ToTheLaneAndBack - Tottenham Fan Site

In their nearly-a-century-and-a-half-old history, Tottenham Hotspur have been graced by many a manager. Naturally, some of them have left an imprint so large it has gone on to define the very identity of the club as a footballing institution.

In this article, we take a look at a handful of them, presenting our picks for the 5 greatest managers of Tottenham in their history.

Martin Jol

The veteran Dutchman played a key role is establishing Spurs’ image as an exciting football-playing side in the modern Premier League era. By the time he left in 2007, Spurs had become Champions League hopefuls, a platform upon which they would thoroughly build upon in the coming decade and a half.

Jol’s Spurs record reads thus: 147 matches, 67 wins, 43 losses, 37 defeats.

Mauricio Pochettino

Speaking of building upon platforms, it is safe to say Mauricio Pochettino played his part in making Spurs one of the biggest clubs in England.

The lack of silverware cannot swat away the fact that the Argentine is indisputably one of the club’s greatest managers given the way he got them challenging for titles in an age of multiple contenders. When he arrived, Spurs were an exciting top-half side looking to make the Champions League push. By the time he left, Spurs were Champions League regulars, having made the final of the whole thing only months before his departure. One could say that the manner in which he left was anti-climactic and even disrespectful given all that he contributed to the club, but that’s just how high he had raised the bar for Spurs, and no one has managed to better him since.

Arthur Rowe

A one-club man in his playing days, having only represented Tottenham, Arthur Rowe also played a key role in establishing the side as one of the leaders of English football in the immediate post-World War 2 scene as a manager.

Under Rowe, Spurs earned the particular accolade of being one of the few teams to win the topflight in their first season after promotion. Picking them up in the second tier in 1949, Rowe helped Spurs win promotion to the top flight in 1950 as champions before making them champions again the year after, also winning the FA Charity Shield.

Keith Burkinshaw

Keith Burkinshaw led the Tottenham side of the early ’80s that were among the silverware, of which he delivered four, most notably the 1984 UEFA Cup. Spurs won 148 of the 358 games he oversaw.

Burkinshaw’s coaching career spanned over four decades, beginning in 1964 and running until 2007 as he wrapped things up with an assistant gig at Watford.

Bill Nicholson

No such list can be completed without recognising the legacy of Bill Nicholson. The Englishman only ever managed one club in his 16-year managerial career. He returned to Spurs as their manager in 1958, three years after ending his playing career with them. He went on to oversee what is still considered Tottenham’s golden age, in which he racked up 12 titles.

Nicholson won 361 of his 755 games at Spurs, and remains to this day arguably their greatest-ever manager.

What do you think of our picks? Would you put someone else above any of these Spurs managers? Let us know in the comments.

More Tottenham News:

Tottenham plot Angel Gomes swoop for free in the summer of 2025

Tottenham Hotspur had a busy summer transfer window with all the incomings and outgoings, as Ange Postecoglou reshaped his squad for the 2024/25 season.

The Lilywhites focused on bringing in young talents with high potential over the summer, thereby, adding the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert. Dominic Solanke arrived from Bournemouth as a marquee signing, becoming the club’s most expensive acquisition of all time.

However, Spurs were also interested in signing former Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. They couldn’t agree on a deal with Chelsea for the English midfielder, who after a long drama eventually secured a move to Atletico Madrid. Having also sold Oliver Skipp to newly promoted Leicester City, Tottenham may look to fill up that vacant spot in the midfield department with a fresh face in the next transfer window.

According to a report from HITC (h/t GIVEMESPORT), Tottenham have been tracking Lille star Angel Gomes ahead of a potential move in 2025. The ex-Manchester United academy boy is one of the names on the north London club’s shortlist.

> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Angel Gomes, who came through the Manchester United academy, has thrived in Lille colours in France in recent seasons. The creative midfielder registered eight assists in 31 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille last season.

Following his eye-catching performances, including this season, the 24-year-old has been recently called up to the senior England squad under new interim manager Lee Carsley.

The aforementioned report (h/t GIVEMESPORT) adds Gomes doesn’t plan to renew terms with Lille, with his current contract expiring at the end of this season (Transfermarkt). This means he will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January onward for a summer move, and Spurs are interested in exploring that option.

The north London side’s start to the new season hasn’t gone according to the plan. Regardless of them mauling Sean Dyche’s Everton 4-0 at home, an opening day 1-1 draw against newbies Leicester City and a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Sunday means Spurs entered the first international break of the season with just four points out of a possible nine.

