Next Manager?

[braineclipse]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...ll-tottenhams-top-target-jose-mourinho-fails/


telegraph.co.uk
Julian Nagelsmann will be Tottenham's top target if Jose Mourinho fails to arrest decline
By Matt Law, Football News Correspondent 22 February 2021 • 9:00pm
4-5 minutes
Tottenham Hotspur will place Julian Nagelsmann at the top of a list of targets to replace head coach Jose Mourinho if the Portuguese cannot arrest the club’s dismal run of results and save his job.

Mourinho faces a crucial 12 days which could help to determine whether or not he is in charge of Spurs next season, or whether the club make a move to try to appoint Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann is not thought to be prepared to leave RB Leipzig in mid-season, which may buy Mourinho time to turn things around, but the forthcoming fixtures against Wolfsberger in the Europa League, Burnley, Fulham and Crystal Palace could define his future if they go badly.

Mourinho is understood to retain the support of chairman Daniel Levy and the next four games over a 12-day period are seen as a chance to reinvigorate Tottenham’s season, which is in danger of imploding following a run of five defeats in six Premier League games.

Leading 4-1 from last week’s first leg, Spurs are on course to progress to the last 16 of the Europa League against Wolfsberger, who they entertain on Wednesday night, and, as Mourinho pointed out himself, the competition offers the club a route into the Champions League.

Mourinho insisted that he will not give up on a top-four place in the Premier League and, trailing West Ham United by nine points, Tottenham need to quickly make up ground on their rivals.

The next three league games, after which Tottenham travel to bitter rivals Arsenal, offer the perfect opportunity to turnaround the club’s league form and Mourinho will be looking for a maximum nine-point haul.

A defeat in any of the games to Burnley, Fulham and Palace would be a huge blow to Spurs and Mourinho’s hopes of finishing high enough to be sure of retaining his job for next season.

Mourinho will also be under pressure to give on-loan Gareth Bale a chance in those games after the Welshman also helped Tottenham fight back from two goals down against West Ham.

Bale produced his best 45-minute performance since his return to Spurs on Sunday and Mourinho will now be expected to offer him an opportunity to build on that.

Tottenham have a Carabao Cup final to look forward to against Emirates Marketing Project, but winning that and delivering a first trophy for the club since 2008 may not guarantee Mourinho holds on to his job next season if his team crash out of the Europa League and finish in mid-table in the Premier League.

Nagelsmann, widely regarded as the most exciting young coach in world football, would be Tottenham’s first choice to replace Mourinho if Levy is forced into making a change.

And it is thought the German might be open to the prospect of moving to the Premier League at the end of what is his second season in charge at Leipzig.

It was Nagelsmann’s Leipzig team who last season beat Mourinho’s Tottenham 4-0 on aggregate to knock them out of the Champions League - a result that made the then 32-year-old the youngest ever coach to win a Champions League knock-out tie.

Leipzig are trailing 2-0 to Liverpool in this season’s last-16, but Nagelsmann is enjoying another impressive season with his team second in the Bundesliga, just two points behind Bayern Munich.

Other than poor results, Mourinho has faced criticism over Tottenham’s performances this season and Nagelsmann’s philosophy appears more in tune with the desire of the club’s fans.

Speaking to Telegraph Sport last week, Nagelsmann said: “Winning is what matters and winning is entertaining. I never want to change my offensive and attacking football because I love it and I love it when the fans have an emotional time in the stadium. So I will not change this. But if there is a time when I cannot win like this, then I will have to change.”

Brendan Rodgers has been admired by Tottenham for some time and has already turned the job down once before, but he would be incredibly difficult and expensive to coax away from Leicester City.

Leicester are on course to qualify for next season’s Champions League and Rodgers is one of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League.

Matt Law seems like a journalist who knows a bit about what's going on?

This very much rings true to me. Have been saying for a while now that our results and performances need to improve, and I think the next four games could be a bit of a make or break point.

 

[MKSpur]

Matt Law seems like a journalist who knows a bit about what's going on?

This very much rings true to me. Have been saying for a while now that our results and performances need to improve, and I think the next four games could be a bit of a make or break point.

I said something to my mates yesterday that those next 4 league games are key - I think he needs 9 points, as dropping any against Burnley Fulham or Palace would only be acceptable if we beat Goons. It’s a difficult situation as I don’t want Mourinho to get a guarantee until the end of the season if results don’t match minimum expectations but a decision made mid season means there is some planning to be done which may involve a caretaker, which with the big name agreeing to come next season would undermine any work he would do in the interim. It may come down to whether the players revolt internally. Shame clipboard Chris isn’t around!

