Independent
Menu areas
Menu areas
Close
Kevin Palmer Twitter
Tottenham have sacked coach Nuno Espirito Santo after just four months at the helm.
Speculation about Santo’s position continued after Saturday’s devastating 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United to, with this club statement confirming the news: « The club can announce today that Nuno Espírito Santo and his coaching staff Ian Cathro, Rui Barbosa and Antonio Dias are relieved. » of their duties. «
Fabio Paratici, Spurs CEO, said: » I know how much Nuno and his coaching staff wanted to be successful and I regret that we had to make that decision.
« Nuno is a true gentleman and will always be welcome here. We thank him and his coaching staff and wish him all the best for the future. «
Close
The club added that « another coach update will follow in due course, » but fans may now be wondering how Paratici and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy can escape criticism for this mess, after making the move to the appointment of Santo four months ago after a chaotic manager hunt.
Spurs tried and failed to recruit a host of high-profile coaching talents, including Conte and Paulo Fonseca, but the club failed to match any of their preferred candidates some.
That forced Tottenham to appoint Santo, who wasn’t high on their first coaching goals list, as Spurs looked for a permanent replacement for Jose Mourinho.
Santos have played 17 games in all competitions since then seven losses, and the losses to West Ham and Manchester United in the last two Premier League games resulted in two hours and 16 minutes without a shot on goal b It was too much for many Spurs fans, with thousands leaving the stadium well before the end of the game, forcing chairman Levy and Paratici to meet on Sunday to discuss the position.
What happens when next? It’s a question that has been asked repeatedly during Levy’s 20 year reign as Spurs chairman, questions about his role in the club’s recent managerial failure are sure to be asked.
Receive our free weekly newsletter with our soccer correspondent Daniel McDonnell and an experienced team of writers provide the facts about the Irish football scene.
Enter your email address
This field is required
Sign up
Conte is now the favorite to take over Tottenham. Sky in Italy reports that the Italian will be in the English capital today for talks with the north London club.
However, given the chaotic nature of their manager hunt last summer, fans of the club have every right to ask Worrying about what might happen next.
The Italian is a fine tactician and energetic personality and has a knack for ending successful stints by dealing with those above him. The 52-year-old’s first major coaching break came at Juventus, which he led to three Serie A titles. Conte led Chelsea’s 2016/17 Premier League win and FA Cup success the following season before returning to management with Inter Milan and taking them to the Serie A crown last season. He left in the summer. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham can convince him to take the job after talks over the summer of the Italian’s demands failed.
The former Roma boss had strong ties with Spurs in the summer and his wife suggested on Instagram that the family is ready to move to London. Despite that failure, the north London club could return for the Portuguese, who also managed Shakhtar Donetsk. Levy would have to leave quickly, however, as the 48-year-old is also linked to the vacant job in Newcastle.
Potter continues to receive praise for his work in Brighton, which sits in the Premier League table over Tottenham. The former Östersunds and Swansea boss has been linked to moving to a club with more resources than Brighton, but Spurs may struggle to convince Potter to abandon his ongoing south coast project mid-season.
Former Spurs midfielder Parker has got off to a flying start to Bournemouth. After Parker left Fulham after relegation from the Premier League, Parker moved to the Cherries, who are at the top of the second division – five points ahead of his former team in second place. A manager whose top experience includes two relegations may not normally excite Spurs fans, but his past as a player and coach in north London would make him more attractive.
A return from Pochettino was considered over the summer but he stayed with Paris St. Germain, who have since added Lionel Messi to their squad. The man who led Spurs to their only Champions League final is very unlikely to leave the French capital mid-season, but if Levy and Paratici are patient and stick with a coach until the end of the campaign, they could trying to have an emotional reunion in time for next season.
Tottenham could look to the continent and Porto’s boss Conceicao. The former Portuguese international has won two championship titles with the club and is at the top of the table this season. The 46-year-old impressed when his team made it through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season when they beat Juventus and may be ready to move on.
Football
Stephen Kenny is hoping to get some good news from the battered Derby County championship team as Jason Knight tries to win his fitness fight in time for next week’s international appearance.
League of Ireland
Vinny Perth has pleaded with the US-based owners of Dundalk to “pick the right people” in handing over control of the club as a County Louth outfit takeover approaches.
Premier League
bonus
Independent
seek
seek
A Mediahuis website
© Independent.ie
Keywords:
