Managerial Thread Part V - Tottenham in Tatters

Havre

Registered User
Jul 24, 2011
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Mourinho fits the bill to a T.

When Levy first wanted him he did :thumbu:

I guess Redknapp is the biggest exception, but all the way back to Hoddle (AVB, Jol, Pochettino etc.) Levy has dreamt of finding a new Wenger.

My guess is that Nagelsmann was the dream this time around.

This is also why I am a bit surprised they didn't push harder for Potter. Impossible to say where Potter ends up in the end in terms of success, but he has some unique characteristics where you could see him building something special some day at one of the bigger clubs. The kind of bet I would have expected Spurs to make.

Hopefully Nuno will be another Jol. Had no expectations with him either, but until it crashed he did really well.
 
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cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
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Flick apparently wanted Terzic to be his co-trainer before he got his new role at Dortmund. Instead, it's looking like Danny Röhl will follow Flick from Bavaria. Röhl, who got his start on Hasenhüttl's staff in Leipzig & Southampton, has been Flick's co-trainer the past two years in Munchen.

Though Jogi's co-trainer, Marcus Sorg, is staying on as Flick will have two assistants.
 

S E P H

Cloud IX
Mar 5, 2010
30,706
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Toruń, PL
I think Nuno is a fantastic person outside of football and is somebody very hard to hate (one of the more interesting coaches at pitch-side as well). I want him fired as soon as possible and not against his career, but so I can like him again outside of that nasty stadium and team. He's a good manager, but if Mourinho couldn't do anything special I have a hard time beliving that this bloke will be the one to guide them to the promise land. It's going to be Mourinho 2.0 though, but with more counterattacking and that just doesn't fit their style of players.

And Wolves were a good team under him, I think you cannot underestimate how much that club fell off the cliff after the Jimenez injury (and the Jota transfer).
 
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Paulie Gualtieri

R.I.P. Tony Sirico
May 18, 2016
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The longest 72 days of Daniel Levy's career: Inside Tottenham Hotspur's epic manager hunt

Key takeaways:

-Mourinho was sacked before the end of the season because he was prioritizing the cup final over chasing champions league over the final 6 games of the season.

-Steve Hitchen, Spurs’ technical performance director took over drawing up a list of candidates as Levy dealt with the Super League blowback

-It was already too late to try for Julian Nagelsmann.

-it was never believed Brendan Rodgers would leave Leicester for them.

-Southampton’s struggles down the stretch removed Ralph Hasenhuttl from the list.

-Scott Parker and Graham Potter were considered for long term rebuilds but both were thought to not have enough experience.

-Ralf Rangnick and Roberto Martinez were candidates.

-Hansi Flick was the number 1 option from the start, but Tottenham was unable to convince him to choose them over the German national team.

-Erik Ten Hag was considered no more than a very good alternative, but Levy never sought him after missing out on Flick and Poch.

-Pochettino, after a series of conversations with Tottenham, seriously considered returning, but PSG never had any intention of letting him leave.

-Fabio Paratici was hired as senior football executive, and immediately connected Tottenham with Antonio Conte.

-Conte raised no issues over salary or terms in their talks but warned Tottenham that if they had any doubts, they should not hire him. Eventually it was clear Conte was having second thoughts, and a week later the deal was off.

-Nobody knows why but it is possible Conte reconsidered Tottenham’s financial ability and/or competitiveness.

-Paratici and Paulo Fonseca agreed to a two years contract in early June, but when meeting to decide final terms, There were disagreements about transfer policy. There was no clear plan for the backroom staff. Fonseca felt Levy’s vision of attacking football was at odds with Paratici’s insistence that they fix the defence. The deal was dead.

-If Paratici had stayed at Juventus this summer, he would have brought Gennaro Gattuso in to replace Andrea Pirlo. But Paratici left and the club brought back Max Allegri instead.

-Levy pulled the plug on the Gattuso hiring due to the backlash from the fans.

-At this point it was far too late for any previously interested candidates like Potter and Levy wanted to keep the final stages private.

-Paratici had another idea: going back to Nuno. (Nuno, like Gattuso, is a Mendes client.) Paratici had been a long-term admirer of his coaching career, and his work in Portugal and Spain before his successful spell at Wolves. Paratici argued that Nuno’s teams played better football than some thought, and pointed to how he had coached improvements from many of his Wolves side. Levy was not initially sold, but Paratici made a strong case. By the end of last week, Nuno had edged past Potter and was the new favourite for the job.
 