I do wonder if Mourinho’s availability in the first place and a concern the Goons may go for him accelerated the Poch decision.

 

[AdamB]

I said something to my mates yesterday that those next 4 league games are key - I think he needs 9 points, as dropping any against Burnley Fulham or Palace would only be acceptable if we beat Goons. It’s a difficult situation as I don’t want Mourinho to get a guarantee until the end of the season if results don’t match minimum expectations but a decision made mid season means there is some planning to be done which may involve a caretaker, which with the big name agreeing to come next season would undermine any work he would do in the interim. It may come down to whether the players revolt internally. Shame clipboard Chris isn’t around!

I do wonder if Mourinho’s availability in the first place and a concern the Goons may go for him accelerated the Poch decision.

I dont think a caretaker is a disaster as long as the new guy is already appointed or is appointed in May. The other advantage of a caretaker is that it would lift the cloud which is hanging over teh club at the moment and probably relieve some of the pressure on the players

 

[StephenH]

Tottenham 'make RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann their No 1 target to replace Jose Mourinho' with the Portuguese boss battling to save his job following a woeful run - 'and the next four games will be crucial in determining his fate'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...lsmann-No-1-target-replace-Jose-Mourinho.html

Underwhelming personally.

 

[Pirate55]

Never mind next manager, it is our recruitment process that needs a complete overhaul. Mourinho had identified and called out for a dominant centre half in both the summer and January windows. What dis Steve Hitchens and the team deliver? A raw centre half who may or may not be one for the future ( wobbly chin and all) but obviously isn't the solution to our immediate needs.

Sack Hitchens and restructure our entire recruitment ( and disposal) process. Look at who Leicester gave " lost" for big money transfers in recent seasons - Kante, Maguire, Chillwell, Drinkwater, Mahrez (of the top of my head) and their recruitment has been so successful that these players have been replaced and Leicester have powered on. Us on the other hand............

Hitchens Out.

 

[MKSpur]

I dont think a caretaker is a disaster as long as the new guy is already appointed or is appointed in May. The other advantage of a caretaker is that it would lift the cloud which is hanging over teh club at the moment and probably relieve some of the pressure on the players

I think there will be an instant boost, read in the Athletic there is some dissent regarding the coaching (ironically players who moaned about the Poch workload are now saying they miss it!)
I think It’s just a difficult one as it means we will be getting someone in who won’t have any real authority if we end up with a faction dissatisfied with the new regime. That may well be no worse with the direction we seem to be heading though!
It’s also a little tough if the new man comes in and leads us to Europa glory and then gets fired regardless, although that is what Benitez did at Chelsea

 

[AdamB]

I think there will be an instant boost, read in the Athletic there is some dissent regarding the coaching (ironically players who moaned about the Poch workload are now saying they miss it!)
I think It’s just a difficult one as it means we will be getting someone in who won’t have any real authority if we end up with a faction dissatisfied with the new regime. That may well be no worse with the direction we seem to be heading though!
It’s also a little tough if the new man comes in and leads us to Europa glory and then gets fired regardless, although that is what Benitez did at Chelsea

Regarding the dissent point, I could understand it if there was, though its always difficult to tell from the outside. In corporates, when you get a leader who has such a strong personality like Mourinho, it can be quite liberating when he leaves. I could imagine that our players might feel more free under a caretaker. I do agree that we might well get a short-term boost, and frankly, anything is worth a try given how we're drifting aimlessly.

To your point on authority, I think it just needs to be someone who is liked and respected given that its only a short-term think. No time to install complex ways of playing - just need someone who the players want to give 110% for as a result of them liking the top guy and him making them feel like world-beaters.

Harry is the obvious motivator who springs to mind, though given the high proportion of overseas players in our squad, I'm in two minds whether his style works as well as it might with more Brits. Then again, he has managed teams with a large number of overseas players so perhaps not.

 

[Raziel]

I said something to my mates yesterday that those next 4 league games are key - I think he needs 9 points, as dropping any against Burnley Fulham or Palace would only be acceptable if we beat Goons. It’s a difficult situation as I don’t want Mourinho to get a guarantee until the end of the season if results don’t match minimum expectations but a decision made mid season means there is some planning to be done which may involve a caretaker, which with the big name agreeing to come next season would undermine any work he would do in the interim. It may come down to whether the players revolt internally. Shame clipboard Chris isn’t around!

