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‘Mauricio Pochettino’s already told me if he’d take the Tottenham job’

Tottenham are once again on the hunt for a new manager.

Thomas Frank’s position had become untenable earlier this week, as Spurs were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Winless in eight Premier League matches, Tottenham are now just five points above the relegation zone, and require a huge boost ahead of the season’s final months.

Ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino has been named by supporters and pundits alike as someone capable of turning things around for the Lilywhites.

talkSPORT’s Alan Brazil has since offered insight on whether the Argentine would be interested in a return to the club.

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Alan Brazil gives insight on Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham

Taking charge of the club in 2014, Pochettino oversaw some fantastic years as head coach – leading the club to a Champions League final in 2019, while establishing Spurs as genuine title contenders.

“The fans like Poch,” said Brazil.

“One or two wanted him out, but I can’t tell you how good a guy he is, how genuine and honest.”

The Argentine was sacked by Tottenham after a poor start to the 2019/20 campaign, replaced by Jose Mourinho. However, Spurs have failed to hit the same heights since.

“He loves Spurs,” added Brazil.

“He basically said to me ‘I’d walk back there’. So if you give it to him now, maybe he’d go.”

The timing is awkward for both parties, though, with Pochettino set to lead the US Men’s National Team into the 2026 World Cup, of course, being partly hosted Stateside.

Why is Mauricio Pochettino held in such high regard by Spurs fans?

Following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas in 2013, Spurs were looking for a new direction after an interim spell under Tim Sherwood.

Harry Kane in particular exploded under Pochettino, becoming the Premier League’s most feared marksman within a year of his guidance.

He also provided a platform for Dele Alli, who made a name for himself in the English game as Spurs battled for the title in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Spurs were a genuine top-class team, though by the time the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen and more were past their best, the cracks within the club began to show – with no real replacements of the same level ever provided.

After being perennial underachievers for so long, Pochettino galvanised the support and the club, and the fortunes since have highlighted that he wasn’t to blame for the sharp downturn at the start of the 2019-20 term.

Tottenham are on the search for their next manager after sacking Thomas Frank on Wednesday morning.

Frank was finally dismissed by Tottenham after months of fan discontent, with the North London side sitting 16th in the Premier League, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

The Dane’s last game in charge was a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs’ eighth consecutive top-flight match without a win.

Malick Thiaw opened the scoring for the Magpies, with Archie Gray equalising midway through the second half, but Jacob Ramsey’s winner was the final nail in the coffin for Frank.

Tottenham assemble team to replace Thomas Frank

Tottenham are now searching for their third manager in just eight months, after the sacking of Ange Postecoglou at the end of last season.

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Postecoglou led Spurs to Europa League glory, their first piece of major silverware in 17 years, but was dismissed less than two weeks later due to their poor domestic campaign.

However, the Lilywhites clearly made the wrong decision in appointing Frank to replace the Australian and will be desperate not to make the same mistake twice.

Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange will lead the process to find a new manager, but they will be joined by two other important figures.

According to talkSPORT, Nick Beucher and Peter Charrington will also both play a big role in the appointment of Frank’s replacement.

Beucher, the grandson-in-law of Tottenham owner Joe Lewis, is now reportedly the key link between the Spurs hierarchy and the Lewis family.

Charrington is the non-executive chairman of the North London club, taking on the newly created role when Daniel Levy departed last September.

Roberto De Zerbi is the current favourite to replace Frank, with Spurs expected to make an approach for the former Brighton manager in the near future.

Who are Nick Beucher and Peter Charrington?

Both Beucher and Charrington have strong links to ENIC and the Lewis family, hinting that, while Venkatesham and Lange take on the day-to-day running of the club, the majority owners at Tottenham still have a big say.

Beucher is the husband of Joe Lewis’ granddaughter, Joanna, and along with his role at Spurs is the co-chief executive of the private equity firm Tavistock Group.

He is reportedly a very capable executive, but is far from a football specialist, having grown up in Florida.

As for Charrington, he initially joined Tottenham as a non-executive director in early 2025, before stepping up into the chairman role when Levy was forced out a few months later.

He is the director of ENIC and a financial expert, having spent 26 years at Citi Private Bank and climbing to CEO before his appointment at Spurs.

Between them, Tottenham chiefs need to ensure they do not fumble this next appointment or else it could result in the unthinkable – relegation to the second tier.

Thomas Frank’s obsession with Pedro Porro showcases why he was never going to succeed at Tottenham.

With Tottenham in the middle of a relegation battle, they had no choice but to move and sack Frank, who had failed to secure a win in any of his last eight games in charge.

