Five Tottenham Replacements for Igor Tudor

Four matches played, four embarrassing defeats. Igor Tudor’s brief stint at Tottenham Hotspur is already littered with disasters and implosions of epic proportions.

The manager tasked with saving Tottenham in an unthinkable relegation fight and salvaging some pride from an utterly atrocious campaign has only driven the Lilywhites further into the mire, with Tuesday night’s Champions League humiliation in Madrid perhaps already the final straw.

Few would be shocked to see Tudor dismissed after just 360 minutes in the dugout and the Croatian could have no complaints. Yes, he inherited an injury-ravaged, underperforming squad, but he‘s inexplicably made them worse.

To ensure Spurs aren’t playing Championship football next season, another change of direction is required with just nine Premier League matches remaining and the club sitting only a point above the drop zone.

Options are slim and largely uninspiring, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Here are five possible replacements for Tudor.

Ryan Mason

There has been significant clamor for somebody with ‘Spurs DNA’ to take control. Far-fetched shouts of Tim Sherwood, Harry Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle, all of whom have been out of the management game for many years, appear incredibly unlikely. But Ryan Mason’s candidacy cannot be ignored.

Mason spent the majority of his playing career at Tottenham and was also on the staff for seven years, even boasting two spells as caretaker coach during which he managed 13 games. While Mason won just six of those outings, he’s since gained managerial experience at West Bromwich Albion—admittedly being fired back in January after 27 matches with the Baggies.

Tactically, there is little to suggest Mason would be an accomplished appointment, but the 34-year-old could certainly galvanize a squad on its knees.

Robbie Keane

Another with Tottenham heritage is Robbie Keane, who has been honing his managerial skills far from the Premier League. Starting briefly as a player-manager in India, the Irishman proceeded to coach Maccabi Tel Aviv for a year, before being snapped up by Hungarian giants Ferencváros.

Keane, who made over 300 appearances for Tottenham, guided Ferencváros to the league title after taking over midway through last season and has them leading the top division once again this term, as well as competing in the Europa League last 16.

He was previously reluctant to accept an interim role, preferring something permanent, but he’s certainly somebody the club should be in contact with over a possible appointment.

Sean Dyche

Spurs need a firefighter with Premier League experience and direct relegation rivals Nottingham Forest have just made one available. Recently sacked by the east midlands outfit, Sean Dyche is currently unattached and possibly awaiting a phone call from north London.

Dyche would prove a no-nonsense appointment, somebody capable of providing much-needed defensive solidity and making Tottenham difficult to beat. It’s the reputation he cultivated at Burnley and Everton, with Spurs no longer in a position where they can turn their nose up at the 54-year-old.

An inspiring appointment? Absolutely not. A wise appointment? Potentially.

Roberto De Zerbi

Premier League experience either as a player or manager seems essential should Tudor be removed from his post and an exciting appointment for Tottenham supporters would be Roberto De Zerbi.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion manager recently left Marseille having succumbed to the chaos at the Stade Vélodrome, and is once again on the market. A manager renowned for his risky attacking football and tactical acumen, the Italian wouldn’t necessarily be just a short-term fix, with Spurs likely to retain his services beyond the end of the season if he was able to guide them to safety.

However, De Zerbi is a demanding coach and his high-octane approach requires time to learn—something that eludes Spurs as they desperately scramble for survival.

Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino continues to be idolized by Tottenham supporters after his successful five-year spell with the club and there remains a sense of unfinished business between the current USMNT manager and the north Londoners.

Links between Spurs and Pochettino have intensified following Thomas Frank’s sacking and a potential reunion after this summer’s World Cup has been touted, although Real Madrid have also now emerged on the scene.

Is there any world in which the Argentine returns any sooner? Probably not, given his commitments to the United States ahead of a home tournament. But he remains a long-term candidate for the club as nostalgia kicks in during a time of peril.

Ryan Mason

Robbie Keane

Sean Dyche

Roberto De Zerbi

Mauricio Pochettino

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