Next Manager Watch

[Yapptiestrap]

Couldn’t wrap my head around why we would potentially need a smokescreen when hiring a manager, but I think I might’ve actually clocked it now and it makes some things make a lot more sense.

What if the smokescreen is trying to convince Bayern that we absolutely don’t want Nagelsmann?

It was well publicised early on that Bayern would be looking for a huge payout if a club appointed Nagelsmann (£25 million), but at the same time if nobody signs Nagelsmann then Bayern will have to keep paying him his large wages which is the worst case scenario for them.

My theory is that our goal was to try and convince Bayern that we don’t want Nagelsmann at all, so that they end up coming back to us and informing us that they will no longer look for the £25 million so they can just get him off their books.

This theory is probably the only reasonable explanation for why Spurs would think it would be a good idea to leak to anyone that would listen that we have absolutely zero intention of signing or approaching Nagelsmann.

Then we go on to leak that we’re in very advanced talks with Arne Slot to put even more pressure on Bayern to relent on their demands.

Honestly, I think there’s probably too much media talk about Slot for this theory to actually prove to be any bit true, and if it was true at any stage then surely we’ve gone in too deep on Slot to go back. But found it interesting myself at least so wanted to share it

The pay-out to Bayern clause expires end of season

 

[Yapptiestrap]

Keep watching. Nothing is over and out. Smokescreen possibly going on. Sorry I cannot be more specific. But it could work out to be a very pleasant surprise. Not Poch surprise.

He’s working in the shadows, preparing for the last dance. He’s not the hero we want, but the hero we need. A silent guardian, a watchful protector. The Dark Pleat.

 

[eViL]

Just watched the Feyenoord highlights at the weekends and can see how they love attacking wingers coming inside, lots of one twos and clever runs.

I can see Sonny flourishing, Kulu too but I'd worry about Richarlison. Unless Slot rotates him with Kane I don't think he looks suited to that type of wingplay.

What an atmosphere but the way. There is one shot after a goal where this man Is just crying his eyes out Into his scarf as his mate kisses him on the head. Pure joy in his eyes.

I've seen Richarlison complete more one-twos than Sonny this season.

 

[rossdapep]

I've seen Richarlison complete more one-twos than Sonny this season.

Richarlison can definitely dribble, he doesn't have the explosive pace that Son has but he can work space.

 

[rossdapep]

Whoever it is gonna be must be allowed to develop a new core.

I'd say due to the time these players have been at the club and the voice they may possess, this is our current core.

Kane, Lloris, Lucas, Davies, Dier, Hojbjerg, Son with Skipp becoming a growing voice.

Players like Deki, Bentancur and Romero don't seem to be vocal although they would certainly be capable of forming a new core. Or at least becoming key players.

From the previous list, only Kane deserves his place as part of a core. Sonny has done but I don't think he works hard enough off the ball to be a player that deserves every minute on the pitch.

A new CB, attacker and GK that have character/intelligence/professionalism are probably required.

 

[Gilzeanking]

A new CB, attacker and GK that have character/intelligence/professionalism are probably required.

Arnie's gonna need a skilful AM surely ?

 

[BodaciousSalacious]

New article from Ali G. Nothing earth shattering or new.

Arne Slot will be well prepared for the huge Spurs rebuild required this summer

The Dutchman has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur in the coming weeks and if he does he will be walking into a familiar situation

www.football.london

Why Arne Slot will be well prepared for huge Tottenham transfer rebuild required this summer​

The Dutchman has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur in the coming weeks and if he does he will be walking into a familiar situation

The Tottenham Hotspur of next season is expected to be one that bears only a passing resemblance to the club that has spluttered through this turgid campaign.

Within the next month or so Spurs are expecting to have in place a new head coach, a new director of football and a new chief football officer in Scott Munn, who will take decisions for the day-to-day running of the football side of the club off the hands of chairman Daniel Levy.

football.london understands that Levy has been leaning on various experienced people he trusts within the game for advice in recent weeks in order to try to turn around the fortunes of the club, including the search for the next head coach and director of football.

Although it might not be the best look, if he wanted to, the Tottenham chairman could technically also call on Fabio Paratici for advice as despite having resigned from his role as managing director of football last month the Italian was able to get FIFA to later partially reduce the global extension of his ban from his homeland, meaning he can still carry out some low level functions within the game outside of Italy.

This summer the club is expected to concentrate on changing the culture within and attempt to rediscover the identity that connected them so closely to the fanbase during the Mauricio Pochettino years. Those in and around Spurs have spoken of a need for improvement and investment made to key modern areas such as the data and medical departments as well as a boost in funding for the academy and its salary structure in order to attract and prevent them losing talented starlets to rival clubs.


New faces at so many defining levels will naturally lead to a turnover in personnel both on and off the pitch as new staff with fresh, different ideas come in and, if Arne Slot walks through the door, a head coach with a very different formation to the Antonio Conte one that this lopsided squad was built for.

There are also natural changes to the squad that will likely happen regardless of the changes above. Lucas Moura will leave this summer after five years at the club. Arnaut Danjuma is understood to have settled in well at Spurs and is open to a permanent move if regular football was on the table but after making one start in all competitions it remains to be seen whether the club will look to do so.