Mauricio Pochettino could replace Frank in the near future, though an interim manager is the most likely outcome to keep Spurs in the Premier League.

Everyone saw his exit coming from a mile away, and with what has since been revealed about his feelings towards Porro, it was never going to work for him in North London.

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Thomas Frank held Pedro Porro in higher regard than anyone else

Frank was an issue for Tottenham, but as showcased throughout the last 12 months, the biggest issue has been with the players.

Perhaps Micky van de Ven aside, none of those currently wearing the famous white shirt have shown anywhere near enough quality to warrant playing for a club that should be striving for a top-four finish.

And towards the very top of that list is Porro, who has had a dreadful season for Tottenham.

The Spaniard has consistently showcased his frailties defensively, while having had his attacking influence reduced massively as a result of a lack of final product.

And yet a report from The Times states that “Frank believed only Pedro Porro could play for a really elite European team,” which is baffling.

As demonstrated by the below Sofascore graphic, Porro has had his game plagued with mistakes this season, and his stats are not anything to suggest he could play for a top club.

Porro’s so-called strength was meant to be his delivery into the box from wide areas, but with a 19.6 per cent accuracy, that has been dismissed, and his 74.3 per cent pass accuracy isnt much better.

With five errors that have led to a shot, that showcases his tendency to switch off defensively,

But for Frank to have highlighted him as the one and only Tottenham star capable of playing for a top side, it showcases that his issues in North London weren’t just tactical, but also from a clear place of delusion.

Mauricio Pochettino update could spell bad news for Porro

As mentioned above, Pochettino is believed to be the one chosen to succeed Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and if so, it would be a good move for almost everyone.

Aside from Porro, who simply isnt cut out to play in a flat back four, which has usually been Pochettino’s go-to formation throughout his managerial career.

It would befit the likes of Destiny Udogie, who has showcased his defensive capabilities, but it could easily spell the end for Porro.

As for him, though, he’ll no doubt be fine with that.

After all, he is capable of playing for a “really elite European team,” so Frank would have you believe.

There has been two major managerial shakeups towards the bottom of the Premier League in the space of 24 hours.

Following Tottenham‘s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday night, the Spurs hierarchy felt it was no longer in their best interest to stick by Thomas Frank.

The former Brentford boss was axed on Wednesday, following a run of two wins from their last 17 Premier League games, leaving Spurs sitting 16th and just five points above the relegation zone.

However, he isn’t the only Premier League managerial casualty this week, as just hours after Frank found himself out of work, so did Sean Dyche.

Gabby Agbonlahor’s emphatic Sean Dyche to Tottenham response

It will now be fascinating to see what direction Tottenham chiefs go in when appointing Frank’s successor.

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They could opt to go down Man United’s route of hiring a caretaker manager until the end of the season, before hiring their new long-term gaffer in the summer.

Or, they may feel they have an outstanding candidate ready to go now, that they believe can lead the Lilywhites into a bright future.

Either way, Tottenham have to get their next appointment spot on, as the new boss will have to not only be capable of extracting far more out of this group of players, but must also galvanise a disillusioned fanbase.

Naturally, given the fact he’s now on the market and has vast amounts of Premier League managerial experience, Dyche’s name is being discussed in regards to the Tottenham job.

However, speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday, Gabby Agbonlahor made it very clear, without saying anything, how he feels about that possibility.

Agbonlahor was asked by Katie Shanahan if Dyche taking the Spurs job could happen, to which the former Aston Villa striker simply laughed – a response every Tottenham fan will get fully behind.

Tottenham fans will feel same way as Agbonlahor

There’s no getting away from it, Tottenham are in their lowest point as a Premier League club over the last 18 months or so perhaps in their entire top flight history.

Spurs aren’t the perennial Champions League-contending side they used to be, and by extension of that, the standard of players and managers they can attract will be suffering because of that.

However, sacking Frank and replacing him with Dyche, a manager who has just lost his job with a team one position below Tottenham in the Premier League, would be pretty embarrassing.

The Lilywhites are still a big club, and it would be hard not to label any potential appointment of Dyche as them operating with the mentality of a club quite the opposite of that.

Dyche is a good and experienced manager in his own right, but Tottenham are in serious relegation danger right now, and so hiring a boss who has been sacked from his own club’s relegation battle wouldn’t read well for Spurs’ chances.

Yves Bissouma has vowed he and his Tottenham teammates will “change the situation” following the sacking of Thomas Frank this week.