I do wonder if Mourinho’s availability in the first place and a concern the Goons may go for him accelerated the Poch decision.

+Europe, it's a run of 5 games that probably matter more than any for his long term future

 

[MKSpur]

Regarding the dissent point, I could understand it if there was, though its always difficult to tell from the outside. In corporates, when you get a leader who has such a strong personality like Mourinho, it can be quite liberating when he leaves. I could imagine that our players might feel more free under a caretaker. I do agree that we might well get a short-term boost, and frankly, anything is worth a try given how we're drifting aimlessly.

To your point on authority, I think it just needs to be someone who is liked and respected given that its only a short-term think. No time to install complex ways of playing - just need someone who the players want to give 110% for as a result of them liking the top guy and him making them feel like world-beaters.

Harry is the obvious motivator who springs to mind, though given the high proportion of overseas players in our squad, I'm in two minds whether his style works as well as it might with more Brits. Then again, he has managed teams with a large number of overseas players so perhaps not.

I have been thinking of Harry - he was a breath of fresh air to the squad post Ramos (I heard a story that his first meeting was to plonk a bottle of ketchup down onto the table as there was quite a lot of coverage of it being banned!). With an incentive of £ based on improvements to league position and winning a cup it might work for him too. I was on a corporate zoom with Ledley recently and he said redknapp was the best manager he’d worked with, so he could potentially stay on for some continuity post the permanent appointment. I agree on the Brit point, I do think he’d get more out of the flair players by giving them freedom (Ndombele) and the lesser players by making them more confident in a simpler set up. Maybe he get his old mate Pulis in to work on set pieces. It’s not even like he can misuse the club to loan Chimbonda, which is basically the equivalent of what Mourinho pulled off with Gedson.
When I think of other out of work managers I think Benitez may be too similar to Mourinho but does bring some gravitas and maybe it wouldn’t be a bad gig to advertise his credentials via us. Eddie Howe is a coach I’ve always liked, it sure the short term gig would suit but he’d not get an opportunity to demonstrate his worth with a club our size without overseeing at least one period of success someone else first. If we don’t arrest the slide in the next 3 league games I’m all for it!

 

[MKSpur]

+Europe, it's a run of 5 games that probably matter more than any for his long term future

Yeah I dismissed the 2nd leg as a gimme, I just think we will come up against better opposition eventually so I’d like to see the context of our trajectory aligned to how we do against Prem standard opposition.

 

[Raziel]

I have been thinking of Harry - he was a breath of fresh air to the squad post Ramos (I heard a story that his first meeting was to plonk a bottle of ketchup down onto the table as there was quite a lot of coverage of it being banned!). With an incentive of £ based on improvements to league position and winning a cup it might work for him too. I was on a corporate zoom with Ledley recently and he said redknapp was the best manager he’d worked with, so he could potentially stay on for some continuity post the permanent appointment. I agree on the Brit point, I do think he’d get more out of the flair players by giving them freedom (Ndombele) and the lesser players by making them more confident in a simpler set up. Maybe he get his old mate Pulis in to work on set pieces. It’s not even like he can misuse the club to loan Chimbonda, which is basically the equivalent of what Mourinho pulled off with Gedson.
When I think of other out of work managers I think Benitez may be too similar to Mourinho but does bring some gravitas and maybe it wouldn’t be a bad gig to advertise his credentials via us. Eddie Howe is a coach I’ve always liked, it sure the short term gig would suit but he’d not get an opportunity to demonstrate his worth with a club our size without overseeing at least one period of success someone else first. If we don’t arrest the slide in the next 3 league games I’m all for it!

Hahaha, man the fudging meltdown on this board if we appoint Harry would be RAWK worthy, if you think people don't like Jose, memory lane will be tough.

Levy tends to react, but his default would be someone progressive, I'd buy Nagelsmann as someone we are considering.

 

[MKSpur]

Never mind next manager, it is our recruitment process that needs a complete overhaul. Mourinho had identified and called out for a dominant centre half in both the summer and January windows. What dis Steve Hitchens and the team deliver? A raw centre half who may or may not be one for the future ( wobbly chin and all) but obviously isn't the solution to our immediate needs.