A decision will have to be made over Clement Lenglet's loan. The financial issues at Barcelona could see Spurs get the Frenchman for a low fee and he has proved to be a solid and versatile squad player as well as an experienced head in the dressing room. Dejan Kulusevski's loan from Juventus is expected to be made permanent and it is no coincidence that the Swede's image was splashed over promotion material for Spurs' summer trip to Thailand, for a friendly match against Leicester which will take place after his loan deal ends.

Then there are the list of players out of contract in just over 12 months. Captain Hugo Lloris, who has missed a chunk of this season through injury, is expected by many to leave the club after 11 years in a Spurs shirt, which leaves a leadership void for the next manager to fill. Ivan Perisic is also being tipped to head out of the exit door halfway through his two-year contract, meaning two very experienced, high-earning players departing the club.

Davinson Sanchez has turned down offers to leave Spurs in the past but the expectation is that the Colombian will seek regular football this summer and Tottenham will look to recoup some sort of fee for their former record signing as he enters the final year of his contract.

The future of Eric Dier remains unclear with no new deal agreed yet with the centre-back who has been a key player for most Spurs managers over his seven years at the club but has struggled this season. Although his contract runs out in 2025, Japhet Tanganga is another defender who desperately needs a move and regular football.

Spurs continue to make it clear that they have no intention of letting Harry Kane leave this summer. Even as he reaches his final year, how much of a fee can justify the sale to the under pressure Levy for a player who scored almost half the club's goals this season and has carried them on his back for years? Tottenham will continue to try to convince the England captain to extend his stay in north London.

Then there are the returning 11 loan players, who include some of the club's most expensive in Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso.

Ultimately the next head coach will need to take a look at the bloated Spurs squad and decide whether anyone who looks to be heading towards the exit door can be given a fresh lease of life within their different system. For many players though, their time at Tottenham appears to have come to a natural conclusion regardless, with the club looking to cut their losses or make some funds before they can no longer do so.

If Slot is to be the new man then at least the Dutchman has shown an ability to rebuild to great effect in the Netherlands. His Feyenoord team in his first season, which reached the Europa Conference League final and finished third in the Eredivisie, became a victim of its success as it was ripped apart by player sales.

He lost top scorer Luis Sinisterra to Leeds, Tyrell Malacia to Manchester United, Marcos Senesi to Bournemouth, Frederik Aursnes to Benfica while the loan spells of Reiss Nelson and Guus Til came to an end. In one fell swoop Slot lost the majority of his team's attacking firepower. In all nine players were sold, nine loaned out and 15 were signed permanently or on loan in a busy summer at the Rotterdam club.

Yet the young head coach and Feyenoord reset and used the rebuild to come back stronger with some smart signings and Slot showing a desire to improve younger players. By the time the break for the World Cup came around, the club were top of the Eredivisie, playing the best football of any club and with a tight defence, and they did not look back.


So the task at Tottenham will not worry Slot. He has strong principles and beliefs in the way football should be played with his 4-3-3 formation and he has been very vocal in those beliefs. The challenge at Spurs would certainly be a whole new level for him to imprint those beliefs upon but the 44-year-old will benefit from arriving at a club that is craving a direction and an identity.

Nineteen years ago a Dutchman arrived at Tottenham and today Martin Jol is credited with being the man who began to lay the foundations and the philosophy that Pochettino eventually built upon. It would be somewhat fitting if Slot followed in the footsteps of his compatriot and finished the job.

 

[rossdapep]

Arnie's gonna need a skilful AM surely ?

sure but I'm mostly thinking about the ever presents/the voices.

That could certainly be one though.

Under Poch we had Lloris, Vertonghen, Toby, Dembele, Kane, Eriksen as the 'go to' players.

They only really missed out of injured and were reliable 99% of the time.

We haven't had that in ages and I think its cause we've never really replaced those components and cause we've changed style/systems, we haven't really been able to establish a new one.

We essentially just pushed Dier, Davies and Hojbjerg into those roles.

Lucas has been a voice for the south American/latin players in a way.

 

[jakuba]

New article from Ali G. Nothing earth shattering or new.

Arne Slot will be well prepared for the huge Spurs rebuild required this summer

The Dutchman has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur in the coming weeks and if he does he will be walking into a familiar situation

www.football.london

Definitely don’t like that Ali G is talking about giving some of the returning loanees a “fresh lease of life” after talking about Lo Celso and Ndombele.

I know we might get pennies for the pound on them. But they’ve not performed for back to back managers and back to back unimpressive loans. Cut the losses and take what you can get for them. Same goes for Winks and Rodon.

The less bloat in the squad the better so that whoever is gaffer can mould the squad how they want. Any contribution in player sales is a bonus.

 

[jezz]

Couple of articles on Slot this morning:

Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard is following what most said yesterday about a crunch meeting between Slot and Feyenoord planned for tomorrow. He claims Feyenoord could look for compensation over £12 million.