Frank‘s sacking was confirmed by Tottenham on Wednesday, the morning after a home loss to Newcastle United deepened the North London club’s relegation concerns.

The Dane departs Spurs after just eight months in charge and with Spurs on their longest winless run – eight matches – in the Premier League since October 2008.

Many players have decided to stay quiet in the 24 hours or so since Frank was given the boot, but Bissouma has bucked the trend.

Yves Bissouma makes Tottenham vow after Thomas Frank sack

Bissouma arguably sums up Tottenham’s deeper issues more than any other player in recent times.

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The 29-year-old is never too far from the headlines, and it is always because of activities off the field rather than on it.

Bissouma was dropped from matchday squad by Frank due to disciplinary reasons, which certainly did not help the former Brentford boss in his time of need.

When Bissouma did get on the field – which he has done just five times in the Premier League this term – his impact has often been minimal.

And so that is why the midfielder’s social media message late on Wednesday night will be all the more difficult for Frank to take.

“My club, my heart, my everything,” Bissouma posted on his Instagram story. “All together we will change the situation.”

Bissouma added a praying hands emoji and a white love heart, but supporters surely will not be fooled by the message.

It is all well and good players now taking to social media vowing to turn things around, but where was that spirit when Frank was in charge?

Bissouma, like any other Tottenham players who post similar, should hang their heads in shame.

If the unthinkable happens and Tottenham do go down, this current crop of players – Bissouma included – will go down in Spurs’ Hall of Fame for all the wrong reasons.

Who’s been tipped to replace Frank as next Tottenham manager?

Roberto De Zerbi has been installed as the early frontrunner with the bookies to replace Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

De Zerbi left Marseille earlier this week, the timing of which could not have been better if he is indeed in the thoughts of those high up at Spurs.

Beyond the former Brighton manager, Gary Lineker has suggested Enzo Maresca could be a decent option for the Lilywhites.

Many others are pointing towards a stopgap, which could see Ryan Mason come on board until the summer and then Mauricio Pochettino take charge.

It goes without saying that the decision made by Spurs chiefs, likely in the next couple of days, has to be absolutely spot on.

Ange Postecoglou has revealed that he was blocked from making four signings at Tottenham that would’ve propelled the club onto greater things.

Tottenham have just sacked Thomas Frank, less than eight months after he took over from Postecoglou, who himself was dismissed at the end of last season.

It once again highlights Spurs’ decision to part ways with the Australian, especially given he had just won them their first major trophy in 17 years, beating Manchester United in the Europa League final.

As the fallout from Frank’s departure continues, Postecoglou has now revealed some of the transfer business behind the scenes at the North London club, while he was still in charge.

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Ange Postecoglou wanted likes of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi

Postecoglou was appointed as Tottenham manager in the summer of 2023, and had a relatively successful first campaign with the Lilywhites,

Spurs finished fifth in the Premier League, and were just two points away from Aston Villa who held the final Champions League place at the end of the season.

Postecoglou has now revealed how he tried to push Tottenham on in the transfer market that summer, in order to give them a chance of a top four finish in the following campaign.

However, the former Celtic boss was hamstrung by the wage structure at the North London club, which led to him missing out on some of his top targets.

Speaking on Stick to Football on Wednesday, Postecoglou confirmed he tried to sign the likes of Antoine Semenyo, Pedro Neto, Bryan Mbeumo and Marc Guehi ahead of the 2024-25 season, but Tottenham were not a big enough club to sanction those deals.

He said: “When you look at expenditure, especially wages, [Tottenham] are not a big club. I saw that, because when we were trying to sign players, we weren’t in the market for those players.

“At the end of my first year, when we finished fifth, I felt we had to sign Premier League-ready players. But we weren’t in the Champions League, so we didn’t have the money, and ended up signing Dominic Solanke and three teenagers.

“I was looking at Pedro Neto, Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo at the time and Marc Guehi, because if we’re going to go from fifth to there (Champions League), that’s what the other big clubs will do in that moment.”

Who did Tottenham sign instead?

Tottenham still spent around £150million in the summer of 2024, but as Postecoglou alluded to, three of the four incomings were teenagers.

Solanke came in from Bournemouth for an initial fee of £55m, potentially rising to £65m, with Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall all also making the move to North London.

Postecoglou reiterated that he believes Gray, Odobert and Bergvall will all develop into great players, but that they weren’t what Spurs needed at the time.

He said: “Those three teenagers were brilliant young players, and I think they’ll be brilliant players for Tottenham, but they’re not going to get you from fifth to fourth or third.”

Despite winning the Europa League at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, which ultimately saw Postecoglou dismissed.

