Tottenham Hotspur are in serious danger of another disappointing season, currently in the bottom half Premier League table, even though they are in the semi-finals EFL Cup and on the way to progress in European league.
While Ange Postecoglou having had to deal with an injury crisis over the past few weeks, the Spurs boss is not above reproach for his side’s current form, and has faced criticism for his unwillingness to compromise on his attacking principles.
In fact, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher went so far as to say that Postecoglou will not keep his job next season unless he changes his style of play.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five potential replacements for the embattled Spurs boss:
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5
Mauricio Pochettino
Former manager of Tottenham
Whenever the future of the Tottenham manager is discussed, Mauricio Pochettino in the end, he is connected with the job, which is not surprising considering that he led the club to the final of the Champions League in 2019.
Since being sacked by Spurs, Pochettino has continued to impress in his subsequent managerial roles, winning Ligue 1 and the French Cup with Paris Saint-Germain before guiding Chelsea to sixth place last season.
However, the 52-year-old may have burned his bridges with his adoring fans by taking the job at Stamford Bridge, making him an unlikely candidate for the job.
The former Tottenham boss is also currently United States manager and will be focused on the 2026 World Cup, so a return to north London makes no sense for either side.
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4
Massimiliano Allegri
6-time Serie A winner
Massimiliano Allegri is known to have turned down a move to Tottenham in the past, but there were recent calls for the Italian to replace Postecoglou – and there is some evidence that he could be a smart appointment.
The 57-year-old has proven success in his home country, having won six Serie A titles, three Italian Cups and five Italian Super Cups in spells with Milan and Juventus.
Spurs are desperate to win any kind of trophy, having not won silverware since their League Cup triumph in 2008, and Allegri’s history shows he could bring success to the club.
However, Daniel Levy has already been down that road, setting up alleged born winners Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, and none of them managed to reach the heights expected of them.
Allegri is also well known for playing a more defensive style of football, which would be a big change in tactics from Postecoglou’s attacking focus, meaning the players could find it difficult to adapt in the second half of the season.
3
Kieran McKenna
Led Ipswich to incredible promotion
Kieran McKenna’s stock has risen dramatically over the past few years, leading Ipswich Town to back-to-back promotions from League One to Premier Leagueand he is tipped to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham.
Back in December, Spanish sources reported that McKenna was the leading candidate to replace the Australian, and there are many signs that he could do a stellar job in north London.
Ipswich were always expected to be in the relegation battle this season, but if they do go down, it won’t be without a fight, after impressive wins over Spurs and Chelsea.
A narrow relegation would not be a blot on McKenna’s record, given how monumental a task it is to keep the Tractor Boys in the Premier League, but he may want to move to a top-flight club while his stock is still high.
Having become famous as an attacking coach, the 38-year-old may not take long to implement his philosophy at N17 and his age means he could be a long-term success in north London.
2
Edin Terzic
He led the Champions League finalists last season
Serdal Adali, one of the candidates for the next president of Besiktas, recently made an interesting claim in the media, asserting that Edin Terzic “awaiting an agreement” to become Tottenham’s new manager.
It remains to be seen if there is any truth behind Adali’s comments, but Terzic could be an exciting appointment for Spurs, given what he achieved at previous club Borussia Dortmund.
The 42-year-old guided the German side to the Champions League final last season before coming up short against Real Madrid, and he is another young manager who likes to implement an attractive style of football.
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The former Dortmund coach said: “There are many lessons I’ve learned…I’ve realized that sometimes scoring another goal isn’t enough. It’s not just about winning; it’s about winning in style. Now I’m thinking about winning by two goals more than the opposition.
“Like every coach, I want my team to be dominant, active and play attractive football – to entertain and be successful.”
Terzic appears to share Postecoglou’s view that entertaining the fans is fundamental, alongside getting results, and could be an exciting and cheap signing for Spurs given he is currently without a club.
1
Thomas Frank
He continues to impress at Brentford
If rumors are to be believed, Tottenham are looking for up-and-coming managers with an exciting brand of football as potential replacements for Postecoglou, and Thomas Frank ticks both of those boxes.
Recently ex-Tottenham CEO Claude Littner called for the Brentford manager to be brought in, describing him as an “ambitious” manager, and his performance at Brentford speaks for itself.
Not only did Frank take the Bees out of the Championship, but he also made them a solid Premier League side, with their home record one of the best in the league.
That’s despite the loss of Ivan Toney, highlighting exactly why the Dane is the second longest-serving manager in the league behind Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola has praised his fellow manager in the past, admitting it won’t be long before he is snapped up by Europe’s top club: “It’s just a matter of time.
“I’m good at a few things, one of which is reading when the manager is good. It’s going to happen.”
With Brentford performing well again this season, Tottenham may need to act quickly to ensure Frank doesn’t end up elsewhere, but are likely to give their current manager some more time in the endeavour.
David Ornstein insisted that Postecoglou remains safe for now, but things can change quickly in football, and he could find himself in danger if he fails to turn around Spurs’ poor form soon.
