Frank emerges as candidate - but who else in Tottenham frame?
Thomas Frank (Brentford)
Leading contender Frank, 51, has been in charge of Brentford for more than six years, and what a job he has done.He took them into the Premier League, winning the Championship play-off final at Wembley in 2021, and has established the Bees as a top-flight club.Brentford finished 10th in the Premier League this season, four places and six points above Spurs, so would he be tempted?In January, he told Football Focus that managing Brentford was the "perfect job" - but also accepted he would not be at the club forever."There's much more pressure at Tottenham than there is at Brentford, because of the expectation - and the manager has to handle that expectation," Chris Sutton, a Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95, told BBC Sport.So what would Spurs look like under Frank if he were to take the role?"It's a surprisingly difficult question to answer because he's a really flexible manager," said football tactics writer Alex Keble."He will automatically adapt his tactics to whoever the opposition is, a bit like Unai Emery at Aston Villa."In many ways he's the opposite of Ange Postecoglou, who is famously wedded to one idea."
Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth)
Iraola was arguably the Premier League's manager of the season, so tempting the 42-year-old Spaniard to north London could be a tough ask - he may feel he has unfinished business at Bournemouth.They finished ninth in the Premier League, just missing out on qualifying for European football.His high-energy pressing style has seen Bournemouth earn rave reviews from pundits and opposition players - and would not be too far away from the intended style of Postecoglou at Spurs. His managerial career started in Cyprus at AEK Larnaca but he was sacked within six months after going nearly eight weeks without a win.His second role was at Spanish second-tier side Mirandes, who he guided to the Spanish Cup semi-finals for the second time in their history, but he left when his contract expired.He moved to fellow second division side Rayo Vallecano and led them to the last four of the cup as well, before securing promotion to La Liga via the play-offs.He was approached by Leeds in February 2023 but was denied permission to speak to them and then left that summer to join Bournemouth.
Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace)
Glasner's name is in the frame after he secured a stunning FA Cup final win against Manchester City and took Crystal Palace into Europe.The Austrian led Palace to 10th last season after replacing Roy Hodgson as manager in February 2024 and, after a slow start, replicated that fine form this campaign.The 50-year-old's current deal expires in 2026 and last month Eagles chairman Steve Parish poured cold water on any Tottenham links - insisting Glasner would still be manager of Crystal Palace next season.In 2022, Glasner guided Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League in his first season in charge.
Marco Silva (Fulham)
Silva's two and a half years at Fulham have seen him rebuild a reputation that suffered a blow when he was dismissed by Everton after 18 months in charge back in 2019.After spending almost two years out of the game, since taking over in west London he has re-established Fulham as a Premier League force, finishing 10th in 2022-23, 13th last season and 11th this campaign.The Portuguese started his managerial career in charge of Estoril, guiding them into the Portuguese top flight and the Europa League.In his single season at Sporting he won the Portuguese Cup, and in his year at Olympiakos, who he also managed in the Champions League, he took them to the Greek League title.He spent four months at Hull in 2017 but left after they were relegated from the Premier League, before joining Watford and taking the team into the top four during his first few months in charge.But he was dismissed after a dismal run that saw them win just one of his last 11 Premier League games.
Roberto de Zerbi (Marseille)
Former Brighton boss De Zerbi built a strong reputation during his time in the Premier League.The 45-year-old has just led Marseille to second in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris St-Germain and can look forward to Champions League football next campaign.But, with Spurs now also in the Champions League, could he be tempted by a return to England's top flight?
Mauricio Pochettino (United States)
The return of Pochettino is a reunion many Tottenham fans would be dreaming of. But, on the face of it, it seems unlikely.The Argentine remains a hero among some of the regulars at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Joining in 2014, he led the team to second and third in the Premier League, and a Champions League final.And he had sections of his former club's fanbase giddy with excitement in March after he declared his desire to one day return to Tottenham.The United States boss is under pressure in his current role but the country's soccer federation would be owed what has been described by a well-placed source as "one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history" if Pochettino was to leave for Spurs - or any other team for that matter - before the next World Cup.And, despite the 53-year-old's affinity for Spurs, he also retains a genuine desire to lead the States at the next World Cup.
Edin Terzic (unattached)
Terzic took Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final last season, which his side lost to Real Madrid at Wembley. The German left Dortmund shortly afterwards, having asked the club to terminate his contract.The 42-year-old has never managed in the Premier League, although he spent just over two years at West Ham between August 2015 and November 2017 as assistant to Slaven Bilic, and has recently been reported as being interested in a move to England.
Francesco Farioli (unattached)
Italian Farioli, 36, gained a lot of plaudits during his season in charge of Ajax, despite stepping down at the end of the campaign after a dramatic late collapse saw his side miss out on the Dutch title.Never before had a side failed to win the league when leading by nine points with five matches to play.PSV overtook them at the top with one fixture remaining after Ajax lost twice and drew twice in four games.
