Thomas Frank has been sacked and is no longer the manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham Hotspur are searching for potential successors to Thomas Frank, with Roberto De Zerbi, Mauricio Pochettino and Robbie Keane believed to be on their shortlist.
Early expectations from insiders are that Tottenham will likely attempt to appoint an external candidate, although it remains unclear whether the club will make a permanent appointment or hire an interim manager to lead the side until the end of the season.
Frank was sacked by Tottenham less than 24 hours after claiming he was "convinced" he would keep his job.
Despite previously stating their backing for Frank, Tottenham’s owners, the Lewis family, and the club’s board deemed his position untenable.
Chief Executive Vinai Venkatesham and Sporting Director John Lange recommended the Lewis family sack Frank following Tottenham’s 11th Premier League defeat of the season, particularly against Newcastle United – a result that left Spurs just five points above the relegation zone.
Players were given five days off before Tottenham officially announced Frank’s dismissal. This gave the club time to decide on the best course of action and appoint a new head coach in time for training on Monday, ahead of the North London Derby against Arsenal.
De Zerbi is currently unemployed after leaving Marseille and is understood to be eager to return to the Premier League, where he previously managed Brighton.
It is unclear whether he would agree to take the Tottenham job immediately, given that Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool could all have managerial vacancies this summer.
Tottenham have considered De Zerbi in the past, and the Italian coach is highly regarded internally at the club. His appointment would end fans’ dreams of a Pochettino return.
Fans chanted Pochettino’s name loudly during Frank’s final game in charge of Tottenham – with Venkatesham and Executive Chairman Peter Charington also in attendance – and the club is well aware of the strong affection supporters hold for the Argentine.
However, it is widely considered impossible to appoint Pochettino, currently manager of the United States national team, before the World Cup this summer. Appointing him after the tournament could be too late, given Tottenham’s perilous Premier League relegation battle.
Pochettino has made clear his strong desire to manage Tottenham again, with sources stating he will "return to the club" after the World Cup.
One solution is for Tottenham to hire an interim manager to effectively wait for Pochettino’s return. Club legend Keane is understood to be one of the candidates.
Keane recently renewed his contract with Ferencváros, where he has impressed. The 45-year-old represents a "Carrick-style" managerial appointment for Tottenham, having played for the club twice over eight years and maintaining close ties with fans and staff.
The only internal option for Tottenham is to appoint John Heitinga, who joined Frank Lampard’s coaching staff last month, as interim manager until the end of the season.
Fulham head coach Marco Silva and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola have both been linked with the Tottenham managerial role. Both are out of contract this summer, but poaching either before then is considered extremely difficult.
Lange interviewed Oliver Glasner during his time at Aston Villa, when Glasner was a candidate for the Villa job. Glasner has confirmed he will leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season.
Some fans have floated the romantic idea of inviting former manager Martin Jol to return as interim boss until the end of the season. But when contacted by Camel Live, the 70-year-old said: “I would love to go back, but I’m recovering from injuries for the next few months – I have issues with my knee and shoulder.”
Another former Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, has revealed he would accept an offer. The 78-year-old said: “I’d certainly manage Tottenham. Could I do it? Absolutely. They have my phone number. If anyone wants to get in touch, they know where I am.”
Former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzić is also interested in the Tottenham job. He has rejected managerial offers from several European clubs, including Monaco, as he is determined to manage in the Premier League. However, he is yet to receive an approach.
