3 weeks ago
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Tottenham will be considering their options to replace Thomas Frank as manager of the club, with Gary Lineker putting forward his thoughts on who should be the next head coach.
Tottenham are on the search for another manager, after making the decision to sack Thomas Frank from his post, with Gary Lineker suggesting that Enzo Maresca should be his successor. The Danish coach was in place for eight months in N17, hired after an impressive spell with Brentford.
While Spurs were looking to stabilise after a disappointing Premier League campaign - even with the short-term relief provided by the Europa League triumph - Frank didn't manage to do that. The 52-year-old's record at the club was poor, slumping to 16th after a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle.
Now the hierarchy must make a decision on their next hire, with uncertainty over the route they may take. One option is to hire an interim coach and to look towards the summer for a long-term appointment, while another choice could be to hire the right person now.
For ex-Tottenham star Lineker, there is a belief that the next manager should be another former Chelsea boss, Enzo Maresca. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, he said: "Interestingly, for me, someone like Maresca [should be a candidate]. If I were Tottenham, I'd very much look at him, even though he's former Chelsea and they don't like that kind of stuff Tottenham fans, possibly."
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Maresca spent just over one year in the dugout at Stamford Bridge, landing a Europa Conference League trophy as well as a Club World Cup triumph last summer. The manager impressed at times with the Blues, but was dismissed after a tricky run of form and a falling out with the board.
While that decision could split Tottenham fans, given the links to Chelsea, there is a belief that supporters are hoping for Mauricio Pochettino to return. The former head coach's name has been sung by some of the travelling Tottenham support in recent weeks, as they revealed their anger at the current situation.
On the possibility of Pochettino returning, Lineker said: "But having said that, I think the Tottenham fans would really, really like a former Chelsea coach as well, but mainly a former Tottenham coach, and that will be Pochettino. But he's got a job to do in the summer, so he's not going to be free until after that."
Pochettino spent just over five years in charge at Tottenham between 2014 and 2019, watching over 293 games for Spurs in that tenure. The highlight included a run to the Champions League final in 2019, which was ended at the hands of Liverpool, while the club were consistently challenging around the top four in the league.
The manager has since spent time with PSG, as well as rivals Chelsea, before making his move to the US Men's National Team for the upcoming World Cup. Pochettino will be leading that side into the 2026 tournament on home soil for the United States, with his future beyond that uncertain.
If he is to make a return to Tottenham, then it could be a popular choice among the fans, one that he has already hinted towards. Speaking last year with Sky Sports, Pochettino has revealed that he would be open to re-joining Spurs again in the future.
"When I left the club, I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham," said the Argentine. "I am in the USA, so I am not going to talk about that now - but what I said then I still, after six years or five years, feel in my heart. Yes, I would like one day to come back."
football.london understands that Spurs are working on a contingency plan for life after Frank, with plenty of options available to them. Pochettino could be one of the candidates available, but there will be plenty of other names around for Tottenham to consider.
The likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Robbie Keane have been linked with the role, while it's unclear if an appointment will be made before the North London Derby against Arsenal in the next couple of weeks.
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