Tottenham Hotspur are staring down the barrel of a gun in the Premier League, though fans will hope that the end of Thomas Frank‘s abject stint at the helm could end their suffering.
Ange Postecoglou’s curiously-timed interview on The Overlap shed some light on the hierarchical and cultural issues that the London club are beset with. No major revelations were made, but it’s still an illumination of Tottenham’s troubles.
Something needs to change. The Lilywhites must get their next managerial appointment right, and sporting director Johan Lange has compiled a list of candidates to take the hot seat.
The leading contenders to replace Frank
Tottenham chiefs are mulling over appointing an interim boss until the end of the season. John Heitinga, appointed as Frank’s assistant manager last month, is in the running, as is Ryan Mason, who was recently sacked by West Bromwich Albion.
One thing’s for certain, it can’t get much worse, with Spurs so far beneath their weight that it beggars belief. While former boss Mauricio Pochettino and recently-sacked Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi are in the running, there’s another name that has emerged on the shortlist who might just be the pick of the bunch.
As per Spanish sources, former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has emerged as a contender to take the hot seat at Tottenham, with certain club officials thinking he could be the leader of a long-term project down N17.
In fact, the report goes as far as to state that Tottenham are ‘preparing a compelling financial offer’ to lure the Spaniard to London.
Xavi, 46, has been out of work since parting with La Blaugrana in 2024, rejecting numerous job offers in the intervening period. The Spain legend would arrive at a steep financial cost, but the reward for such an enterprising and intelligent attacking coach could be significant for a club desperate for a resurgence.
He has also expressed an interest in working in England in the past. The fluent English speaker once said in an interview that
he “would love to work in the Premier League“.
Why Xavi would be perfect for Spurs
Frank was unable to succeed at Tottenham for a number of reasons, one of which was his tactical outlook, not prioritising possession and expansive attacking play.
Tottenham take their To Dare Is To Do motto seriously, and it’s a notion Xavi would be sure to subscribe to, his Barcelona-coded style leading to the La Liga title in 2022/23.
|
La Liga – Possession Leaders (22/23) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Final Pos. |
Possession Av. |
|
Barcelona |
1st |
64.3% |
|
Real Madrid |
2nd |
60.9% |
|
Villarreal |
5th |
56.9% |
|
Real Sociedad |
4th |
54.6% |
|
Sevilla |
12th |
52.6% |
|
Data via FBref |
||
Typically fielding a 4-3-3 formation, Xavi would strive for balance in Spurs’ midfield, perhaps giving Xavi Simons a license to roam into more advanced positions and connect with the frontline.
Across 143 matches with the Catalan giants, he won 91 matches and saw his team score 280 goals at a points-per-game rate of 2.07.
There would be an element of risk attached to his signature, for sure, but Xavi, hailed for his “incredible passion” by long-time midfield partner Andres Iniesta, has the potential to become one of Europe’s true elite, someone who could spearhead a Spurs project toward glory over the next several years.
It’s a risk the London outfit might want to pursue, especially when considering someone like Pochettino struggled during their last stint in the Premier League (with Chelsea) and was actually sacked by Tottenham back in 2019.
De Zerbi, meanwhile, left his post with Marseille only this week, and in acrimonious circumstances at that. Of the three, Xavi is the one who boasts the greatest title-winning success and is the one whose pedigree has seen him labelled as “the best manager in the world” by Barca president Joan Laporta during his time at Camp Nou.
It might even be fair to say that Xavi and Frank are diametrically opposed from a tactical standpoint, and in that, Spurs fans would find instant relief when watching their side take on the Premier League.
His elite standing and title-winning reputation even led Thierry Henry to say on CBS Sports that he is “up there with Pep” in terms of a scholarly footballing mind.
Tottenham really could hit the jackpot with this one, landing a tactician who trumps De Zerbi and Poch, the latter of whom has a deep connection with the club but is perhaps not the one to lead them forward during this new era.
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