While Big Ange is under no threat of losing his job, the 59-year-old will need to turn things around quickly. The Greek-Australian tactician has already hinted that the club could make moves in the January transfer window if the right player becomes available, and going by his statements on the deadline day, Spurs indeed will attack the winter market like they did earlier this year by signing Radu Dragusin from Genoa.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

Keeping that in mind, it won’t be surprising if our club strikes a pre-contract agreement with the talented Gomes over a 2025 summer move.

Lucas Bergvall opens up on taking ‘very big steps’ since officially joining Tottenham this summer

Tottenham Hotspur worked extremely hard behind the scenes over the summer transfer window to provide Ange Postecoglou with the tools to compete for a place in the Champions League and trophies this season.

Dominic Solanke arrived from Bournemouth as the marquee acquisition, becoming the club’s most expensive buy of all time at around £65m. Teenage troika Archie Gray, Yang Min-Hyeok and Wilson Odobert also made the permanent switch to N17, while the club re-signed Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig.

One player who officially joined the north London club in July was Lucas Bergvall. Tottenham secured the signature of Lucas Bergvall in an £8.5m deal from Djurgardens in the first week of February, beating out competition from the likes of Barcelona, Aston Villa and Wolves. Regarded as one of the hottest prospects in European football, Spurs seized the moment six months ago and sealed his deal.

Bergvall has adapted to life well at Spurs since moving from Sweden in July. He impressed during the pre-season tour of Asia, providing glimpses of his talent and huge potential. Big Ange certainly has high hopes from the teenage prodigy, who has already made his first-team debut for Tottenham and is now all set to feature in a competitive game for Sweden after being called up to the national team squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

The attacking midfielder has admitted that he has taken “very big steps” in the last two months and that he wasn’t aware of what “his expectations” were before officially joining Tottenham.

Bergvall has done a fine job after coming on as a substitute in Spurs’ three Premier League games thus far. He is still adapting to the fast-paced and physical nature of the Premier League, and having already received an earful from goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario following a small mistake during the game against Leicester City, the Sweden international would be more prepared in the games after the international break.

While the 18-year-old did make his debut for the national team back in January in a friendly game against Estonia, he is now all set to feature in the Nations League. Dejan Kulusevski, his compatriot and Spurs teammate, praised Bergvall for earning the call-up to the Sweden senior side. The experienced Spurs winger is expected to act as a mentor and guide for Bergvall over the international break.

> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Given his maturity, calmness and talent, it won’t be long before Bergvall starts games for Big Ange’s side. As Tottenham will participate in the Europa League this season, expect the Swedish midfielder to get regular opportunities in that competition.

Tottenham can sign Johnny Cardoso next year for a pre-agreed sum

Tottenham Hotspur sold Giovani Lo Celso to Real Betis in the summer transfer window as the Argentine international was not deemed good enough to be a part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans.

In a deal to sell the midfielder back to his former side, Spurs negotiated a ‘special clause’ to sign Betis starlet Johnny Cardoso on a discount deal next summer.

As per TEAMTalk, he could arrive in north London for a sum in the range of just £21 to £25 million having joined the La Liga side for only £5 million back in 2021.

He has emerged as one of the best young players for Real Betis and has been tipped to succeed in the Premier League at some point in his career due to his aggressive nature.

Football expert Andy Brassell expects the player to do well in England. TEAMTalk quoted him saying:

“Very popular, very energetic, you can imagine Cardoso working really well in the Premier League because he loves a tackle, he loves to get stuck in, so you can imagine him protecting that Tottenham defence going forward.”

Tottenham have the option to sign Johnny Cardoso next summer for a pre-agreed sum but their clause will expire in September and not be valid at any time thereafter.

However, with the Lilywhites increasingly deploying a double pivot in midfield, they could be bolstered by another deep-lying midfielder’s signing, especially if he has a good physical presence.

Cardoso is a tenacious player and having spent three years of his career playing in Spain, he has even developed into a good midfielder on the ball with great composure and passing in possession.

At the age of 22, his signing will also be a massive bargain if he manages to succeed at Tottenham Hotspur and should Postecoglou continue as the manager next year, the Australian will see to it that the US-born Brazilian continues to take big strides on an individual level too.

