Next Manager Watch

[brasil_spur]

Lloris/Dier/Sanchez/Winks/Kane all only have a year left on their contract.

Davies/Tanganga/Lo Celso/Sessegnon/Ndombele/Son have two years. Only Skipp’s got more than that, unless I’m missing someone.

Not like they’d be long term issues.

This.

Lloris will likely be retiring either with us or somewhere else. Winks will be released. Sanchez will be sold and Dier will likely remain to see out the last year of his contract but as a rotation/back-up player.

Davies is a very useful squad player who now counts as HG, again probably best to allow his contract to run out in 2 years time. Tanganga needs to move for his own sake so will be sold in the summer. Lo Celso and Ndombele will both be moved on in the summer too. Sess should probably be sold unless whoever comes in feels that they can re-ignite him somehow.

Realistically whoever we bring in this summer (or even if somehow Conte stays), we should be down to only the following remaining old-guard players:

Lloris (in retirement zone), Dier (squad on last year), Davies (squad), Skipp (new contract), Kane and Son.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

I would be apprehensive about appointing a Brighton manager. Nothing against De Zerbi or Potter but hesitant simply because i think the success is down to the way Brighton are (superbly) structured and operate that makes those coaches look so appealing.

Its a tricky one, I do think he looks like a very good manager, but you’re right in that he hasn’t needed to build his team or ethos there. It was perfectly set up for him and he essentially just adjusted what was already in place. I also can’t help but feel it’s a little bit of flavour of the month, but that’s more on our side and unfair on De Zerbi who is a good manager. I do get the feeling that Levy etc greatly prefer managers who have worked in the PL. If that is the case then there aren’t many viable options. Ether way it’s understandable why we would look at him but I’m skeptical he would leave at this point.

 

[Timberwolf]

I'm in favour of De Zerbi. I know he's the current flavour of the month, but he's easily the closest thing in the league right now to Poch at Saints when we got him.

Guy overperformed massively in Italy (like Poch with Espanol) playing progressive football and has now seamlessly transitioned to the PL. Seems like a very sharp character in interviews and someone that would be a true breath of fresh air and certainly wouldn't shy away from using the expensive attacking wing backs we've bought (guy plays about 8 attackers in most Brighton lineups).

Question is, can we pry him from Brighton after less than a season there?

 

[Trix]

I’d be very surprised if he left so soon after going. Interesting one tho. At least this means we are looking at different options.

Not necessarily, it's been the same for quite a while now. Everyone with any influence with a different opinion on who we should bring in. Like I said yesterday there are still voices at the top table who'd like Conte to stay and commit. Just because some are suggesting De Zerbi it doesn't mean Levy thinks the same.

 

[Trix]

I would be apprehensive about appointing a Brighton manager. Nothing against De Zerbi or Potter but hesitant simply because i think the success is down to the way Brighton are (superbly) structured and operate that makes those coaches look so appealing.

100% agree.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Not necessarily, it's been the same for quite a while now. Everyone with any influence with a different opinion on who we should bring in. Like I said yesterday there are still voices at the top table who'd like Conte to stay and commit. Just because some are suggesting De Zerbi it doesn't mean Levy thinks the same.

I wonder how unanimous the decision has to be. Even if Levy is the only one who wants Poch, which I’m not saying is the case because it sounds there is a real split in opinion, but if hypothetically he was I guess he could well still overrule everyone and appoint him.

 

[Trix]

Its a tricky one, I do think he looks like a very good manager, but you’re right in that he hasn’t needed to build his team or ethos there. It was perfectly set up for him and he essentially just adjusted what was already in place. I also can’t help but feel it’s a little bit of flavour of the month, but that’s more on our side and unfair on De Zerbi who is a good manager. I do get the feeling that Levy etc greatly prefer managers who have worked in the PL. If that is the case then there aren’t many viable options. Ether way it’s understandable why we would look at him but I’m skeptical he would leave at this point.

All this is true, but I'd imagine he'd easily double his salary with the move if not more. I'm not convinced but wouldn't be against it either.

 

[felmani26]

De Zerbi smacks of being lazy and arrogant without actually taking into consideration the conditions in which he is thriving at Brighton because we sure as hell won't be reappointing Paul Barber here!

 

[Trix]

I wonder how unanimous the decision has to be. Even if Levy is the only one who wants Poch, which I’m not saying is the case because it sounds there is a real split in opinion, but if hypothetically he was I guess he could well still overrule everyone and appoint him.

Well of course it's his decision at the end of the day.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

All this is true, but I'd imagine he'd easily double his salary with the move if not more. I'm not convinced but wouldn't be against it either.

I’d be surprised if Brighton don’t offer him a rase to try and ward off any interest, you are right tho he may well be swayed by the money. I agree with you that I have reservations how he would work here but not against it ether.

 

[barrie]

I’d be surprised if Brighton don’t offer him a ride to try and ward off any interest, you are right tho he may well be swayed by the money. I agree with you that I have reservations how he would work here but not against it ether.

