Tottenham warned against ‘huge risk’ appointment as Spurs are told to ‘scratch that itch’ | OneFootball

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson reckons Spurs need a Harry Redknapp-style appointment if they go down the interim boss route after Thomas Frank was sacked.

Spurs made the decision to part company with Frank on Wednesday morning after losing 2-1 at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Jacob Ramsey’s winning goal for the Magpies saw Tottenham continue their run of eight matches without a win in the Premier League with Spurs now 16th in the table,

Tottenham are now in real trouble of slipping further towards the relegation zone unless they can turn their form around and Robinson reckons the board acted to “stop this slide”.

Robinson told Betfred: “I probably expected him to be there until the end of the season in all honesty. They finished fourth in the Champions League group stage ahead of the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Inter Milan and Juventus, but with all the turgid performances in the league, it’s like history repeating itself from last season again.

“I just think the performance last night was the tip of the iceberg for the board. The fans of Tottenham are very intelligent fans and they know what they see, they don’t like what they see and they’ve not liked it for a long time. It’s unacceptable and you can see the team sliding towards the bottom three and nobody’s got a god given right to be in the Premier League but for a club the size of Tottenham, they have to be in the Premier League.

“They’ve got Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Liverpool coming up, which are big games, and they could have been in a lot of trouble if this was allowed to continue and I think the board acted because they need to stop this slide happening.”

There have already been several managers linked with permanent job in north London, including former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, while Frank’s assistant John Heitinga could take on an interim role.

But former Tottenham goalkeeper Robinson reckons bringing in Heitinga would represent a “huge risk” as the Dutchman is largely inexperienced at managerial level.

“Regarding interim managers, I wouldn’t mind a Harry Redknapp style of manager going in because that group of players is what you’ve got to work with and you’ve not got any time. You need somebody who’s going to go in there and get the best out of the group of players you’ve got.

“Mauricio Pochettino is the big one that all Spurs fans would want back and I think until that itch is scratched, it’s never going to go away. You’re not going to get Pochettino until the end of the World Cup, but it is an itch that needs to be scratched at some point because unless any manager comes into Tottenham that manages to exceed what he did, Spurs fans will always look at that through rose-tinted glasses. Whether that’s right or not, I don’t know.

“A left-field one from me as I cover a lot of the Saudi Pro League, Simone Inzaghi. He did an incredible job at Inter Milan and took them to a Champions League final and now he’s at Al-Hilal where he’s turned their fortunes around and they’re top of their league and it looks as if they will win it this season. If you can get him out, which I think will be difficult, then I think he’ll be a great appointment.

“The other one I looked at is Igor Tudor. He had a poor start to the season with Juventus and left earlier in the season, but he’s available now and they need somebody immediately as there has to be an immediate effect.

“An interim is looking more likely at the moment and somebody like John Heitinga would be a huge risk. It would be a big risk to give somebody with a fledgling managerial career the rest of the season to keep a club like Tottenham in the Premier League.”