Thomas Frank’s sacking felt inevitable, with Tottenham’s run of results being extremely poor in the Premier League, and Alan Shearer has now changed his mind on the London club.

Spurs’ 2-1 loss to Newcastle United was the final nail in the coffin, and not long after, Frank was sacked by Tottenham.

With the Lilywhites out of the FA Cup, there is plenty of time for the N17 outfit to source a replacement, with the Lewis family now having to decide if they want to instil a permanent or interim manager.

There are certainly risks with both outcomes, and that risk is further boosted by the very real threat of relegation.

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Alan Shearer changes his opinion on Tottenham’s chance of relegation

Tottenham finished in 17th last season, but there was never any threat of them going down due to how poor the bottom three were.

The Lilywhites finished a whole 13 points above 18th-place Leicester, but the same will not be said this season.

Already, West Ham, who are currently 17th, are just one point off the Foxes’ tally, and there are still 12 games left to be played.

And with Tottenham only five points off the relegation zone, they will have to be fearful of that chance.

For Shearer, he never felt like Spurs going down could ever happen, but after watching them against his club Newcastle, his mind has been changed.

Speaking on BBC Match of the Day, Shearer said: “For large parts of the season, or most of it, I never felt they were in a relegation battle.

“I always thought somehow they would get out of it, but the performance I saw last night, particularly the first half, changed my mind; they were awful.

“Something had to change; it couldn’t go on like that, or else they were in serious danger of being relegated.

“So it was no surprise to me [so see Frank sacked]. You know the rules of a manager: you go in and win games, and if you don’t, you lose your job, unfortunately, and it hasn’t worked for Thomas at Tottenham, and it had to change.”

Tottenham’s chances of relegation are still slim, but not nil, and even just that possibility will concern supporters.

Indeed, as per Opta’s supercomputer on Thursday morning, Spurs now have a 3.84 per cent chance of going down.

They are expected to finish in their current position of 16th, accruing around 44 points come the end of the campaign.

Tottenham’s first half vs Newcastle was night and day to the second half

Shearer is completely correct in his assessment of Tottenham against Newcastle.

The first-half performance was unacceptable, and Spurs were second-best at home to Eddie Howe’s side. In the opening 45 minutes, Frank’s team created just 0.3 xG compared to the Geordies’ 1.81, as per Sofascore.

Additionally, they lost 42 per cent of all their duels, showing that Newcastle were more determined and stronger in individual battles.

The second half saw a slight improvement, and Spurs did notch an equaliser, as they created 1.55 xG. They also battled better, with their duel success being 48 per cent in the second 45.

However, ultimately they were not good enough to win the game, and Newcastle’s winner was perhaps the deserved outcome.

Ange Postecoglou was aware his time at Tottenham had come to an end well before it actually did.

Postecoglou’s sacking at Tottenham was more than warranted, given the fact that he had them finish 17th in the Premier League, but it’s also fair to say that Thomas Frank’s reign has showcased that the bigger problems were elsewhere.

At the same stage as we are now in the previous campaign, Spurs had four more points, while the side in 18th also had seven fewer points.

That drop off since his exit has led to many fans asking for Postecoglou to return to Tottenham, even after he failed to impress as Nottingham Forest manager, though that seems unlikely.

And having made an appearance on The Overlap, ironically after the sacking of Frank, Postecoglou has spoken out on the situation surrounding his own exit.

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What did Ange Postecoglou say about leaving Tottenham?

Pundits and fans have continuously debated over whether a return to Tottenham would be a good thing for them or even for Postecoglou.

On one side of the argument, he won a trophy with Spurs, but on the other, he also had them in a similar situation to the one that they face today.

Not only will Postecoglou be aware of that, but he won’t have forgotten the constant criticism aimed his way, as well as the scrutiny from the media, which hasn’t happened since.

That was one of the things that led to his exit, and he has since revealed that he knew he was heading for exit long before he actually did.

Via The Overlap, which went live on Thursday morning, Postecoglou said: “I knew I was gone probably around late January or early February. You get a sense of that with the conversations you have. No one is talking to me about the transfer window or pre-season, so you kind of know, and that was fine.

“I didn’t want to get distracted, I was so laser-focused [on winning the Europa League.] What a unique opportunity to win a European trophy at a club that hasn’t had success for a long time.

“So I wasn’t going to let that distract me, but yeah, I knew I was gone.”

Would Ange Postecoglou’s return be a good thing for Tottenham?

Once a relationship has fragmented, it would take something special to rebuild it.

