Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur have entered a period of uncertainty. Not only are they rudderless and scrambling for a new figure in the dugout, but the north Londoners are wrestling with the fact that they have been sucked into a relegation battle.

Of course, enough of the campaign remains for Spurs to piece together a purple patch that would put paid to relegation worries, but Thomas Frank's dismal tenure has proved a continuation of last season's Premier League misfortune under Ange Postecoglou, finishing 17th.

Ange, of course, put all his eggs in the European basket, but lowly league finishes are threatening to become the new norm for Tottenham, and if ENIC Group want to change the narrative, they will need to put things to rights in the summer transfer market.

Tottenham have been poor in attack this season, and with such a shortage of fit wingers down N17 right now, that's where the transfer focus must be pinned come summer.

Spurs leading race for new winger

When it rains, it pours. And it's pouring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, alright, with Wilson Odobert rupturing his ACL against Newcastle in mid-week. The flashy young winger will not feature again this season, and faces a race to return before the end of the calendar year.

Add him to an infirmary already housing Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison, as well as playmakers Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, neither of whom has featured at all this season.

Brennan Johnson was also sold to Crystal Palace for £35m in January, so the need for new wide attacking recruits has really been heightened.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic has emerged as a top target ahead of the summer transfer window, and what's more, Spurs are understood to be leading the race for the USMNT captain.

That's despite interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, with each suitor having held talks with intermediaries to determine the plausibility of a transfer this summer.

Recent reports suggest Pulisic will be available for around €55m (equating to £48m).

It might feel like something of a contentious move for a former Chelsea player, but you need only flick back one month and note Conor Gallagher's £35m move to London from Atletico Madrid to see that that bridge can be crossed.

Why Christian Pulisic could succeed at Spurs

Pulisic, it has to be said, has enjoyed himself since moving to Italy in 2023. Long regarded as one of the most talented wingers in the world, he flattered to deceive with Chelsea but has built himself back up in Italy.

Once hailed as a "magician" of a winger by sports writer Al Butler for his trickery and skills on the ball, the 27-year-old has been resurgent at the Milan club, where he has posted 42 goals and 25 assists across 120 matches.

This season, he has scored eight times in Serie A despite only starting eight times. He has also created five big chances and is averaging 1.5 key passes per game.

A key pass is a pass that directly leads to a shot at the opponent's goal.

Given that Pulisic is currently gearing up for a World Cup campaign in North America under the wing of Pochettino, he could be the perfect man to sign at Tottenham, given ENIC Group have appointed Igor Tudor only on an interim basis until the end of the 2025/26 season.

There are a number of different reasons that this could be, and one of which is that Pochettino is determined to remain in his international post until the summer, after the culmination of the World Cup.

Might Poch and Pulisic meet up at Spurs? The American winger's pace and talismanic personality certainly suggest that he could be a well-worked signing for Tottenham, someone who would swiftly adopt the Argentine's tactics.

Pochettino's desire to balance high-intensity pressing with calculated build-up play tailors toward Pulisic's athleticism and his skill and directness on the ball.

It's exactly the kind of signing the Londoners need to make, landing a winger who will not just make up the numbers but drive this side back into the ascendancy.

Tottenham Hotspur have verbally agreed to appoint Igor Tudor on an interim basis until the end of the season.

The former Lazio and Juventus manager replaces Thomas Frank, a man whose short-lived tenure in the Tottenham hot seat will go down in history as one of the most dismal in modern memory.

A one-time Croatia international, Tudor, 47, will be in contention for the full-time job at the end of the season, depending, of course, on his performance over the intervening months.

Spurs are in a hot spot of mess, alright, so what actually is acceptable for ENIC Group, whose north London club are in a relegation battle in the Premier League, like it or not?

Spurs' managerial plans

The fact Tottenham have waited until the end of the season before making a decision on Frank's permanent successor is understandable. The managerial market is expected to explode later this year.

However, bringing over a manager in Tudor who has no experience of the English game, as a player or a coach, is bold to say the least. Some would call it brazen.

Journalist Matt Law has called him "too loud and emotional", though perhaps that's what the Lilywhites need to escape from the rut they have tumbled into.