Kieran McKenna (Ipswich)
McKenna has done a remarkable job in his first managerial role at Ipswich Town, leading them from League One to the Premier League in just two and a half years in charge, albeit they lasted just one season in the top flight.An expansive brand of football saw them gain promotion with successive second-place finishes, scoring 101 goals in League One and 92 in the Championship.That means it is no surprise the 38-year-old from Northern Ireland is considered one of the top managerial prospects around.He was linked with the jobs at Brighton, Manchester United and Chelsea last summer, having spent just £4m last campaign to guide his side into the Premier League.However, he signed a four-year deal at the Tractor Boys in May 2024 and would be expensive to prise away from Ipswich.He also recently stated he intends to remain at Ipswich, despite their Premier League relegation.
Sir Gareth Southgate (unattached)
Former England boss Southgate has been resting since stepping down following the Euro 2024 final, which the Three Lions lost to Spain.His England side also reached the final of the Euros three years earlier, losing to Italy on penalties.The 54-year-old had eight years in charge of England and was knighted in the 2025 New Year Honours.However, he has only had one job in club management, a three-year spell in charge of Middlesbrough, which included a Premier League relegation in 2008-09, and has given no indication of a burning desire to be back in work.
Xavi (unattached)
The former Spain midfielder has been out of work since being sacked by Barcelona at the end of last season.The 45-year-old, who guided Barca to the La Liga title in 2023, has recently said he is looking for a return to football.But, whether he would be tempted by a move to Spurs remains to be seen.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
How ‘warrior' Mohammed Siraj set the tone to announce a new era for India
Mohammed Siraj woke up on a drizzly morning in south London realising that the time was now. India were up against it and heading towards a fifth Test defeat against England and subsequently a 3-1 series loss. A scoreline that would not reflect the fierce battle between the two sides over 25 days, with each Test meandering to a climax over its full duration. Siraj had bowled 1,088 balls by this stage. Yet as much as his physical endurance, his composure was tested, too. That misfield on day four at The Oval, stumbling and staggering into the boundary after clutching Harry Brook for, what would have been, a match-turning score of 19. A mistake that cost India 92 runs before the most dramatic of six-run victories. 'When he woke up in the morning, he believed he could do it,' former India wicket-keeper and Sky Sports pundit Dinesh Karthik confirmed. 'Then he took a screenshot of something from Google that said, 'believe'. He put it out there because he wanted to get it done.' And believe he did. England started the day needing just 35 runs in their pursuit of 374. Prasidh Krishna coughed up eight runs from the rest of his over, finished overnight after the bad light and rain scuppered a premature conclusion to this enthralling Test. Siraj then dialled up the pace and added some menacing swing, too, with Jamie Smith bamboozled immediately. A couple of near misses followed a delicate nick back to Dhruv Jurel with his third ball, sparking bedlam. Siraj wheeled away, arms outstretched, but the chaotic celebrations were temporarily cut short due to umpire Kumar Dharmasena's bizarre move to verify that the catch was clean. Of course, it was, and Siraj had duly delivered the belief India needed to hunt down another three wickets for victory and a drawn series. The rest of the match-winning spell, ending at 3-9 from just 25 balls, saw Jamie Overton trapped lbw, before Gus Atkinson finally departed, despite a gritty effort to shield the one-armed, heroic Chris Woakes from this devilish Indian pace attack. His stumps rearranged to put the exclamation mark on this iconic win. While Jasprit Bumrah remains the finest bowler in the world, with his ailing body unable to allow more than three appearances in this epic series, Siraj has underlined his importance, confirming the duo, whenever they do line up together, as one of the great fast bowling pairs in the game. Cricket, a sport riddled by the quirks of trends and numbers, shows us that India win just 41.67 percent of the games he plays, but that rises to 71.43 percent without him, according to cricket statistician Ric Finlay. While Siraj's inclusion ensures a 53.66 percent win rate and just 40.00 percent without him. Naturally, it is daft to suggest India are better off without Bumrah, but there is something about Siraj and the emotional impact that numbers cannot measure with this fiery seamer and unique character. "You don't seem to look at the bowlers as much,' Karthik remarked when highlighting how batters usually get the credit. 'Not just today, but Siraj walked in today trying to be the man. He has bowled like an absolute warrior; he's done the donkey's work too. He's hit 90mph, I couldn't be more proud of him as a bowler." It is that energy and the ability to dig deep when others wilt. Take the wicket of Atkinson to clinch the match, clattering the stumps in this most chaotic of finales. It was clocked at 143kmph, according to CricViz, his fifth-quickest ball of the series. That, after 1,111 balls in this series, shows remarkable strength. As proven with others, such as Ben Stokes, and the aforementioned Bumrah, who, despite their brilliance, have been unable to hold up to this relentless pace of five Tests and 25 sapping days of play crammed into 46 days. 'He's a captain's dream,' concluded the gleeful India skipper Shubman Gill. 