Sack Hitchens and restructure our entire recruitment ( and disposal) process. Look at who Leicester gave " lost" for big money transfers in recent seasons - Kante, Maguire, Chillwell, Drinkwater, Mahrez (of the top of my head) and their recruitment has been so successful that these players have been replaced and Leicester have powered on. Us on the other hand............

Hitchens Out.

Steve Walsh oversaw Kante Mahrez and Vardy I believe, then went to Everton and didn’t have a their like the same success. What’s Commoli up to nowadays??

 

[MKSpur]

Hahaha, man the fudging meltdown on this board if we appoint Harry would be RAWK worthy, if you think people don't like Jose, memory lane will be tough.

Levy tends to react, but his default would be someone progressive, I'd buy Nagelsmann as someone we are considering.

I’ve never understood the level of hate as outside this board most of my contemporaries have fond memories of the period Harry oversaw. I have more of an issue with Lloris drink driving than Redknapp’s financial irregularities. Sometimes british managers seem to be undervalued as press conferences in someone’s second language can make it seem that they have some superior philosophy rather than giving simple answers. Same reason Rodgers acting like David Brent seems to negate what he delivers on the pitch. Him or Nagelsmann would be the long term solution I’m just very concerned that Jose can do more harm than good by overseeing the rest of the season if he can’t arrest the league results trend.

 

[AdamB]

Never mind next manager, it is our recruitment process that needs a complete overhaul

I think thats a fair criticism, but the recruitment team AND manager aren't mutually exclusive. Its possible that both fail, both succeed or one fails and one succeeds.

Its not Hitchin's fault that the team is underperforming relative to the quality of players, whereas other teams (villa, West Ham, Everton, Leicester) have inferior players on paper but perform better as a team. Its also not Hitchin's fault that we don't have any discernable system and way of players. Its not Hitchin's fault that Mourinho has picked spats with Aurier, Bale, Dele etc

It IS Hitchin's fault (partly) if we sign players who are no good, or not good enough. There's various other threads on here going into the success/failings of our transfer policy so won't repeat them here, but even if our recruitment was viewed as ab abject failure, it doesn't excuse the things above about the manager (system, making players better and team better than sum of parts, relationships with players)

 

[billyiddo]

In fairness you could argue that Sessegnon Bergwijn Rodon Hojberg Regulion are exactly the stature of player that your Leicesters and Villas are signing that we are now looking over enviously at

 

[Huddy]

Never mind next manager, it is our recruitment process that needs a complete overhaul. Mourinho had identified and called out for a dominant centre half in both the summer and January windows. What dis Steve Hitchens and the team deliver? A raw centre half who may or may not be one for the future ( wobbly chin and all) but obviously isn't the solution to our immediate needs.

Sack Hitchens and restructure our entire recruitment ( and disposal) process. Look at who Leicester gave " lost" for big money transfers in recent seasons - Kante, Maguire, Chillwell, Drinkwater, Mahrez (of the top of my head) and their recruitment has been so successful that these players have been replaced and Leicester have powered on. Us on the other hand............

Hitchens Out.

This is so key, it feels like our recruitment has been haphazard over the last 4-5 seasons. The club needs wholesale changes in this department, from Sports Psychology, through to Sporting Director. If and when Mourinho leaves and we do go for someone like Nagelsmann for GHod sake install a Director of Football to support him.

I am fast growing tired of us signing players that require a season to get up to speed or struggle with the physicality of the Premier League and spend most of the season in the Physio room.

Sort this brick out Levy.

 

[Raziel]

This is so key, it feels like our recruitment has been haphazard over the last 4-5 seasons. The club needs wholesale changes in this department, from Sports Psychology, through to Sporting Director. If and when Mourinho leaves and we do go for someone like Nagelsmann for GHod sake install a Director of Football to support him.

I am fast growing tired of us signing players that require a season to get up to speed or struggle with the physicality of the Premier League and spend most of the season in the Physio room.

Sort this brick out Levy.

Is that a fair/realistic statement?

- We needed creativity in midfield to replace Eriksen -> we got Lo Celso & Ndombele
- We needed a holding/defensive midfielder -> we got PEH, with Skipp developing
- We needed to fix the FB positions -> we got Aurier, Sessegnon, Reguilon and Doherty (the PL experienced one btw is doing the worse of the lot)
- We wanted wide AM role -> got Lucas, Bergwijn & Bale
- We needed a backup striker -> got Vinicius

None of those are haphazard, some opportunistic but not haphazard
Not sure how you want to insure against injuries, Lamela, Lo Celso, Reguilon had no history of injury prior to Spurs

Where did we go wrong or what wasn't as successful (to be fair)
- We needed to plan appropriately for Jan/Toby end of career
- We need to provide an alternate and plan for Lloris end or moving on
- The refresh needed to start a year earlier (still feels like some players are "stale")

Spurs is not brick or haphazard at transfers, not perfect but not brick.

