The pressure is mounting on Thomas Frank after a disappointing draw against Burnley continued a disastrous streak in the Premier League. While the Danish coach managed to pull off a stunning victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, the domestic numbers are impossible to ignore.
Tottenham has won only one of its last eight league matches and a shocking two out of its last fourteen. At Turf Moor, Cristian Romero had to score a 90th-minute header just to scrape a point after Burnley had overturned an early Micky van de Ven goal.
As Romero stood shaking his head at the final whistle, it became clear that the atmosphere in the dressing room is reaching a breaking point. Currently sitting in 14th place, the club’s leadership may soon have to decide if a change is needed to save the season.
If they do decide to pull the trigger, several elite coaches are currently sitting on the sidelines ready for a new challenge.
One name that stands above all others is Xabi Alonso. He is widely considered the dream candidate for any club in crisis, but bringing him to North London would be a massive task.
Alonso only left Real Madrid eight days ago following a period marked more by internal politics than poor performance, as he maintained a remarkable 70 percent win rate in Spain. Before that, he achieved the unthinkable by leading Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga title. Alonso is known for his incredible attention to detail and his ability to build long-term projects.
While Tottenham has the financial power and the existing talent to attract him, the biggest hurdle remains his former club, Liverpool. With Arne Slot’s future at Anfield looking uncertain, Alonso might prefer to wait for a return to Merseyside rather than jumping into the chaos at Spurs.
However, if Tottenham can convince him that their “project” is the one that will define his legacy in England, it would be the biggest managerial coup in the club’s recent history.
Then there is the possibility of a sentimental return for Ange Postecoglou. The Australian was sacked only two weeks after winning the Europa League, a decision that many fans felt was premature.
While Spurs struggled significantly in the league under him last season finishing 17th his “Angeball” style remains a fan favorite. Before he left, he famously promised that “season three is better than season two,” a claim he never got the chance to prove.
Bringing him back would immediately restore a sense of fun and attacking flair to the stadium. The risk, of course, is that his high-risk, high-reward tactical approach could lead to more losses in a league where the defense is already leaking goals.
Another intriguing option is Enzo Maresca. The Italian coach is currently being discussed as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, which speaks volumes about his reputation.
Like Alonso, Maresca recently left his position at Chelsea due to political disagreements rather than results. He is viewed as one of the brightest tactical minds in the game today.
The main issue with hiring Maresca would be the level of control he demands. After his experience at Stamford Bridge, he is unlikely to accept a job where he doesn’t have a major say in transfers and club strategy.
If the Tottenham hierarchy is willing to hand over the keys to the kingdom, Maresca could be the man to finally bring a modern, structured identity to the team.
| Manager | Recent Success | Tactical Style | Availability |
| Xabi Alonso | Unbeaten Bundesliga Title | Possession-based / Detailed | Immediate (Left Real Madrid) |
| Ange Postecoglou | Europa League Winner | High-risk Attacking / “Angeball” | Immediate |
| Enzo Maresca | High Win Rate at Chelsea | Positional Play / Tactical | Immediate (Left Chelsea) |
| Thiago Motta | Champions League Qual. | Fluid / Versatile 4-3-3 | Immediate |
Finally, Thiago Motta remains a very strong contender. Motta has earned rave reviews for his work in Italy, where he transformed a modest squad into a Champions League-caliber side.
He is a manager who values fluidity and versatility, often asking his players to rotate positions constantly to confuse the opposition. This kind of modern flexibility might be exactly what this stagnant Spurs squad needs to break down teams like Burnley.
The clock is ticking for Thomas Frank. While European success is a nice distraction, the reality of a 14th-place standing is a heavy burden for any manager at a club of Tottenham’s stature.
Whether it is the tactical precision of Alonso, the attacking chaos of Postecoglou, the structured philosophy of Maresca, or the fluid innovation of Motta, the options for a fresh start are sitting right there. The board must now decide if they want to stick with their current path or gamble on a new leader to steer the ship back toward the top of the table.