However, looking at the bigger picture, Tottenham are interested in striking a deal for former manager Mauricio Pochettino, who is currently preparing to lead the United States national team out for the impending World Cup in North America.

According to The Telegraph, in fact, Spurs have indeed left the door open for Poch's return at the end of the season, with the South American tactician having revealed in an interview in 2024 that he would "like to come back one day".

This has since been corroborated by the one and only Fabrizio Romano, whose word on transfer happenings is so often gospel. Roberto De Zerbi is another contender, but there's no question that Spurs would embrace the return of their former Argentine boss, should that opportunity arise.

Why Spurs should re-appoint Pochettino

As Frank's Tottenham were beaten by Newcastle on Tuesday evening, chants of Pochettino's name rang out across the stadium. The 53-year-old is the more romantic option for the N17 side, considering all the cards, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The jury is out for Tudor, though fans will understandably have their reservations. Poch, however, has already proven himself in the hot seat, and it's not as if he's reached the later stage of his managerial career.

Pochettino did know how to whip his Spurs side into shape, creating one of the most balanced outfits in the country, deadly in attack and steely in defence. When managing Chelsea, he praised his "special" relationship with the north London club, and now he's proving that he does indeed want to return.

From Dele Alli to Heung-min Son to Christian Eriksen to Harry Kane, so many forwards went from strength to strength after the one-time PSG player's wing, and that's a tactical quality that the withered crop currently battling against relegation need.

Frank's system has many faults, chief of which being that Spurs were simply unable to craft meaningful patterns in attack. Though Tudor is an advocate of front-footed football, he was a centre-back during his playing days and operates within principled tactical parameters.

Clearly, Spurs can't get any worse. Frank's tenure was a truly abject thing, and while the Dane is a talented manager, his expertise with Brentford simply didn't translate to success at Spurs.

Pochettino knows the club, knows that to play for Tottenham is to dare to do. Tudor may well steer Spurs clear of the danger zone over the coming months, but his track record doesn't speak of a position as a project manager, and that's what the Londoners need.

He's an accomplished manager who likely feels he has unfinished business after coming within a whisker of winning the Champions League.

Tottenham have appointed former Marseille and Juventus boss Igor Tudor on an interim basis until the end of the season, so it is worth knowing a little more about the Croatian.

Tottenham decide on Igor Tudor as summer managerial plan made

Tudor arrives as a stop-gap appointment at Spurs until June, when Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto De Zerbi will be the two main contenders for the Lilywhites hot seat.

However, until that point, it is Tudor who will desperately try to salvage something from this dismal Tottenham campaign.

The 47-year-old brings firefighting credentials to Tottenham, yet his managerial CV screams short-term specialist rather than long-term visionary.

Tudor earned 55 caps during his playing days, spending most of his career at Juventus where he won multiple trophies as a hard-tackling, physically imposing defender capable of operating anywhere across the backline.

Ankle problems forced retirement in 2008 when he was only 30-years-old, with the Croatian soon turning his attention to management.

His coaching journey began at boyhood club Hajduk Split, winning the 2012/13 Croatian Cup before embarking on a nomadic managerial existence spanning nine clubs across multiple countries.

The pattern remains consistent - impressive short-term impact, quick exits, never staying beyond 48 matches anywhere except his first Hajduk stint.

Spells in Turkey at Karabukspor and Galatasaray delivered 56 per cent win rates before a four-game Udinese rescue job kept them from Serie B relegation in 2018.

Andrea Pirlo recruited Tudor as Juventus assistant in 2020, learning Italian football's tactical intricacies.

His breakthrough arrived managing Hellas Verona in 2021/22, transforming their fortunes spectacularly before departing by mutual consent.

Marseille followed in July 2022, but lasted just one season delivering Champions League football before resigning after just 12 months.

Tudor's real firefighting expertise emerged just recently.

He inherited fifth-placed Juventus from Thiago Motta following a disastrous February which saw exits from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

Losing just one from 11 matches, he secured fourth place and Champions League qualification, earning a subsequent two-year contract.

However, Juventus sacked him four months later after results collapsed.

He pulled that trick at Lazio in March 2024 too, after replacing Maurizio Sarri following five defeats in six. Tudor won five from nine, securing seventh and Europa League qualification before resigning after three months.

