When all was said and done, Thomas Frank just couldn’t get the supertanker turned around fast enough. Using a supertanker as a metaphor was an interesting choice, on his part, but that boat was now officially sunk. Frank lasted just eight months in the role, as he proved to be no better than his predecessor, Ange Postecoglu. Last year, Spurs finished 17th, in the final spot above the drop zone. Although to be fair, they were still 13 points clear of relegation.
Currently, the North-London side is 16th in the table, but only five points clear of getting dropped. Time for coaching regime change, at Tottenham, yet again!
Oliver Glasner
Might be the hottest coaching candidate in the market, once his contract expires this summer. He also might be the leading candidate to take the Manchester United job, should they not give interim manager Michael Carrick the job on a full-time basis.
Xabi Alonso
One of the best free agents out there, maybe the Real Madrid job was just too big for him. At least right now, and at this time. However, the Spurs job might be just right, in terms of challenge and size, right now.
Roberto De Zerbi
It feels like it’s a requirement to put De Zerbi’s name on any Premier League coaching candidates list. Like it’s mandated by law or something. Stil
Andoni Iraola
Was a fast riser, and hot coaching commodity, entering the season, but Bournemouth still sit ninth right now. The next step for the Cherries is to earn European qualification. That would mark a major milestone in progression of the club. If/when it happens, Iraola will be one of the most sought after candidates in the market.
Xavi Hernández
Not sure why he hasn’t taken a new gig yet. He’s been a free agent for awhile. Still- how many candidates out there have a recent title from one of the big five leagues?
Mauricio Pochettino
He won’t leave until after USMNT World Cup run is over, and by that point he’ll be out of contract. Can you come home again? (He himself ruled this idea out, this past June) Have Tottenham realized now that they never should have let him go in the first place? How much would he cost? Provided, the USA makes a deep World Cup run and a kind of bidding war erupts with the USSF over his services.
Poch wasn’t the man who finally ended Spurs’ trophy drought (no, that was Ange Postecoglu, he was sacked shortly after doing so), but he was the guy who brought this program up significantly.
He led them to runner-up finishes in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Eddie Howe
Would this be a lateral move for him? He is under fire a bit now, and if he does leave (whether it’s by choice or by getting forced out), he does exit as a club legend. When he took over, Newcastle was in a rough spot, and he led them back to both the UEFA Champions League and a League Cup title.
So he has rebuilding cred, to say the least.
Wild Cards/Long Shots
Michael Carrick (former Tottenham player who could be in the mix, should United not remove the interim label), Unai Emery (maybe, but this would be a step down, probably), Thomas Tuchel (he will be out of contract this summer)
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.