Ranking Tottenham replacements for Thomas Frank as sack talk explodes and nine managers linked | OneFootball

Thomas Frank’s days are numbered as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, who once again find themselves searching for a new boss they can trust to take them to the next level.

Frank was only appointed in the summer as the replacement for Ange Postecoglou, who paid the price for finishing 17th in the Premier League despite winning the Europa League to end Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought.

Having impressed over a seven-year reign at Brentford, including four seasons in the Premier League, Frank was expected to perform well upon taking the next step in his career. But that hasn’t happened.

A loss to West Ham United over the weekend has put Frank in a more perilous position than ever, considering the dire form their opponents had also been in recently.

Now, Spurs are starting to mobilise for potential replacements for Frank, whose reputation among the fanbase is sinking rapidly.

But once Frank is out the door, who should Tottenham replace him with? We’ve ranked the candidates that are linked with the job – although an interim manager such as John Heitinga might see out the season first…

1. Andoni Iraola

Iraola has gained plenty of admirers for his work with Bournemouth, but he will be out of contract with the Cherries at the end of the season, which could lead to plenty of interest in his services.

Favouring a 4-2-3-1 formation, Iraola has collected plenty of good results with Bournemouth, finishing 12th in his debut season and then three places higher last time out.

One of the challenges he will have to overcome over the next few months is how he adapts to losing his main source of goals after the sale of Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City.

But if he sticks to his playing philosophy, it could well be one that aligns with what Tottenham want to see for themselves.

2. Mauricio Pochettino

They say never go back, but it might be too tempting in Pochettino’s case, with his reign feeling like the last time there was genuine unity at the club.

His replacement Jose Mourinho wasn’t universally popular, Nuno Espirito Santo didn’t last long, Antonio Conte garnered a similar vibe to Mourinho, Postecoglou ran out of excuses and Frank has failed to inspire at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Pochettino made Spurs a competitive outfit during his original tenure between 2014 and 2019, achieving finishes of fifth, third, second, third again and fourth from his full seasons in charge and also reaching a Champions League final.

The brand of football he brought to the club, while also navigating some trickier times in the transfer market, made him well-liked in north London until a stale run of form early in the 2019-20 season saw him dismissed.

Pochettino, who returned to the Premier League with Chelsea for the 2023-24 season, would be interested in having a second spell with Spurs.

However, his current role as the USA manager means they would have to wait until after their involvement in the World Cup concludes for him to commence work.

Pochettino did well with Spurs before, but they would have to be fully convinced he’d be worth the wait.

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3. Xabi Alonso

Alonso is one of the more eye-catching names available on the managerial market at the moment after his premature departure from Real Madrid.

He will be hoping that not lasting a whole season there hasn’t knocked his reputation too much; after all, he previously guided Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title in 2023-24 with an unbeaten record.

His system in Germany was built from a back three, but he switched to a back four in Spain.

Alonso is believed to be wanting some time to assess his next move. If he took the Spurs job and struggled, it could derail his still-promising managerial career.

But his potential to cultivate a winning environment is undeniable, despite the issues he encountered at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

4. Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi previously adapted well to the Premier League with Brighton before they went their separate ways and he winded up at Marseille.

Marseille finished as the runners-up to arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season, which was a major upswing compared to the season before De Zerbi took charge.

The Italian’s existing experience of English football would make him a strong candidate for the Spurs job, after TEAMtalk revealed earlier this month he was rising up their shortlist.

However, he isn’t afraid to leave clubs for what he would consider a step up in his career and, realistically, Tottenham aren’t close enough to the top of the food chain at the moment to be sure he would be a long-term solution.

5. Oliver Glasner

Glasner has been kicking up a storm at Crystal Palace, having confirmed his intention to leave the club at the end of the season and suggested his departure may even be preponed to some point before then – although sources expect him to remain in his post until the summer.

Last season, Glasner led Palace to their first major trophy, winning the FA Cup and qualifying for European football in the process.

His achievements in south London have led to Glasner being one of the most talked-about managers in the Premier League right now as a candidate for various vacancies.

There could be some concerns about his short fuse with the way he has been speaking out against Palace from within recently, so he needs to prove he can control a pressurised environment.

6. Xavi

Xavi has remained out of work since leaving Barcelona in 2024, a year after winning his first LaLiga title as a manager.

How he performs in an environment he didn’t previously play in remains to be seen, since the only other club he’s managed was Al Sadd – the same place he finished his playing career.

Xavi definitely has some degree of credit in the bank as the prospect of resuming his coaching career looms, but the identity he would presumably try to cultivate at his next club may not be as automatically ingrained as it was for Barcelona.

He has been aiming to learn English to put himself in contention for a Premier League job, but the Spurs squad would need a lot of work for him to be successful there.

7. Marco Silva

Silva has found some stability at Fulham after shorter spells in English football with Hull City, Watford and Everton.

By consolidating Fulham as a mid-table outfit in the top flight, Silva has enhanced his reputation. The question is whether he would last at a club like Spurs, where he would need to show extra nous.

8. Fabian Hurzeler

The youngest boss in the Premier League at the moment, Hurzeler is currently in his second season with Brighton.

He did a decent job to secure a top-half finish last season but still has a lot to prove before taking on a bigger job.

9. Robbie Keane

Keane had two spells with Tottenham as a player, who were the club he scored most for in his career.

The former striker has been a manager since 2023, first leading Maccabi Tel Aviv and now being in charge of Ferencvaros.

It’s a fairly unconventional path, but Keane has managed to win league titles with both of the clubs he has managed so far.

Still, the Spurs job would be a big leap for the 45-year-old, despite his existing connection with the club.