His most recent Juventus return in March 2025 ended badly, sacked in October following an eight-match winless streak.

Spurs desperately need his short-term magic to avoid a relegation nightmare, but whether Tudor's volatile history suits Tottenham's crisis remains the billion-dollar question.

What Tottenham players might not like about Tudor after 'interesting' claim

Now, Times reporter Tom Allnutt has shared some tactical insight into Tudor.

The journalist says that he actually adopts a 'front-footed', aggressive way of playing, which may please large sections of Tottenham supporters, but the players might not like another key aspect of his approach.

Allnutt also says that he is very specific and demanding tactically, and Tudor isn't a 'go out and enjoy it lads' kind of manager.

Given Tottenham's squad have helped the club to be in this mess near the bottom of the Premier League table, it is imperative that each and every star lays their bodies on the line from now until May.

The north Londoners aren't just playing for survival, but are through to the Champions League last 16.

If Tudor does the unthinkable in Europe, the journeyman tactician would undoubtedly cement his name into club folklore, so the stage could even be set for a trial period from his perspective.

Tottenham Hotspur have now set their sights on hiring an "incredibly ambitious" manager to replace interim boss Igor Tudor in the long-term.

Tottenham targeting "incredibly ambitious" manager

The Lilywhites have it all to do after sacking Frank. As things stand, they sit just five points clear of the relegation zone and are facing back-to-back seasons sat in the depths of the bottom half or perhaps even worse.

This comes less than one year on from their Europa League win, which was supposed to spark a new era, led by Ange Postecoglou replacement Frank. The former Brentford boss was one of the most reputable managers in the Premier League, but ultimately failed to step up on the big stage.

Now back to square one, Tottenham cannot afford to get their next appointment wrong whilst they sit precariously above the Premier League's relegation zone. Those in North London will be desperate to avoid humiliating history.

So, what is the current plan? According to recent reports, the interview process is already underway and an interim manager is nearly through the door.

As per recent reports, Tottenham have reached an agreement with former Juventus manager Igor Tudor to take charge until the end of the current campaign. It will be his first job since leaving Juventus in October and he undoubtedly has an almighty task on his hands.

As for the end of the season and a long-term optoon, Edin Terzic has now emerged. According to The Telegraph's Matt Law, Tottenham are also targeting Terzic, who has been out of a job since leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2024 and is now keen on taking a job in England.

Terzic would inject excitement back into Tottenham style

The biggest complaint that could be made about Frank's time at Spurs was the football that he implemented. It was pragmatic without the benefit of being pragmatic. Spurs still conceded far too many goals and still couldn't buy a win in 2026 despite playing with the breaks on in recent months.

Terzic would change that. His Borussia Dortmund side cut Bayern Munich close in the Bundesliga title race and would have won it if it wasn't for a final day collapse. They also reached the Champions League final in 2024, where they lost to Real Madrid, and they enjoyed that run whilst using the manager's 4-2-3-1 system.

"I see every day that he is incredibly driven, incredibly ambitious. We were and are convinced of him and have never had any doubts about that." (Borussia Dortmund's sporting director Sebastian Kehl)

Tottenham fans may have to bide their time under an interim boss, who could be named as early as Monday, but Terzic would be worth the wait after a successful spell in Germany.

For the time being, though, all eyes will be on Tudor and his interim spell.

Tottenham Hotspur have now agreed a deal with a new manager to take over on a interim basis until the end of the season.

Tottenham set dealine for appointment

It's been a hectic week in North London. After suffering yet another defeat, this time against Newcastle United, Tottenham made the decision to sack Thomas Frank on Wednesday. The Dane lasted just 38 games in all competitions and won just 13 times during a disappointing tenure.

Since them, the rumours have been coming thick and fast as to who could be the next manager in the hot seat. With Spurs sat just five poonts clear of the dropzone in the Premier League, it's simply a decision that the North London club cannot get wrong.

As such, they won't be rushing into a permanent candidate just yet. Instead, reports have claimed that Tottenham are expected to name an interim manager by Monday in the hope that it's enough to avoid shock relegation.