More Tottenham Hotspur News:

Tottenham in three-way transfer battle as Conte plans to sign Spurs target this summer

Not Toney – Tottenham put off by €50m asking price for striker whose contract expires in less than 12 months

Tottenham now in position to hijack Chelsea deal for Serie A ace

For the moment, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr are enjoying prominence at Tottenham but with the qualities Cardoso will bring if he joins next year, it will be a no-brainer to sacrifice one of them to make way for the potential new signing.

No matter what anyone tells you, always remember that transfers in football are a gamble. A team may very well carry out a due diligence to the best of their ability when scouting a player, only for the ensuing move to not work out for a variety of reasons.

In this article, we present to you our top 5 picks for the worst signings Tottenham have made in the Premier League era.

Tanguy Ndombélé

Let’s get this one out of the way first. In an age where three-figure sums are a dime a dozen in football, Spurs’ most expensive player holds a price tag of £65 million. Before Dominic Solanke moved to Spurs this summer, however, the Lilywhites’ most expensive acquisition was at €62 million.

Given Daniel Levy’s infamous frugality, eyebrows were naturally raised when Spurs went above and beyond to get Ndombélé, but the move ultimately blew up in their collective face. Apart from fleeting moments of brilliance, he never quite found his feet in the PL, having been deemed not good enough consistently by every manager at Spurs. Ndombélé spent the last years of his Spurs contract on loan at Lyon (2022), Napoli (2022/23), and Galatasaray (2023/24) before joining Nice this summer as a free agent.

Roberto Soldado

There were a fair few players Spurs spent the Gareth Bale money on, most of whom did not work out. One of them was Roberto Soldado, who arrived at White Hart Lane with quite the pedigree, having been one of LaLiga’s best forwards and a leader at Valencia at the time.

Sadly, none of it followed him on his journey to England. Soldado made 76 appearances for Spurs in the two seasons he represented them, in which he delivered just 16 goals and 11 assists. Having spent €30 million on him, Spurs promptly sent him back to Spain two years later as Villarreal snapped him up for €16 million.

Ryan Sessegnon

This is a harsh and yet unavoidable call. Ryan Sessegnon had the world at his feet after the end of the 2017/18 season, in which he spearheaded Fulham’s promotion charge from left-wingback as a teenager, delivering 16 goals and 8 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions. His performances duly earned him the EFL’s Young Player of the Year and Championship Player of the Year awards for the season, and it was considered quite the coup by Spurs when they picked him up that summer for €27 million.

Alas, it wasn’t to work out. Apart from a brief period under Antonio Conte, Sessegnon never really got going at Spurs. Apart from spending a season out on loan at German side Hoffenheim, Sessegnon represented Spurs just 57 times. He returned to Fulham earlier this summer as a free agent.

Vincent Janssen

This one is quite the stinger. One can be forgiven for not remembering that Janssen was the best player in the Netherlands when Spurs poached him from AZ Alkmaar for €22 million, having registered a modest 32 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances during the solitary season he spent at AFAS Stadion.

There was nothing wrong with this move on paper, but it still simply did not work out. Harry Kane had already established himself as the indisputable first-choice striker at the club, and whatever chances Janssen received, he failed to impress in them. He was loaned out Fenerbahçe for the 2017/18 season and ultimately sold to Mexican side Monterrey in 2019.

During his time in North London, Janssen made 42 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals and assisting four times.

Kevin-Prince Boateng

Having hung up his boots last year, it is safe to say the former Ghana international has had a much-travelled, fairly successful career. The same cannot be said about his time at Tottenham, however. Arriving from Hertha Berlin in 2007 for €7.9 million, he thoroughly failed to impress in the 24 appearances he made during his time at North London, registering just one assist.

Boateng remained on Tottenham’s books for two years, spending the last half-year on loan at Dortmund. He was promptly shipped off to Portsmouth in 2009 for €4.5 million.

What do you make of this list? Do you think some other Spurs signing deserves a shout? Tell us in the comments.

Tottenham Hotspur may yet be without a Premier League trophy as the competition enters the fourth decade of its existence, but they have not been without their moments, moments in which they have shone probably better than the rest.

After all, After three decades of continuous Premier League action, Spurs are widely regarded as a side known for playing attractive football and fielding some of the most exciting players to have ever graced the league.

In this article, we present to you our top 5 picks for the best signings Tottenham have made in the Premier League era.

Son Heung-min

There are few signings Spurs have made in the last decade that have worked out for them as well as that of Son Heung-min, especially in the few seasons after Gareth Bale’s departure.