AD, a leading Dutch sports source have said Feyenoord will play hardball in negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur about a possible move of coach Arne Slot to London, and is looking for a 'Nagelsmann-like transfer fee' (~25 million euros).


De Volkskrant journalist Bert Wagendorp says Feyenoord are set to earn ‘tens of millions’ not only through Slot’s departure but also from Kökçü’s sale to Tottenham.
He claims Spurs ‘will come with an offer this week’ for both the manager and the 22-year-old midfielder.

Great another summer of back and forth over a couple of quid

 

[biscuit]

He's actually got a razz mag inside the programme

Please don’t take this the wrong way, Ross - because I love reading your views on all manner of Spurs-related stuff, and I know this was just a joke - but I really dislike the way this guy is made the butt of so many jokes because of past indiscretions, whereas people like Hugh Grant seem able to sail on regardless.
To me, David Pleat will always be synonymous with one of the best footballing Spurs sides I have ever seen. On top of that, the guy clearly lives and breathes the club, has stepped in whenever we’ve needed help, and has brought some fantastic players to the club since all that crap happened. And, although I really don’t wanna come across as po-faced, I think he deserves a lot more respect from our fans.

 

[jbstarr14]

He’s working in the shadows, preparing for the last dance. He’s not the hero we want, but the hero we need. A silent guardian, a watchful protector. The Dark Pleat. View attachment 126701

“One! Ah ha haaa…

Two! Ah ha haaa…

Three! Ah ha haaa…”

 

[djhotspur]

I don't ever want a new manager that "needs to be backed to win now". That is short sighted and we are not going to get the ready made players to win in this manner.

Would rather have someone willing to build and then refresh the squad with youth. Teach a system that relies on quick passing and movement and then have the club sign players that fit that system.

The manager needs to fit the club, not the other way around. For me, Slot is the guy that fits.

I think we are 2 years from competing for top 4 becausecof all the roster tounover that is needed, but I am fine with that if we are rebuilding in the right way.

It looks like we may have some youth that can play, we need to find out. Let's get talent back in the club and then the new manager will have a chance to build something.

My worry

Definitely don’t like that Ali G is talking about giving some of the returning loanees a “fresh lease of life” after talking about Lo Celso and Ndombele.

I know we might get pennies for the pound on them. But they’ve not performed for back to back managers and back to back unimpressive loans. Cut the losses and take what you can get for them. Same goes for Winks and Rodon.

The less bloat in the squad the better so that whoever is gaffer can mould the squad how they want. Any contribution in player sales is a bonus.

How can you call lo celso an unimpressive loan? The guy was getting motm awards for villareal against Bayern Munich… and his coach at villareal wants him at villa….

 

[GMI]

Please don’t take this the wrong way, Ross - because I love reading your views on all manner of Spurs-related stuff, and I know this was just a joke - but I really dislike the way this guy is made the butt of so many jokes because of past indiscretions, whereas people like Hugh Grant seem able to sail on regardless.
To me, David Pleat will always be synonymous with one of the best footballing Spurs sides I have ever seen. On top of that, the guy clearly lives and breathes the club, has stepped in whenever we’ve needed help, and has brought some fantastic players to the club since all that crap happened. And, although I really don’t wanna come across as po-faced, I think he deserves a lot more respect from our fans.

I’ll second this. Pleat is a legend and, even though it’s in jest, the jokes are tired and lazy now. He is a thoughtful and intelligent man who has Spurs at his heart.

On top of that his team in ‘86-‘87 was genius.

 

[rossdapep]

Please don’t take this the wrong way, Ross - because I love reading your views on all manner of Spurs-related stuff, and I know this was just a joke - but I really dislike the way this guy is made the butt of so many jokes because of past indiscretions, whereas people like Hugh Grant seem able to sail on regardless.
To me, David Pleat will always be synonymous with one of the best footballing Spurs sides I have ever seen. On top of that, the guy clearly lives and breathes the club, has stepped in whenever we’ve needed help, and has brought some fantastic players to the club since all that crap happened. And, although I really don’t wanna come across as po-faced, I think he deserves a lot more respect from our fans.

Fair enough, it was poor taste. Thanks for calling it out.

He is a good guy and clearly deserves respect.

Deleted.

 

[lobob8]

still remember his CL debut for us....still getting my breath back!

Fabulous memories.

On topic, happy to finally see some concrete movement! Slot in!

 

[Thenewcat]

You’ve cherry picked one year. The combined coefficients are 61.1 for France, 59.9 for the Netherlands and 42.2 for Belgium. The gap between the Netherlands and Belgium is 75% of the one between the Netherlands and Germany in 3rd. So like I said, the French league and Dutch are very comparable. Belgium isn’t

 

[y1dk1d]

“Disciple of Pep”, did he work under him then?

 

[Majick]

Incredible that VDV understands our DNA better than some of our leadership team.

Skill, guile, flair, hatred of Arsenal, and just that little bit below the absolute best around?

VDV understands our DNA because it's his DNA too. He was perfect for us, we were perfect for him, and I can't think of a signing I've enjoyed more or who got us more than he did.

 

[Snarfalicious]

“Disciple of Pep”, did he work under him then?

Same salon.