When it comes to long-term options, meanwhile, names such as Edin Terzic, Marco Rose and even Mauricio Pochettino have been mentioned.

The USA manager reportedly admitted in private that he would like a return to the club for the first time since facing the sack in 2019 months after taking Spurs to the Champions League final.

Of course, since his departure, the standards have slipped even further at the club to the point that missing out on a place in the Premier League's top four is the norm.

Whether it's Pochettino who makes a heroic return or a young manager like Terzic remains to be seen. Before that decision arrives, Spurs must appoint an interim.

Tottenham agree deal with Igor Tudor

David Ornstein has revealed Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham have now agreed a deal with Igor Tudor.

"Tottenham Hotspur reach verbal agreement with Igor Tudor to become interim head coach. 47yo Croatian set to join THFC on contract to end of season; no permanent option. Arrives with big-club experience. Process led by Venkatesham & Lange."

This comes quickly after Fabrizio Romano reporter Tottenham have held talks with Tudor and he was "ready to accept" his first job since he was sacked by Juventus in October.

The 47-year-old has taken charge of Marseille, Lazio, Hellas Veronas and, of course, Juventus. So, his experience can't be questioned. But that doesn't necessarily make him the right man for the job.

Tudor's last spell at Juventus was underwhelming, to say the least, and Spurs are taking a risky gamble when they're on the cusp of the relegation zone.

A "phenomenal" manager is now keen on replacing Thomas Frank as Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Spurs identify multiple targets as search for Frank replacement continues

Speaking on The Overlap, Ange Postecoglou stated the decision to sack Frank was correct, but also suggested there are deeper issues at boardroom level, saying: "At the start of the year they sort of said, compete on all fronts. Well, the club hasn't competed on all fronts for a very long time. And you also, you know, the most influential person at the club [Daniel Levy] for the last 20 years is also going.

"Now, did Thomas know he was walking into that? I don't know. And it's a fair departure from me."

As such, if Tottenham are going to be successful, ENIC may have to make major changes, but getting the next managerial appointment right is also of key significance, and a number of targets have already been identified.

However, with the north Londoners potentially in a relegation battle, bringing in an interim manager until the end of the season is also an option, and Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane was named as a target yesterday.

According to a more recent report from Sky Sports, Keane is keen on returning to Tottenham, but he would only be interested in taking the job permanently, rather than on a temporary basis.

With the Irishman pushing to win the league title with Ferencvaros for the second time, it would be strange to leave to take an interim role, and former defender Michael Dawson has suggested he should be given the job permanently.

Dawson said: "I can't see him leaving Ferencvaros in the middle of the season but why not give it to him on a permanent basis.

"They've tried Jose Mourinho, they've tried Antonio Conte and Thomas Frank. There's a disconnect between the players and the fans and that can't be the case. The situation Spurs are in, they have to be together from top to bottom."

As a player Keane is one of the greatest goalscorers in men's international football history, ranking in the top 30 with 68 goals - ahead of players like Mohamed Salah and Didier Drogba.

Keane could be "phenomenal" appointment for Spurs

The 45-year-old is still in the early stages of his managerial career, but he is certainly showing encouraging signs, averaging a 65% win rate across spells with Ferencvaros and Maccabi Tel Aviv, having won 77, drawn 22 and lost 19 of the 115 matches he has contested.

Ferencvaros won the Hungarian league title under the helm of the former Spurs striker last season, and they are on course to become champions again, with his side currently top of the table.

CBS Sports analyst Charlie Davies is also an admirer of the Ferencvaros boss, and praised him for the "phenomenal" job he's done in Hungary.

Of course, moving to Tottenham would be a big step-up, but Keane has earned the opportunity to prove himself at a top club.

A former Chelsea boss has privately told people that he'd love to join Tottenham and succeed Thomas Frank as head coach, according to a new report.

Tottenham sack Thomas Frank after dire eight-month reign

Spurs pulled the trigger on Frank's nightmare reign Wednesday morning after the Dane's catastrophic eight-month spell left the club staring down the barrel of relegation.

Frank's sacking came barely 12 hours after Tuesday's shocking 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle, a result which sparked furious supporter protests including relentless "sacked in the morning" chants echoing around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The decision wasn't remotely surprising given Spurs languish 16th, just five measly points above the Championship drop with 12 games left.

