout Spurs’ illustrious history.
Tottenham misfire under Thomas Frank
Following the departure of Postecoglou last year – more on him shortly – Frank took charge in North London, aiming to recover Tottenham’s domestic form after a 17th-placed finish.
However, things have not gone to plan under the Dane as of yet, with Spurs sitting 14th in the Premier League – picking up just 29 points from 24 outings.
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At the time of writing, Frank’s side are winless in the league in six, having failed to pick up three points since the turn of the year, creating a far-from-ideal record for a side looking to make the next step after lifting the Europa League last May.
Things are going well in the Champions League, though, with Spurs securing an automatic pathway to the round of 16 via a fourth-place finish.
Nonetheless, the domestic form under Frank leaves him under serious pressure.
Ange Postecoglou ends on a high
“I always win things in my second year,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in September 2024. And in remarkable fashion, the Australian coach was proven right.
Spurs started like a house on fire under Postecoglou in 2023, before eventually securing a fifth-place finish in the Premier League in his debut campaign.
However, amid an ongoing injury crisis, Tottenham limped to 17th last term, with their top-flight safety only really made a certainty thanks to the hapless promoted trio of Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton, who all amassed fewer than 30 points.
Postecoglou did achieve what no Spurs manager was able to do in the 21st century, though, and bring silverware to the club.
Beating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final, thanks to a Brennan Johnson goal in front of the Spurs contingent in Bilbao, the Lilywhites picked up their first trophy since winning the League Cup in 2008.
Postecoglou would lose his job following the season’s conclusion with a win percentage of 46.5 from 101 matches, leaving the experienced manager’s legacy intact at the club.
Mauricio Pochettino revives Tottenham
Much of what is thought of modern Tottenham can be put down to Pochettino, who joined the club from Southampton in 2014.
After overseeing the emergence of Harry Kane that term, Spurs continued to go from strength to strength under the Argentine, becoming genuine title contenders across multiple terms under his guidance.
The aforementioned Kane was at his undoubted best in England under Pochettino, while Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-min and more all blossomed into world-class talents.
Spurs would reach the Champions League final in 2019 following their move to the brand new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, before Pochettino lost his job later that year after racking up a win percentage of 54.27 from 293 matches.
Helping to transform the club from the nearly men to a genuine top-four club, Pochettino will always be held in high regard at the club.
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Harry Redknapp
Not just at Spurs, Harry Redknapp is a well-renowned and much-loved figure across English football.
Taking over from Juande Ramos in 2008, with Spurs sat rock bottom of the Premier League, Redknapp guided Spurs to eighth, and the League Cup final, before the eventual defeat to Manchester United.
Taking the club to the Champions League in 2010, he oversaw the emergence of both Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, who really launched their sensational careers at White Hart Lane.
Leaving the Lane in 2012, Rednkapp racked up a win percentage of 49.49 from 198 games.
Terry Venables
After making over 100 appearances for the club, Terry Venables took charge of Tottenham in November 1987.
While Spurs remained in the mid-table region of the top-flight for large parts of his tenure, he remains much-loved for the development of both Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne, alongside their FA Cup triumph in 1991.
After 165 matches at the helm, Venables achieved a win percentage of 40.61 – by far the lowest out of those mentioned, but Venables will always be held in high regard.
Bill Nicholson:
Arguably the greatest Spurs manager of the time, Bill Nicholson led Tottenham to the First Division and FA Cup title in 1961, with the club being the first to do the double in the 20th century.
It would then be under his leadership that Spurs became the first British club to triumph on the continental stage, when his side beat Atletico Madrid in the European Cup Winners’ Cup back in 1963.
Being in charge for a remarkable 823 matches, Nicholson racked up a win percentage of 48.72.