It is strange being a Tottenham Hotspur fan these days. In the last good few seasons we have had reason for both hope, and then, utter despair at how our form typically, and quite disastrously changes.
A change that fans can normally see coming, but successive managers have been unable to rectify and given that former Tottenham and England striker Teddy Sheringham was in front of the media last week, the Spurs question naturally came up and you would get good Football odds on how next season goes given where we find ourselves at this point in time.
Having now travelled through the likes of Jose Mourinho, Ryan Mason, Nuno Espirito Santo, Antonio Conte, Cristian Stellini and now back to Mason again, simply because the far more successful and consistent, Mauricio Pochettino, was not allowed the rebuild he wanted, we find ourselves back at square one again and looking for an ambitious gaffer, with a solid project, yet someone who knows he will not be completely in charge.
57 year old Sheringham feels that Spurs and Daniel Levy do have some good candidates for the job this summer, but he namechecked Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi as potentially being top of the pile given how he performed this year.
“I think Roberto De Zerbi has come across like a shining light this season. Some of Brighton’s performances at the end of the season were so impressive: Going to the Emirates and disposing of Arsenal in the way they did and they way they went head-to-head with Manchester City. The way Brighton have played against the top teams has just been nothing short of phenomenal. De Zerbi knows what he wants, he understands the game and will make players better.”
Sheringham knew it would have to be a patient appointment though, as first and foremost, we need somebody to come in and ‘steady the ship’ much in the way Erik ten Hag did when he arrived at Manchester United, and there is also the Harry Kane question to consider as his own future at White Hart Lane is far from certain, and should he leave (with Old Trafford featuring in the speculation), Sheringham knows that replacing him correctly is absolutely key to our chances of improving again.
In fact, he again points to Brighton and their young talent, Evan Ferguson, as one potential option.
“In the same way Ten Hag has done at Manchester United, they need to come in and steady the ship. I think Evan Ferguson from Brighton is an outstanding young centre forward. I think there’s still some very good players at Tottenham. It all depends where the hierarchy want and expect the club to be going.”
Whatever happens now, we simply have to get the next appointment right, as sadly next season could potentially see us slide even further down the table.
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