Frank's reign never recovered from disastrous early setbacks.

His underwhelming first press conference set negative tones immediately, whilst subsequent embarrassments, photographed drinking from an Arsenal-branded coffee cup before the Bournemouth defeat, became symbolic of his tenure's farcical nature.

Supporters never warmed to tactics, replacing entertainment with dull pragmatism and producing neither results nor excitement.

Home form proved catastrophically poor too.

Just one victory from 13 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium games transformed what should be a fortress into a guaranteed points graveyard.

The 2-1 Newcastle humiliation marked their eighth home defeat across all competitions this campaign, triggering volcanic supporter fury which made Frank's position completely untenable.

CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange resisted sacking calls, desperately hoping Frank could reverse the slide.

However, Tuesday's toxic atmosphere, including Mauricio Pochettino chants alongside sack demands, forced their hands.

Now, a host of managers are being linked with the Lilywhites hot seat, none more so than the aforementioned Argentine.

Pochettino, who guided the club to a shock Champions League final and top four finishes over his near-300 match spell in charge of Tottenham, has been repeatedly mooted as a top contender.

The 53-year-old is being championed as a main managerial candidate by members of the Lewis family (Ben Jacobs), but one caveat is that Pochettino won't come until after this year's World Cup.

Pochettino has privately made clear he'd love to re-join Tottenham

However, that appears to be the only roadblock right now, with the ex-Espanyol man making his stance on a reunion crystal clear behind-the-scenes.

According to Football Insider journalist Wayne Veysey, Pochettino has made it clear that he'd jump at the chance to manage Tottenham again.

The former PSG and Chelsea manager indeed won't be available until after this summer's WC, which is the consensus everywhere, but other reports claim a return to N17 is definitely on the cards afterwards.

Pochettino's tenure at Spurs has been described as 'underrated' following his influential reign, where he often overperformed with limited transfer backing compared to big-spending rivals.

He understands the club's DNA completely, knows which players possess genuine quality and commands dressing room respect that Frank never achieved.

Pochettino's high-intensity football mirrors exactly what Tottenham fans crave after months of sterile pragmatism.

His emotional connection remains unbreakable, with supporters still chanting his name as they yearn for a reunion.

Most importantly, Pochettino's track record of developing young talent whilst competing against oil-rich rivals offers exactly what Spurs desperately need: sustained success without unlimited resources.

Tottenham Hotspur have done anything but flourish this season, and Thomas Frank's negative tactics and failure to connect with the fanbase cost him his job.

In truth, though, even the most persuasive of personalities would have struggled to stay afloat after a terrible run of results that has pulled Spurs into a Premier League relegation battle.

It's almost unthinkable, but with the Londoners only five points above 18th-place West Ham United, who have seven points from nine, it's a grim reality that needs facing.

How ENIC Group move forward remains to be seen. However, if Spurs choose against appointing an interim manager, Roberto De Zerbi looks to be among the frontrunners.

Why Spurs are interested in De Zerbi

Tottenham have fallen by the wayside, alright, and in hindsight, Frank wasn't the right man for the job. Too passive, he didn't have the gumption on the ball.

De Zerbi's got gumption in bucketloads, though, and a flowing passing game that could steer Spurs back into the ascendancy.

However, whether De Zerbi, 46, would be the best pick given the current circumstances in north London is another matter. After all, the Italian was sacked by Marseille earlier this week following a string of poor results.

A somewhat abrasive personality that led to several player-coach fallouts at the Stade Velodrome should serve as a cautionary tale for Tottenham as they look to embed a winning culture at N17.

It's not what the Lilywhites need, hence why sporting director Johan Lange is considering appointing a current Premier League boss whose football has drawn plenty of plaudits this season.

Spurs should wait for Premier League manager

De Zerbi's volatile nature should see the Tottenham board steer clear, especially when considering that Heitinga could step in for the remainder of the campaign.

That's a risk in itself, but considering the calibre of coaches on who are supposedly available, such as Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, it may be the long game that ENIC Group should play.

According to The Times, Iraola is alongside De Zerbi is a top target on Spurs' managerial shortlist, with his Bournemouth contract up for expiry at the end of the season.