And with the players at the club, and the general lack of identity, Postecoglou would find it nearly impossible to achieve the level of success to win back the supporters who wanted him gone well before he actually left.

Each defeat will be scrutinised even more than the last, and the toxic atmosphere would grow and grow before the inevitable happened.

Tottenham need a fresh start. They need someone to come in with new ideas and the ability to capitate a fanbase that have grown frustrated at the lack of them.

Someone who can improve the players at his disposal to get Spurs back to challenging for a spot in the top six.

And Postecoglou wouldn’t provide that.

Tottenham could secure a strange arrangement with Roberto De Zerbi, which would ultimately see Mauricio Pochettino return to the club.

Pochettino guided Spurs to the Champions League final in the 2018-19 season, and supporters have pined for his return since he was dismissed in 2019.

The Argentine boss formed a connection with the fanbase and built one of the best teams that the North London side have ever had.

However, getting him back could be complicated and may involve De Zerbi coming into the dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Why would Tottenham appoint De Zerbi to sort Pochettino comeback?

John Wenham believes that the ex-Brighton manager could be the perfect interim option for Spurs, before Pochettino returns in the summer.

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Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “In terms of the next manager, I think it is very clear that 99 per cent of Tottenham fans, would want Mauricio Pochettino to return to the club in the summer.

“There is an acceptance that he would not walk out on the USA at the moment with his contract in place, and a very big release clause, I understand, if he were to leave before the World Cup.

“It is going to be an interim, having seen Roberto De Zerbi and Marseille part ways, somebody who has instant Premier League experience, he is a bit of a maverick and a wildcard, but that is exactly what Tottenham need at the moment.

“They need somebody to get into the belief and put the fire in the bellies, people might say, ’why would De Zerbi come?’, but you could offer him a very lucrative deal, with a heavily incentivised bonus for advancing far in the Champions League or staying in the top-flight.

“I think he could slot in almost instantly, for him, he could position himself for the job on a long-term basis, it would be an opportunity, and he would be the most sensible choice for Tottenham.”

Would De Zerbi accept Tottenham interim role?

There are question marks over whether De Zerbi would take the Tottenham job, even as a permanent option.

He may well want to rest after being dismissed by the French club, rather than throwing himself back into management straight away.

The Italian has had success in the English top-flight previously with the Seagulls, but an interim role, where he could take a big six club down may not be the right career move for him.

If it did not work out, it would surely take his stock down, and reduce his chances of getting another role in the near future.

The money could be tempting, as Wenham states, but it seems like a long shot at this point.

Tottenham could look to appoint Kjetil Knutsen from Bodo/Glimt as their next head coach.

John Gregory has been mooted as a surprise option for Tottenham, with various names likely to make the shortlist at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Lilywhites are in need of a manager after Thomas Frank was sacked by Tottenham on Wednesday as his poor campaign continued in N17.

The North London hierarchy had clearly seen enough of the Dane as Spurs fell to defeat against Newcastle United on Tuesday.

A new head coach hunt is now on the cards, with Knutsen emerging as a potential target in the early stages of the search.

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Kjetil Knutsen could replace Thomas Frank

Frank didn’t think he’d be sacked by Tottenham based on his comments after the Lilywhites suffered defeat against Eddie Howe’s side.

He couldn’t have been more wrong, as the trigger was pulled on Tuesday morning, when the ex-Brentford boss was shown the door.

There is now plenty of discussion surrounding who could be the next man to take up the mantle after a turbulent campaign in North London.

Former scout Bryan King has put forward Gregory and has also suggested that Bodo/Glimt boss Knutsen could be a useful option.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “If they are looking for a fresh face and a new name, I’d get Kjetil Knutsen from Bodo/Glimt.

“He’s had great success in Norway and in Europe with a very small team.

“He would certainly bring in the discipline, that’s for sure. The main job is for Tottenham to get themselves a decent position in the Premier League.

“Would Knutsen be any worse than Thomas Frank?

“If they try to recruit from within, then they will go down the same alleyway they have been doing for the past two or three years.“

Knutsen could make Premier League step up

It is fair to say that the Norwegian manager would be a left-field shout if he were to take up the vaccant role in North London.

Knutsen has faced off against Tottenham this campaign, securing a 2-2 draw at Aspmyra Stadion as Micky van de Ven and a Jostein Gundersen own goal snatched a point for the Lilywhites.

Bodo/Glimt’s form has only improved since then as they secured a play-off place with wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid.

The head coach has proven he can succeed against some of the best managers in the world, so could look to replicate that for Tottenham moving forward.