On Wednesday, Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank. In truth, it was long overdue. A 2-1 loss to Newcastle was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Defeat means Spurs have won only two of their last 17 league matches. Five points above the bottom three, they’re in the midst of a relegation battle.
Spurs are expected to appoint an interim until the end of the season. The primary aim? Consolidate a Premier League spot.
In the summer, the north London side will re-assess. With that, we’ve picked out six potential long-term successors for Frank in the capital.
Mauricio Pochettino
He’s magic, you know. Mauricio Pochettino left Spurs in 2019. The Argentine’s exit came mere months after the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool. Pochettino had spoken of a tough rebuild. Said rebuild shows no sign of ending.
Currently in charge of the US Men’s national team and the 2026 World Cup looming, Pochettino is unlikely to leave his role as Stars and Stripes boss in the foreseeable future. However, his stateside contract is up after football’s showpiece, and fans are pining for his return.
Pochettino would bring the feel-good factor back to north London. There’s also a sense of unfinished business with the club. Conversely, a return may tarnish his legacy. Either way, if he does come back, he’d need all the magic he can muster to drag Spurs out of this mire.
Xabi Alonso
Alternatively, Spurs could appoint their long-term successor ahead of next weekend’s North London Derby. Xabi Alonso left his role as Real Madrid boss last month as Los Blancos crashed to a Supercopa de Espana defeat to Barcelona.
Alonso has experience in taking over a relegation-threatened side, too. German giants Bayer Leverkusen sat 17th after eight games when the former midfielder was named head coach in October 2022. The 44-year-old guided Bayer to sixth that season, and then Bundesliga title in their history the following year.
The issue will be that Alonso has a number of high-profile suitors. Liverpool are reportedly keen on the Reds fan favourite, while Manchester City have supposedly earmarked the Spaniard as a potential Pep Guardiola successor. Even so, Spurs could do worse than at least try to bring in Alonso.
Xavi
From one out of work Spanish manager to another. Xavi hasn’t managed competitively since leaving Barcelona in 2024. In his time at Spotify Camp Nou, Xavi guided the Blaugrana to the La Liga title and the Copa Del Rey.
This despite working under financial constraints and a mounting injury crisis that forced Xavi to utilise the club’s famed youth academy. Sound familiar? Xavi was wanted by Spurs when Fabio Partici was at the club, the Italian having since left his position as Sporting Director for the second time in order to return to Italy with Fiorentina.
Xavi is believed to be eager to manage in the Premier League and Tottenham is the sort of project that would appeal to the 46-year-old. As a Champions League and World Cup winner to boot, he’d command the respect of the dressing room.
Enzo Maresca
Tottenham have made a habit out of appointing former Chelsea managers. Andre Villas-Boas, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have all taken over the Spurs reins following spells in west London.
Could Enzo Maresca tread the same path? The Italian has been out of work since leaving Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, and while he has his shortcomings; Maresca is a Premier League experienced manager that would jump at the chance to prove his former employers wrong.
Like Alonso, however, Maresca is also being earmarked to succeed Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. The 46-year-old has worked at Manchester City in the past, so is well versed in the demands that come with managing the Cityzens. Additionally, for a board that is already struggling to win over the fans, it remains to be seen how popular an appointment Maresca would be.
Sebastian Hoeness
Looking to the Bundesliga, and VfB Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness would be a forward-thinking appointment to help restore Spurs to their former glory. Hoeness, the nephew of former Bayern president Uli Hoeness, has transformed VfB Stuttgart.
The 43-year-old took over the sleeping German giants in April 2023 with VfB bottom of the table but guided them to safety via the playoffs. In his first full season at the MHPArena, the Reds finished second to Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
Hoeness brings the requisite tactical flexibility that would appeal to supporters, who have become accustomed to watching both Angeball and Frankball fall flat on its face. Convincing Hoeness to leave Stuttgart would be another matter entirely, though if there is even a sniff of a chance Spurs could bring the former Hoffenheim man to London; then they should grab it with both hands.
Roberto De Zerbi
Frank isn’t the only high-profile manager to leave an underperforming European giant this week. Roberto De Zerbi left his position as Marseille head coach on Wednesday following a dismal Champions League exit and a dire 5-0 Le Classique loss to PSG. Both in the eyes of L’OM were unforgivable.
De Zerbi has previously been linked with a move to Spurs. The ex-Brighton head coach has his admirers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it’s easy to see why. The Italian has his side set up to play on the front foot and dominate teams. It’s the polar opposite from Frank’s pragmatic approach.
The Italian, however, often cuts a divisive figure wherever he goes. The style of football is exciting but his temperament rubs people up the wrong way. Given Spurs’ ongoing issues, De Zerbi’s appointment would be like throwing petrol on a bonfire.