Son arrived at Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen for €30 million ahead of the 2015/16 season. Nine years later, he’s still at the club. Now in his tenth season, he leads the team out on matchdays, and with his tally of 164 goals and 84 assists from 411 appearances, he is already one of the club’s all-time top goal-scorers as well as an all-time great.

Gareth Bale

When he arrived at Hotspur Way in 2007 from Southampton for €14.7 million, Gareth Bale was a promising teenage left-back. By the time he left for Madrid six years later as the most expensive player at the time, the Welshman had become one of the most lethal forwards in world football.

At Spurs, Bale notched up 71 goals and 53 assists in 237 appearances, also including numbers from his one-year loan spell during the 2020/21 season.

Luka Modrić

If you’re going down in the history books as one of the best players of all time, you naturally enter the “greatest signings” lists of all the clubs you have played or are going to play for.

Modrić arrived at Spurs in the summer of ’08 from Dinamo Zagreb for €22.5 million. He would go on to play his trade his North London for four seasons, delivering 17 goals and 24 assists in 160 appearances, before moving to Real Madrid in 2012 for €35 million, where he miraculously still is at 38 years of age.

Hugo Lloris

Arguably one of the best signings Spurs made in the last deacde. The 2018 World Cup winner arrived at White Hart Lane in the summer 0f 2012 from Lyon on the back of a €12.6m move. He made almost 450 appearances for Spurs before leaving the club earlier this year for Major League Soccer side Lon Angeles FC.

David Ginola

What puts Ginola apart from the rest of the players here? Well, he won a trophy with Spurs.

That alone would make Ginola a unique PL player, though thankfully he has a lot going for him. Now widely regarded as one of the best players of the league in the ’90s, the former 13-cap France international arrived at White Hart Lane in 1997 for €2.85 million after dazzling for Newcaslte for two years. For Spurs, he went on to make 125 appearances across all competitions, delivering 21 goals and assists each.

What do you make of our picks? Which other Tottenham signing of the Premier League era do you think should be given some spotlight instead of one of the names here? Let us know in the comments.

More Tottenham News:

The third matchday Sunday kicked off at St James Park as Newcastle United of the Tottenham Hotspur. The game had an interesting sting about it as neither of the teams refused to sit back and hold lines. With their pressing and high line Spurs had a bright spell in the first 25 minutes. Newcastle slowly grew into the game as they seized the lead doing justice to the sport’s cruelty.

With the score line being 2-1 at full-time, some would say it was that brutal kind of day in football. This was Spurs’ third consecutive loss at the venue. Moreover, Newcastle being at their home never looked in control as the Spurs had around 66% of the possession.

Some key points Tottenham Spurs can take from St. James’ Park

There is a lot to be reflected on the Spurs’ performance as the team showed sheer relentless spells in the 90 minutes.

Not being Lethal in the final third

Spurs saw most of the ball the whole game, they had four times the touches Newcastle had in the box. But at the end of the story, they don’t have anything to show for it as all that matters is the score at the full-time whistle. The chances they did not take in their good spells came back haunting as Newcastle took their possibly only big chance in the second half. The same is said about the first half as Newcastle had very little to show on the attacking third.

Substitution of Brennan Johnson

The straight substitution of Brennan Johnson would be the most positive point of the game. The manager was spot on to bring Sarr out for Johnson. Furthermore, he brought the team alive on the right side. Johnson did it all by linking up, putting crosses in the middle, and being at the heart of their equaliser. He looked like a bright prospect, and fans would be excited to see more of him in the coming time.

Not Making the most out of set pieces

Tottenham Spurs had around 13 free-kicks and 12 corners in the game. While we could see the centre-backs getting at the end of the few, none of them looked threatening enough. Moreover, Lack of creativity and taking set-pieces for granted was something you could see throughout the game.

More Tottenham News:

‘Key’ Tottenham ace praised after landmark club performance

Vicario: 7, Maddison: 6, Odobert:?? | Tottenham player ratings vs Newcastle United| Premier League 2024/25fter landmark club performance

Blow for Tottenham ahead of Newcastle clash as Big Ange confirms major injury

Around all of this, there were a few players who impressed eyes in today’s performance. Firstly, Odobert the new arrival also made some serious promises. Firstly, He was at the end of things and looked like wanting to make things happen every time. Early in the second half, Dragushin made a vital tackle on Isak and demonstrated promise as an offensive threat on set pieces.

As the European summer transfer window is now closed, Tottenham Hotspurs can surely look back on their business with immense pride, as the English club has made a good chunk of young and promising signings.

