Who will take over from Sherwood?
After comparing his situation to that of a ‘supply teacher’, Spurs manager Tim Sherwood has been relieved of his duties. Even though he performed relatively well during his time at the helm, he was never seen as a long-term appointment, and was widely viewed as an in-house stopgap until more managers became available at the end of the season. Spurs fans will now be hoping that some of the top targets that turned them down in mid-season – leading to Sherwood’s short-term appointment – will now be keen to join the club.
So who could take over? Here are a few of the leading candidates, together with the current odds being offered on their getting the job from Betfair’s online betting site.
Mauricio Pochettino – 5/4
It’s easy to see why Pochettino is so widely tipped to take over at White Hart Lane. As a controversial appointment at Southampton in place of well-liked British manager Nigel Adkins, many doubted whether he would actually be an improvement on his predecessor.
However, he quickly silenced the doubters with a string of convincing team performances, and this year, he led the team to an impressive eighth-place finish. Furthermore, he has achieved this while playing the type of free-flowing attacking football that Tottenham fans crave – and unlike the other leading contenders, he has done it in the English Premier League. With Liverpool and Everton reaping the benefits of hiring a young, attack-minded manager with proven Premier League credentials, Tottenham must surely be tempted to go down a similar route.
Frank de Boer – 2/1
At the time of AVB’s sacking, Frank de Boer was very much the favourite for the job, and reportedly turned down an offer to manage the club. Now, having completed yet another title-winning season with Ajax, he now seems to be a lot keener to make the switch to North London, with some suggesting that his vocal touting for the job might have hindered his chances.
That said, he remains an intriguing option for Spurs, proving hugely successful in Holland with an attacking brand of football, and has received much praise for his tactical approach. Also, he’s said to enjoy a strong rapport with two of Tottenham’s best players – former Ajax youngsters Christan Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen – and his appointment could convince them it’s worth sticking around.
Rafa Benitez – 5/1
One of the criticisms leveled at Tim Sherwood is that he didn’t have enough top-level experience or clout to succeed in attracting and retaining the players Spurs need to get into the promised land of the Champions League. Of all the contenders for the job, Benitez has by far the most impressive CV – but his penchant for pragmatic, defensively-minded football may be at odds with the brand of football that Spurs fans like to associate with their team. And even if Spurs wanted him, would he necessarily want to go to a team that has only once qualified for the Champion’s League? They certainly have the potential, and Benitez has proven what he can do when he has the resources at Valencia, Liverpool, and Chelsea, but it might not be seen as a particularly inspiring appointment by some sections of the support.
Thomas Tuchel – 10/1
If Daniel Levy feels like taking a gamble with his next appointment, he could be rewarded with a manager that is fast building a reputation as one of the finest young managers in Germany – Thomas Tuchel. His progressive, tactically innovative approach has helped his Mainz team achieve impressive results on a minimal budget, and he has been described as being a younger version of Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp. While it would be a surprise to see him appointed, his impressive credentials – and the noise linking him to the job – are such that he can’t be completely ruled out, especially if top targets prove to be unavailable.