Spurs going the Man Utd route with Frank replacement inevitable but one appointment ‘highly unlikely’
Spurs, like Manchester United, could bring in an interim replacement for Thomas Frank as they wait on a better option, who will probably turn them down…
Frank is fortunate to have avoided the sack at this point, as his reign at Spurs has gone downhill at a faster rate than most anticipated.
The former Brentford boss was brought in as a steady pair of hands and has been keen to Spurs into a dull but dependable side after they stooped to a new low in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou last term.
Initially, this worked well enough as Spurs got their customary win against Manchester City and sat near the top of the Premier League table, but their form has been shambolic over the past couple of months.
Spurs have reverted to type since October, winning only five of their last 20 matches in all competitions as they have been in freefall in the Premier League, while they have also exited the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
Tottenham’s form in the Champions League has been more promising as they sit 11th in the table, but they have had favourable fixtures, and it’s hard to see them sneaking into the automatic promotion places with their remaining games against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt.
So, with a potential Champions League play-off looming, Spurs face the real prospect of their season being over next month, and Frank may be out of a job before those two-leg European ties take place.
Frank could have no complaints if that proves to be the case because results and performances have been dire, while he has also done a poor job of building a bond with an already disgruntled fan base.
The head coach’s overly defensive approach and his misguided outbursts have poked the bear rather than getting supporters on board with his rebuild.
Therefore, there are real concerns that Frank is ‘not a good fit’ for Spurs, while a loss to West Ham United at the weekend could be the final straw.Â
In that case, Football Insider are reporting that the north London outfit ‘could appoint an interim manager until the end of the season’.
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There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes in this speculative report, but the point regarding an interim manager coming in is an obvious one to make and would likely be Tottenham’s course of action if/when they part ways with Frank.
As Man Utd realised, there is a severe lack of credible long-term replacements available at the moment, but expiring contracts and the upcoming World Cup mean far more exciting candidates will be available in the summer.
This is why the Red Devils have opted for Michael Carrick until the summer, with Spurs legend Roy Keane, who is among the favourites in the betting, a potential option to do a similar job for the time being.
Thinking ahead, Crystal Palace is an ‘early contender’ to be Tottenham’s next permanent boss, but there are problems to overcome.
The report claims: ‘Oliver Glasner has emerged as an early contender to take over from Frank if he is sacked in the coming weeks, and sources have outlined that Tottenham could turn to an interim chief to lead them until the Austrian’s contract at Crystal Palace expires.
‘The 51-year-old is set to become a free agent this summer, and it is viewed as highly unlikely that Spurs would be able to tempt him away from Selhurst Park before then. However, there are several clubs that are showing an interest in Glasner, and an appointment would not be straightforward for the North Londoners.’
So, would Glasner leave Palace to join Spurs now and give up the chance of having the choice of several top clubs in the summer? No chance.
Therefore, a deal for Glasner is ‘highly unlikely’ now, and that should also be considered the case in the summer, because if Man Utd (or another elite club) come calling, he will surely go there and avoid the Spurs mess like the plague.