That may work for some, but he may prefer money

 

[St José Dominguez]

I would be apprehensive about appointing a Brighton manager. Nothing against De Zerbi or Potter but hesitant simply because i think the success is down to the way Brighton are (superbly) structured and operate that makes those coaches look so appealing.

He did an amazing job at Sassuolo too. Brighton do make it easier but both of them are very good managers. I think De Zerbi will be in a huge job very soon, it won’t be here though because we’re about the PR and he’d be seen as too big a risk.

 

[spurs9]

I'm in favour of De Zerbi. I know he's the current flavour of the month, but he's easily the closest thing in the league right now to Poch at Saints when we got him.

Guy overperformed massively in Italy (like Poch with Espanol) playing progressive football and has now seamlessly transitioned to the PL. Seems like a very sharp character in interviews and someone that would be a true breath of fresh air and certainly wouldn't shy away from using the expensive attacking wing backs we've bought (guy plays about 8 attackers in most Brighton lineups).

Question is, can we pry him from Brighton after less than a season there?

Personally, I wouldn't say he massively outperformed in Italy. De Zebri took a team that finished 11th (but 6th 2 years before) and finished 11th, 8th and 8th. Don't get me wrong he did well. Same with Poch, he did well for Espanyol but wouldn't say he did great.

 

[Timberwolf]

De Zerbi smacks of being lazy and arrogant without actually taking into consideration the conditions in which he is thriving at Brighton because we sure as hell won't be reappointing Paul Barber here!

I get that Brighton are well run and have very smart recruitment but at the end of the day he's thriving because he's a good manager and getting the best out of the players. The talent at Brighton is good but it really isn't off the charts - an average manager would still struggle there.

He took over at a good time as they were peaking under Potter, but he's also implemented a different style of play in a short period of time without really adding any new players (except bringing through Mitoma and Ferguson).

I guess my point is, we're obviously not as well run as Brighton, but I see no reason why De Zerbi couldn't come into Spurs and, with a full pre-season, implement the style of play he has at Brighton that he managed mid-season there. Hell, when Potter took over from Hughton he got their long ball cloggers playing possession football right away. I don't think we need some magical infrastructure to make it work - we just need to let him do his thing and not sign him shit players he doesn't want.

 

[Timberwolf]

Personally, I wouldn't say he massively outperformed in Italy. De Zebri took a team that finished 11th (but 6th 2 years before) and finished 11th, 8th and 8th. Don't get me wrong he did well. Same with Poch, he did well for Espanyol but wouldn't say he did great.

It's more that he completely revolutionised their style of play - Sassuolo were a revelation in Italy style-wise under De Zerbi. As a comparison, on paper Potter didn't do that much better than Hughton in his first few seasons at Brighton, but anyone who watched them could see they were a team totally transformed.

 

[For the love of Spurs]

De Zerbi is now the buzz word name doing the rounds.

in a way this is lazier than Poch. Brighton are such a well run club everyone looks good and to be fair he took over a team from Potter than was shinning. He’d be taking over a mess in comparison.

 

[daryl hannah]

Its a tricky one, I do think he looks like a very good manager, but you’re right in that he hasn’t needed to build his team or ethos there. It was perfectly set up for him and he essentially just adjusted what was already in place. I also can’t help but feel it’s a little bit of flavour of the month, but that’s more on our side and unfair on De Zerbi who is a good manager. I do get the feeling that Levy etc greatly prefer managers who have worked in the PL. If that is the case then there aren’t many viable options. Ether way it’s understandable why we would look at him but I’m skeptical he would leave at this point.

Poch was flavour of the month in 2014.

Might be alright.

 

[RuskyM]

Was de Zerbi ever mentioned during the great hunt of 2021?

 

[felmani26]

I get that Brighton are well run and have very smart recruitment but at the end of the day he's thriving because he's a good manager and getting the best out of the players. The talent at Brighton is good but it really isn't off the charts - an average manager would still struggle there.

He took over at a good time as they were peaking under Potter, but he's also implemented a different style of play in a short period of time without really adding any new players (except bringing through Mitoma and Ferguson).

I guess my point is, we're obviously not as well run as Brighton, but I see no reason why De Zerbi couldn't come into Spurs and, with a full pre-season, implement the style of play he has at Brighton that he managed mid-season there. Hell, when Potter took over from Hughton he got their long ball cloggers playing possession football right away. I don't think we need some magical infrastructure to make it work - we just need to let him do his thing and not sign him shit players he doesn't want.

I'd want to judge him over a larger sample size personally and see if he can replicate this level of performance into next season with the added weight of expectation and particularly if he's managed to in the meantime secure European football.

For comparison Pochettino had 60 matches under his belt at Southampton compared to just 22 for De Zerbi.

That being said, i'm not totally against this move and I do actually like what i've seen thus far of him as a manager and as a character in press conferences but I still feel the premise on which we are supposedly considering him is lazy.

 

[chrisd2k]

Kane as Player / Manager ticks a lot of boxes - not sure with the modern day demands in the Prem that a P/M is workable, but I'd be really interested to know Kane's response if it was put to him.

I'm gonna have to sit down to take this one in. Outside the box thinking to the max