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Tottenham will explore interim options after sacking Thomas Frank with a view to a permanent appointment in the summer when Mauricio Pochettino will be among those in the equation.
John Heitinga, who was added to Frank’s coaching staff last month, days before a defeat at home to West Ham, is thought to be among the leading candidates as a short-term solution.
Heitinga left Arne Slot’s backroom team at Liverpool to take over at Ajax last year but was sacked after less than six months in the role.
Spurs will make the decision in the coming days. If they go with Heitinga they will have to restock coaching positions around him because some of Frank’s staff, several of whom came with him from Brentford, will also leave.
Unusually in football, there is time on their side. Spurs will not play again until the North London derby against Arsenal on Sunday week and the players will not train again until Monday.
This was five-day break was put in place by Frank before his sacking on Wednesday morning, 12 hours after Tuesday’s defeat at home to Newcastle which plunged them deeper into relegation trouble, and the plans were not changed.
John Heitinga is thought to be a leading candidate to take charge of Tottenham on an interim basis
Robbie Keane is another name under consideration, but whether he would consider an interim position is unknown given he is currently managing Ferencvaros in Hungary
A move for Roberto De Zerbi, who left Marseille on Tuesday, is thought to be unlikely
Robbie Keane is another name who has come under consideration. Keane is a former Spurs favourite currently managing at Ferencvaros in Hungary, top of the league and into the Europa League knock-out phase with a tie against Ludogorets next week.
Keane, with his club connections and energetic personality, might galvanise fans and players although whether he would consider an interim position is unknown.
A move for Roberto De Zerbi, who parted company with Marseille on Tuesday, is thought unlikely.
De Zerbi’s named was advanced for the job by former Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici when Ange Postecoglou was sacked last year, and again before Christmas when Frank was struggling.
De Zerbi earned a reputation for combustibility during two seasons at Brighton, and this is enhanced by his tempestuous exit from Marseille.
Paratici, meanwhile, has left his job at Spurs, returning last week to his native Italy with Fiorentina.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, once again the club’s sole sporting director after Paratici’s departure, will lead the search for Frank’s successor.
Fans sang for Pochettino during the Newcastle defeat but there is no prospect of the popular former Spurs boss leaving his role as head coach of the United States before the World Cup in June. Nor is there any chance he might be able to combine both jobs.
Mauricio Pochettino has made no secret of a desire to return to Tottenham, but would have to come after he leads the United States at the World Cup
Frank was sacked after Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat by Newcastle on Tuesday, with the Dane having presided over just two league wins in their last 17 matches
If Spurs are serious about a romantic reunion with the Argentine who led them to runners-up finishes in the Premier League in 2017 and the Champions League in 2019 they will have to convince him the club is serious about a rebuild.
Pochettino will be out of contract after the World Cup and open to a return to club football, ideally in England where he still lives.
He has made no secret of his desire to return one day but if Spurs push a permanent appointment back until the summer this brings others into the field, including others managing in international football and club bosses out of contract such as Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth.
There will also be the seasonal shift at other clubs. Slot, who rejected Spurs before they appointed Postecoglou in 2023, does not appear to have a certain future at Liverpool. Many managerial plates can shift in the next four months.
The end for Frank came in a Tuesday morning conversation with Venkatesham and Lange, who had made their recommendation to the Spurs board that they should make an immediate change.
Ultimately, it came down as it always does to results and fears of relegation.
Spurs issued confirmation in a statement at 10.17am in which they thanked him for his efforts and commitment and wished him well for the future.
The Dane is well liked and respected by many at the club even if he failed to win over supporters and may not have convinced some of the players.
He leaves Spurs 16th in the Premier League, only five points clear of the drop zone with 13 games remaining and it did not come as a complete shock to Frank even though he claimed in post-match media interviews following the Newcastle game that he expected to be in charge against Arsenal.
