Robbie Keane is a bit of a Tottenham legend in the Premier League era based on what he did for the club as a player.
Signed from Leeds United, he scored 107 goals in 254 appearances for the club during a six-season stint.
After a pretty mediocre time with Liverpool, Spurs took him back to North London and he scored another 15 times in 52 outings, spread across three seasons.
These days, he’s managing Ferencvaros in Hungary and ahead of tonight’s Europa League game against Nottingham Forest, he’s been discussing the links between him and the Tottenham job should the club part with Thomas Frank.
Robbie Keane reacts to Tottenham rumours
Keane is earning his managerial stripes across the globe, and the fact that a win tonight can earn Ferencvaros a last-16 place in the Europa League is a great achievement.
Keane has remained coy on whether or not he’d take the Tottenham job, however, choosing instead to praise the man currently in possession of the esteemed position.
The former striker said in his press conference ahead of tonight’s game with Forest: “Thomas Frank is a very, very good manager. He just started there. As I said, a lot of stuff gets written, even when I was a player, going somewhere, going different places.
“But I’ll be honest with you, it goes over my head. I concentrate on what I’m doing. I think it’s nice that your name is there. Who puts it there? I have no clue, but it shows you that I’m doing OK to be even put there.
“I’m obviously aware of it, but I am happy here.”
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Keane appointment would be a risk
Perhaps having tried elite managers and up-and-coming head coaches in the role, Frank’s replacement could actually be a former player who has plenty of managerial experience.
Keane managed ATK in India and Maccabi Tel Aviv before taking the Ferencvaros job in January last year and it’s not unfair to say that Tottenham would be a big step up.
However, if Tottenham do part with Frank, they’d be admitting defeat and what would the club really have to lose when it comes to appointing Keane?
The club would gain a manager who understands the ethos of the football club and having a man who considers himself a fan in charge could only bode well.
Tottenham would have tread with caution when it came to appointing Keane, but if Frank does get the axe, maybe the former striker can be the man to bring the good times back.