Tottenham weigh interim move for ex-Liverpool boss after Frank sacking as fan-favourite assessed
Tottenham Hotspur have sacked manager Thomas Frank and will now pursue an interim appointment before targeting a permanent successor in the summer, as stated by MailOnline. The dismissal came after a Tuesday morning conversation between Frank and the club’s chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange, who recommended the immediate change following a home defeat to Newcastle that left the team 16th in the Premier League and only five points clear of the relegation zone.
Spurs confirmed the departure in a statement issued at 10.17am on Wednesday, thanking Frank for his efforts and commitment. The Dane, who was well liked within the club but failed to win over some supporters and players, had claimed after the Newcastle loss that he expected to remain in charge for the forthcoming north London derby against Arsenal.
The club has an unusual window to make its next move, as the players are on a five-day break that was scheduled by Frank before his sacking and will not train again until Monday. Their next match is not until Sunday week against Arsenal, providing time to install a short-term solution.
John Heitinga, who joined Frank’s coaching staff last month just days before a defeat to West Ham, is considered a leading candidate for the interim role. If chosen, Spurs would need to restock other coaching positions, as several members of Frank’s staff who followed him from Brentford are also set to leave. Heitinga left his role in Arne Slot’s backroom team at Liverpool to manage Ajax last year but was sacked after less than six months.
Another name under consideration for the temporary position is former Spurs favourite Robbie Keane, currently managing Ferencvaros in Hungary, where his team tops the league and is into the Europa League knock-out phase. Keane’s club connections and energetic personality could galvanise fans and players, though it is unknown whether he would entertain an interim post.
For the permanent appointment this summer, Mauricio Pochettino will be among those in the frame. Fans chanted for the Argentine during the Newcastle defeat, but there is no prospect of him leaving his role as head coach of the United States before the World Cup in June, nor of him combining both jobs. Pochettino, who will be out of contract after the tournament and is open to a return to club football in England, would require convincing that Spurs are serious about a rebuild for any romantic reunion.
Other potential permanent candidates include Roberto De Zerbi, whose name was advanced for the job by former Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici on previous occasions. De Zerbi parted company with Marseille on Tuesday, and concerns around him include a reputation for combustibility and his role in facilitating Mason Greenwood’s return to elite European football after the forward’s exit from Manchester United. Greenwood was suspended by United in 2022 after an arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive behaviour; criminal charges were dropped in 2023, and he moved to Marseille via a loan to Getafe, with De Zerbi later praising him as having Ballon d’Or potential.
Paratici has since left Tottenham and returned to Italy with Fiorentina, leaving Venkatesham and Lange to lead the search for Frank’s successor. Delaying the permanent hire until the summer broadens the field, potentially to figures like Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, whose contract expires, or managers in international football. Arne Slot, who rejected Spurs before Ange Postecoglou’s appointment in 2023, does not have a certain future at Liverpool, illustrating how managerial landscapes can shift in the coming months.
Frank’s tenure ended primarily due to results and relegation fears, with 13 games remaining in the season. The defeat to Newcastle deepened the club’s trouble, and the decision to sack him was made swiftly after that match.