While the chances of bringing him over to the capital at the campaign's midpoint are negligible, Iraola is expected to attract a wealth of interest from England and Spain this summer, and with this in mind, Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham is leading the search.

Iraola, 43, has been Bournemouth boss for two-and-a-half years now, taking the Vitality Stadium from Premier League survivors to thrivers, inculcating them with an attractive, front-footed style of football that has led Mikel Arteta to hail him for doing an "extraordinary job".

There certainly are parallels between Iraola's project and De Zerbi's while at Brighton, taking established Premier League outfits on the south coast and fashioning them into contenders in the top half of the standings, but Iraola's man-management skills and personable attitude seem to align more closely with the culture the Londoners are trying to embed.

Last season, Iraola's Bournemouth recorded the fifth-highest xG total in the Premier League. This year, they have remained one of the most creative teams in the country.

Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.

Iraola, moreover, is nothing if not resourceful, having effectively lost his entire backline last summer and Antoine Semenyo during the recently shut winter transfer window. Even so, his south coast side remain outsiders in the race for European qualification, ninth in the standings and having avoided defeat for five matches.

While some would point toward Frank having fallen by the wayside after taking the step up to a bigger club at Tottenham, Iraola's brand is more suitable for Spurs' daring identity.

Oh Thomas Frank, where did it all go so wrong at Tottenham Hotspur?

Arriving from Brentford having overachieved for so long, Spurs fans were hopeful that he'd be able to transfer his skillset across town. That, however, was far from the case.

Things started well, too. The Lilywhites were 2-0 up against European champions PSG during his first official match in charge and they looked far more resolute defensively.

Indeed, Frank's team kept five clean sheets in their next seven matches after that Super Cup defeat. Yet, it's all unravelled in spectacular fashion over recent months.

The Dane leaves north London behind with the worst win percentage (36%) of any permanent Spurs manager. He also departs with the club sat just five points clear of the relegation zone after failing to win a Premier League game in 2026. Change simply had to happen.

The latest on Spurs' hunt for a new manager

A number of head coaches around Europe have already been touted with the vacancy but the first decision Spurs need to take is whether they opt for a longer-term appointment now or appoint an interim, as Manchester United have done with Michael Carrick.

If they go down that route, then John Heitinga, who remains on the coaching staff, is one option, while former striker Robbie Keane has also been touted with a romantic return to Tottenham.

If they go down the permanent route, then Roberto De Zerbi is now a free agent after leaving Ligue 1 side Marseille, behind earlier this week. He has been on Spurs' radar for a while now.

Yet, the name on everybody's lips, understandably so, is Mauricio Pochettino. As Frank oversaw his last game in the Spurs hotseat against Newcastle on Tuesday evening, the supporters were singing the Argentine's name. They all want him back at Spurs.

Well, that could well happen, but they will have to bide their time. Reports emerged on Wednesday that the club have already made 'informal contact' with Pochettino about returning but it's unlikely he will arrive immediately.

That's because the 53-year-old is currently in charge of the United States of America and is due to lead out the nation at their home World Cup this summer.

However, after that, The Telegraph reports that 'Pochettino has made it clear that he would jump at the chance to manage Tottenham again'.

Indeed, their sources even state that the former PSG boss would "walk back to the club" once the World Cup has finished. Exciting times, but might that be too late? Relegation is a distinct possibility right now.

Why Pochettino could be Spurs' own Mikel Arteta

It feels like the entire Premier League have attempted to replicate Arsenal's success in recent years.

While Mikel Arteta may only have one trophy - The FA Cup - to show for his efforts in six years with the Gunners so far, he is a prime example of giving a young manager patience. Man United tried that with Ruben Amorim, but look how it went.

Like Amorim, it didn't go swimmingly during the Spaniard's first full campaign in charge at the Emirates. They finished eighth in the Premier League. It would have been easy to pull the trigger and sack him but what he has achieved since is rather remarkable really.

The hierarchy at the Emirates Stadium stuck with him and the 43-year-old has taken them to heights not seen at Arsenal for over 20 years now. Arteta's side look poised to become the first Arsenal team to win the Premier League title since the Invincibles in 2003/04. They could win another few pieces of silverware along the way too.