Ange Postecolgu has made some much-needed changes to the squad, first by extending the loan spell of the German international Timo Werner, who spent the last season with the North Londoners on a loan stint from RB Salzburg, and secondly by signing dynamic young talents such as Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, and Archie Grey.

Not just the underscoring these signings, the Premier League club which finished in the fifth spot in last year’s Premier League season did not hesitate to pay a nasty chunk of €64.30 million for roping in Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.

Spurs also made very good moves on the aspect of trimming their squad, as many of the players like Giovani Lo Celso, Ivan Perisic, Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Emerson Royal, and many more, either left the club on a permanent move or a loan stint.

However, one of their defender, despite a lot of thrills and spills was not able to find a new home for himself.

Sergio Reguilón to still leave Tottenham Hotspur

As per Alsadir Gold, the correspondent of football.London, the former European League champion Sergio Reguilon who has been a part of the Lilywhites since 2020, could leave the club despite the closure of the summer transfer window.

Notably, the Spaniard won the Europa League during his loan stint with the Spanish club Sevilla back in August 2020 before joining the Whites on a permanent transfer from Real Madrid in September 2020.

The 27-year-old right-back is not a part of Postecoglu’s plans anymore and is keen to leave the club and find a new destination for himself as soon as possible.

As clear as can get, Tottenham Hotspur’s business for the 24/25 summer transfer window now stands done. Ange Postecoglou, in his presser ahead of the clash against Newcastle United, kept it to the T about further acquisitions.

No more signings, unless of course, surprises come up towards the end of the window. After all, the transfer window in Turkey is open until the 13th of September while clubs in Saudi Arabia close their windows on the 6th of October.

This stance signals a vote of confidence in the players already at Postecoglou’s disposal, especially after a summer that saw several new faces brought in to strengthen the team. Tottenham’s summer activity was deliberate, addressing key areas of need while also making sure the squad wasn’t overhauled to the point of disruption.

Raring to go!

The additions of players like Dominik Solanke, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert among others, have provided Spurs with a solid foundation to build upon. These signings, combined with the presence of key players like Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Cristian Romero have given the squad a balanced blend of experience and youth.

One key area of focus for Spurs this season will undoubtedly be squad rotation. With a compact yet capable squad, Postecoglou will need to carefully manage playing time to keep his players fresh and avoid burnout. The depth in midfield, bolstered by the arrival of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, provides a cushion against injuries and loss of form, something that could prove crucial as the season progresses. In defence, the reliance on Romero and Micky in key defensive roles underscores the importance of keeping them fit and available.

Youth players will also play a significant role in Tottenham’s campaign. With the first team relatively settled, young talents like Alfie Devine and Odobert are expected to get opportunities to step up and make their mark, at least in cup games. This not only aids in their development but also ensures that the squad remains dynamic and competitive, with fresh legs ready to come in when needed.

Tottenham not expecting a busy transfer deadline day

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a busy transfer window, making several exciting signings as well as offloading the bulk of deadwood.

Dominic Solanke has joined from Bournemouth as the club’s marquee signing, hoping to fill the massive void left by Harry Kane last summer. The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Timo Werner, Yang Min-hyuk and Wilson Odobert have also been added to Big Ange’s squad—young players with high ceiling.

On the outgoings front, Spurs have released, sold and loaned out players who were surplus to requirements for Big Ange, who aims to build on a solid first season in north London.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Tottenham continue to be linked with players heading into the transfer deadline. Now, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has given an update on what he knows about the North London club’s transfer activity on the final day of the window. While a last-minute transfer cannot be ruled out, he says the club are expected to remain inactive on August 30.

Bridge’s update comes as a bit contrasting to what transfer news guru Fabrizio Romano opined earlier this week about Tottenham’s transfer activity. On one hand, the Lilywhites remain keen to offload Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon—two players not part of Big Ange’s plans. On the other, Romano felt there was a possibility for a late signing or two.

Nonetheless, whatever happens on the transfer deadline day, Spurs fans should be delighted with how the club has conducted themselves over the transfer window. Daniel Levy and Co. have done some great business this summer, and very importantly, have addressed most of the pressing needs of the squad.

Now, having entered the final day of the window, our club can stay calm and not rush on any last-minute dealings. Of course, if the opportunity arises they could pounce on it but Bridge has told the fans not to expect an active finale.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

Having pulled off the Odobert deal out of nowhere, there will be a temptation from the fans to see our club pluck another player off the radar and surprise everyone.