- Two windows due to money, stadium, lack of DoF, Manager indecision, whatever (been done to death) has had a roll on effect we are still struggling with.

 

[Transylvanian]

Hey, guys! I've never been much of a poster, but I read the forum almost daily.
Regarding the next manager, I've been thinking about Marcelo Gallardo. Manager of River Plate since 2014, he is doing very well in South America and was rumoured to be a future Barcelona manager last year. From what I've read, he seems to favour an attaking 4-3-1-2 formation, which he adapts mid-games when needed, with emphasis placed on midfielders, wingers and occasionally full backs.
I haven't watched River's games, can anyone offer some insight? Do you think he could do well in England or is he still unproven?
Maybe we could get lucky with another Argentine?

 

[90sSpursBook]

The articles in The Athletic and The Daily Mail suggest we're on a fairly well trodden path which ultimately results in the change of a manager. The dissenting voices becoming louder and the 'inside sources' who are readily available to share details.

Just one word of caution - remember how the mass media works - they need to perpetuate click bait narratives - I reckon you'd find that for every week of the season at least one of Pep, Klopp, Mourinho, Arteta, Solskajaer and Lampard (and to a lesser extent Steve Bruce) have been strongly tipped to be on the brink of the sack and their club facing a crisis....coincidently these are the biggest supported clubs who will attract more attention. A run of a few bad results will begin to get the vultures circling. To be fair The Athletic article has some very specific references so I think there's definitely some credibility - the Daily Mail less so. I remember that clown shoe Neil Ashton running the story that Jol was gonna get sacked after the next defeat for about 6 months before it happened then took the credit for breaking the story first....such lazy journalism - if you tell everyone 'it's going to snow tomorrow' eventually you'll be proved right.

I wonder whether the next 3 games being against lower opposition means this is the last realistic window for Levy to make a change before the summer? Apart from teams in relegation battles making a final throw of the dice I don't remember many sackings taking place in March. All of our mid season replacements going back to George Graham have taken place September - December. (Hoddle - Sept; Santini - Nov; Jol - Oct; Ramos - Oct; AVB - December; Poch - Nov).

Overall I still think it's unlikely Levy will make a change before the summer and on balance that's probably the sensible course of action.

 

[Raziel]

The articles in The Athletic and The Daily Mail suggest we're on a fairly well trodden path which ultimately results in the change of a manager. The dissenting voices becoming louder and the 'inside sources' who are readily available to share details.

Just one word of caution - remember how the mass media works - they need to perpetuate click bait narratives - I reckon you'd find that for every week of the season at least one of Pep, Klopp, Mourinho, Arteta, Solskajaer and Lampard (and to a lesser extent Steve Bruce) have been strongly tipped to be on the brink of the sack and their club facing a crisis....coincidently these are the biggest supported clubs who will attract more attention. A run of a few bad results will begin to get the vultures circling. To be fair The Athletic article has some very specific references so I think there's definitely some credibility - the Daily Mail less so. I remember that clown shoe Neil Ashton running the story that Jol was gonna get sacked after the next defeat for about 6 months before it happened then took the credit for breaking the story first....such lazy journalism - if you tell everyone 'it's going to snow tomorrow' eventually you'll be proved right.

I wonder whether the next 3 games being against lower opposition means this is the last realistic window for Levy to make a change before the summer? Apart from teams in relegation battles making a final throw of the dice I don't remember many sackings taking place in March. All of our mid season replacements going back to George Graham have taken place September - December. (Hoddle - Sept; Santini - Nov; Jol - Oct; Ramos - Oct; AVB - December; Poch - Nov).

Overall I still think it's unlikely Levy will make a change before the summer and on balance that's probably the sensible course of action.

Pep was resigning, Ole was a dead man walking, Arteta was gone, Scotty was gone, Lampard was going to get full season, Klopp is on the line

Stay in top 10, and in the two cups we will wait till summer for a decision

Lose some of those next 5 -> probably dead man

If we hire someone immediately or go for interim, another question. Of course probably more noise if RB go out against Pool next week (makes Nagelsmann "available")