The point we're trying to make here is that Arteta has achieved progression, something no manager has managed to achieve at Spurs for a number of years now.

They've got the swanky training centre and the impeccable new stadium but the football played on the pitch has been horrendous for a number of years now. In Pochettino, they'd hire their very own Arteta, a manager capable of taking Spurs to new heights, much like the Spaniard has done across north London.

The Argentine tactician, who is a "genius" in the words of Sky Sports' Joe Thomlinson, succeeded where very few Spurs managers have done before during his initial stint in charge.

Like Arteta, he arrived in the English capital with very little experience but was a revelation, guiding them to four top-four finishes in a row, largely through employing a 4-2-3-1 system.

While Spurs are competing in the Champions League this term, courtesy of winning the Europa League, the only manager to have sealed a top-four finish since Pochettino is Antonio Conte back in 2021/22.

What was even more impressive, however, was just how they performed at Europe's top table. They reached a Champions League final under Pochettino's wing and while Ange Postecoglou may have actually won a European trophy, no Spurs side has come even remotely close to doing as well as they have done under Poch.

Similar to Arteta, he used his principles to guide the Lilywhites to heights not seen in several decades. Perhaps it's time to roll back the clock? The hope will just be that Spurs are not relegated before they've had a chance to bring their fan favourite back to English football.

Tottenham are reportedly attempting to agree a deal with a former PSG boss to replace Thomas Frank.

Spurs moving to appoint Thomas Frank successor

As the north London derby on February 22 looms, the Lewis family, Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange have their hands full as they work to replace Frank behind-the-scenes.

According to insider Paul O'Keefe today, Venkatesham and Lange actually wanted to keep the Dane on board, but the two officials were told to sack Frank, presumably by the Lewis family, who'd seen enough.

Make of that what you will, but it is perhaps a clear indication that Tottenham's problems stretch far beyond who sits in the dugout on a weekly basis.

Nevertheless, Spurs are now back in a very familiar process as the club look to make their ninth managerial appointment, interim or permanent, since Mauricio Pochettino left in 2019.

Early indications are that the Lilywhites will look to make an interim appointment, according to Sky's Lyall Thomas, and this could be seen as a much more likely option now that Roberto De Zerbi's camp have distanced the Italian from the hot seat.

De Zerbi was reported to be interested in the Spurs job, but it appears that the former Brighton and Sassuolo boss has had a change of heart as his representatives now brief the media.

In another setback for the north Londoners, former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane was earmarked as a frontrunner for the interim post, though it is believed the Irishman doesn't fancy leaving Ferencavos unless it is for the permanent role.

Other managers are being considered, with ex-Barcelona boss Xavi apparently under real consideration by Tottenham, alongside former England head coach Gareth Southgate (TEAMtalk).

However, the one man on everybody's lips is in fact Pochettino, with reports from Spain suggesting that Spurs are desperate for their ex-hero to return.

Tottenham 'working against the clock' to re-appoint Mauricio Pochettino

As per one Spanish media source, Tottenham are 'working against the clock' to 'finalise the agreement' with Pochettino, but it won't be until after he's done with the USA at this year's World Cup.

Spurs have apparently identified Poch as their dream candidate to step into Frank's shoes, but the Argentine's USA commitments mean they face an agonising wait until the summer.

The Londoners desperately want to secure Pochettino immediately following Frank's brutal Wednesday sacking, yet contractual obligations tying the 53-year-old to the USMNT complicate any instant reunion.

Spurs supporters serenaded Pochettino's name during Tuesday's Newcastle loss, underlining the emotional connection remaining from his glorious 2014-2019 tenure which delivered a Champions League final and consistent top-four finishes.

Tottenham's board also believe Pochettino represents the "great saviour" capable of restoring identity and unity after Frank's disastrous eight-month reign.

The 53-year-old, who Pep Guardiola called a 'top' Premier League manager back in the day, is also rumoured to be very keen on a return to N17 and has made no secret of his love for the club either.

Pochettino's return feels inevitable and romantic, but gambling on survival through an interim appointment could be dangerous when relegation looms just five points away.