Thomas Frank’s tenure as Tottenham’s manager appears to be nearing its end after yet another disappointing loss on their home turf—this time a 2-1 setback against West Ham United, a team fighting relegation.
The defeat may very well serve as the tipping point for Frank, especially as the sentiment among fans has turned against him for quite some time. The upcoming decisions at the club now loom large.
Big-name coaches are available following the upheaval this season, but luring an elite coach to a struggling club presents its own set of challenges.
Could it be the right moment for a sentimental return of Mauricio Pochettino, the man who has expressed a desire to come back? He remains keen on a future at Tottenham, available once again this summer as his contract with the United States concludes after the World Cup.
“Talking about the Premier League, and we are in London…” Pochettino said in response to a BBC inquiry regarding his ambitions.
“To win the Premier League and the Champions League. We were so close at Tottenham. I want to achieve this. I am still young, full of energy and experience, and I have the motivation for a future attempt.”
We’ve identified four potential interim appointments that could stabilize the club until Pochettino’s potential return this summer.
Ryan Mason
Mason stands out as the obvious choice.
He has previously stepped in as caretaker coach—notably during the League Cup final in 2021 after Jose Mourinho was let go—and is now free after being released from West Brom last month.
Even though Mason’s recent stint at the Hawthorns wasn’t particularly successful, he is a well-liked figure at Tottenham, and his return would likely uplift the atmosphere at the club.
In his previous caretaker role, after the uninspiring Cristian Stellini era, he quickly implemented a more proactive and positive approach—precisely what is needed given the current crisis.
John Heitinga
The idea of Heitinga stepping in harkens back to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s brief and unexpected role at Manchester United last season.
Having worked alongside Erik ten Hag before taking over, a different yet similar scenario could unfold here.
“John is a valuable addition to our coaching staff. His skills, personality, and character will be a significant benefit on and off the pitch,” Frank remarked when Heitinga joined as an assistant coach.
As a former defender, Heitinga is set to focus on that aspect during training while bringing extensive coaching and management experience to the team, which could help navigate the upcoming challenges.
Given the recent home defeat, Frank might only have a few days left to collaborate with the Dutch coach.
After departing from Liverpool’s coaching setup last summer, Heitinga returned to Ajax but had a short-lived tenure, being sacked after half a season. Yet, Ajax’s issues, including a heavy 6-0 loss to AZ Alkmaar in the KNVB Cup, indicate that managerial changes alone may not solve deeper problems.
Wayne Burnett
Burnett’s coaching journey through non-league teams such as Fisher Athletic and Dagenham & Redbridge doesn’t scream Premier League potential.
A respected figure in lower league football, Burnett has been quietly serving as Tottenham’s Under-21 coach for nearly a decade.
His name has often been absent from discussions around Tottenham’s managerial crises, but we are reaching a point where unconventional choices may become necessary.
A past 12-match winning streak in Premier League 2 suggests there’s potential, especially with his familiarity with academy players now in the senior squad.
Tim Sherwood
While it sounds amusing, don’t overlook Sherwood as a surprised wildcard if Spurs seek to inject a bit of chaos.
Remarkably, he managed an impressive stint at Tottenham previously, achieving the highest win percentage (59%) of any modern manager.
That success occurred a while ago, but with the evolution of the Premier League landscape since Pep Guardiola’s arrival, the dynamics are different.
His uninspiring spell at Aston Villa and a more conventional pundit style do raise questions about his readiness to confront the league’s top coaches now.
The prospect of Sherwood might not excite Spurs fans, but it would at least introduce an element of dark humor missing from the bleakness of Frank’s current trajectory.
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