'Coming in for five matches, giving absolutely everything. Every team wants a player like him, and we're very lucky to have him.' If Bumrah is India's talisman, then Siraj has elevated himself to be his partner in crime and a sensational stand-in when needed. An intimidating presence for the opposition and an able supporter of his teammates when tensions spill over in highly-charged moments, as proven during the antics at Lord's after Zak Crawley's theatrics to delay play on day three. He is also the ultimate counter-puncher, as proven by the final delivery on day three at the Oval to rearrange Crawley's stumps. If Test cricket is about momentum, then Siraj can swing it as much as the ball. 'I've always had great admiration and respect for Siraj as a competitor,' Ben Stokes conceded following the fifth Test. 'He keeps coming and coming and coming. 'You know he'll always be in a fight with you. He's an example of what it means. I have respect for how he goes about his cricket and how he takes it on.' The tourists had a mindset throughout the series that they were 'not given a chance,' according to KL Rahul, with key figures Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma absent. But the India opener insists that the fifth Test victory is 'where the change begins' and that 'it means absolutely everything.' If that is the case, then Siraj's impact might just be felt for many years to come.
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Everton close in on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as summer investment continues
Everton are progressing in their attempts to sign Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in a £25m deal. David Moyes is making headway in his chase for a fifth summer signing, while Chelsea are willing to let Dewsbury-Hall leave after a solitary season at Stamford Bridge. The 26-year-old, who excelled for Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as Leicester won promotion, only started two Premier League games last season following his £30m move. And Everton are seeking to strengthen their midfield following the departures of Abdoulaye Doucoure and on-loan Orel Mangala. Chelsea have spent about £250m this summer and brought in about £135m but they could recoup more money by selling Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu, both to Burnley. Everton are also interested in Southampton's Tyler Dibling. Lyon's Malick Fofana is another player they have considered in a bid to bring in someone who can play on the right flank after the summer departures of loanees Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom. Moyes, who had said he wanted five or six more signings this summer, expressed confidence after the 2-2 draw with Manchester United in Atlanta that Everton were getting closer to new signings. The Scot has already signed striker Thierno Barry, midfielder Charly Alcaraz, defender Adam Aznou and goalkeeper Mark Travers this summer and a move for Dewsbury-Hall would take his spending past £75m.
Scottish Sun
26 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Arsenal and Liverpool's transfer plans rocked as Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi look likely to stay at Crystal Palace
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARC GUEHI and Eberechi Eze could both end up STAYING at Crystal Palace this season. Liverpool, Newcastle and Spurs want England defender Guehi while Arsenal remain interested in Eze. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Marc Guehi could well stay at Crystal Palace despite interest from Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham Credit: Getty 3 Eberechi Eze may also stay put at Selhurst Park in spite of Arsenal's keen interest Credit: Getty Although there is still a month left of the transfer window, it seems increasingly likely that both stars will remain at Selhurst Park. Palace have not received any firm offers for either player and are in no rush to sell. This is good news for the club's fans who are still reeling from their European heartbreak and the fact they look set to be demoted into the Conference League. Liverpool have been favourites to land centre-back Guehi and have been in talks with his representatives. READ MORE SPORT STORIES LOOKING TO SCORE? Single Sydney Sweeney inundated with DMs from randy Prem aces after split The centre-back has just one year left of his contract but has not been pushing for a move. And the Premier League champions rate him at around £40million - £10m short of Palace's asking price. Spurs are still interested having failed with a £70m bid in January while Newcastle had three offers turned down a year ago. Toon have revived their interest this summer, but are still £10m below Palace's valuation. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS That mean, as SunSport revealed in May, Guehi could now run down the final year of his contract and leave on a free transfer, opening up a potential switch to Barcelona or Real Madrid. And the Eagles are increasingly confident of keeping him this summer. Crystal Palace legend Geoff Thomas slams Uefa for denying them a Europa League place 3 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW Attacking midfielder Eze has been in line for a move to Arsenal and is keen to move to the Emirates. Yet the Gunners are not prepared to trigger his £68m release clause. With Palace not needing to sell financially, they are unlikely to lower their demands and Arsenal could look at other targets. The club's fans are still stunned at Uefa's decision to drop them into this season's Conference League despite qualifying for the Europa League after winning the FA Cup. Palace's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will be on Friday. They were demoted to the third-tier Conference League by Uefa's Club Financial Control Body in a multi-club ownership case.