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Havre

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Jul 24, 2011
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Thanks.

So 8 months from now both Paratici and Nuno are sacked :laugh:

Really hope Nuno proves me wrong. He seems like a very decent and likable guy - so would be brilliant if he did well.
 

Paulie Gualtieri

R.I.P. Tony Sirico
May 18, 2016
12,312
3,052
I'm surprised that Levy thought getting Flick was remotely possible.

Also seems dumb that he grouped Potter and Parker together.
 

Havre

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Jul 24, 2011
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Hardly a problem trying to get Flick? It didn't cost of the opportunity of someone else.

As for Potter and Parker they clearly have some similarities, but I would agree it would be odd to think Potter hasn't got enough experience, but Nuno does?

Potter has been a manager for longer than Nuno - and in terms of games they have basically managed the same no. of games. Even if Potter obviously was in Sweden for quite some time that is still the same kind of job in terms of tasks you have to deal with - even if the pressure is lower.
 
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HoseEmDown

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Mar 25, 2012
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I think Hasenhuttl would've been a good choice too. Sure they had some bad run of games but they also had a lot of injuries to a not very deep side. He plays a pretty brand of football and he likes to incorporate youth into his lineup. His teams do have defensive issues which is still Tottenhams biggest issue they need to address so I get the concerns they'll bleed goals but I think he was just as good a candidate as a Potter or Nuno.
 

Havre

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Jul 24, 2011
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I don't think Hasenhuttl would have left for Spurs. He has been quite open about staying at Southampton hasn't he? I'm obviously aware that things might change when you get an offer, but his personality makes me believe I think he would have stayed.

I would have taken him over Nuno myself. It went a bit south last season, but I like what he tries to do. And at their best Southampton have been a very good team under him. It would be cool to see him at a bigger club at some point in the future.

Huge season for him coming up though. If he doesn't turn this around he won't get an offer from a big club in England. However, if he does then I think he will. If Southampton are back in and around top 8-9 and Nuno, Arteta etc. fail then I'm sure Hasenhuttl will be on their lists. I think many are thinking what he might be able to do with better players - as he plays attractive football with a "smaller" club. Similar to Potter and maybe Parker.
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
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I don't think Hasenhuttl would have left for Spurs. He has been quite open about staying at Southampton hasn't he? I'm obviously aware that things might change when you get an offer, but his personality makes me believe I think he would have stayed.

I would have taken him over Nuno myself. It went a bit south last season, but I like what he tries to do. And at their best Southampton have been a very good team under him. It would be cool to see him at a bigger club at some point in the future.

Huge season for him coming up though. If he doesn't turn this around he won't get an offer from a big club in England. However, if he does then I think he will. If Southampton are back in and around top 8-9 and Nuno, Arteta etc. fail then I'm sure Hasenhuttl will be on their lists. I think many are thinking what he might be able to do with better players - as he plays attractive football with a "smaller" club. Similar to Potter and maybe Parker.

They finished 15th but were a couple of points away from 12th. I really don't know if they can break into that top 8 - 10 group as those teams have more talent and can far outspend them. They can't compete financially with Arsenal, Everton and what Villa have been doing. Talent wise I think they're similar to Leeds who's also in that hunt for top 10 and coaching is also close, don't think Biesla is that far ahead. So really they're about 12th best ahead of the Newcastle's of the league. So if he needs to finish 8th in order to get a move then I don't see it happening. If he wants to stay at Southampton then that's good for him and the league as he plays good football and promotes youth which is always good for the league.
 

Havre

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Jul 24, 2011
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They finished 15th but were a couple of points away from 12th. I really don't know if they can break into that top 8 - 10 group as those teams have more talent and can far outspend them. They can't compete financially with Arsenal, Everton and what Villa have been doing. Talent wise I think they're similar to Leeds who's also in that hunt for top 10 and coaching is also close, don't think Biesla is that far ahead. So really they're about 12th best ahead of the Newcastle's of the league. So if he needs to finish 8th in order to get a move then I don't see it happening. If he wants to stay at Southampton then that's good for him and the league as he plays good football and promotes youth which is always good for the league.

Football isn't that predictable in my opinion. And it is "revisionist" as for example few expected Leeds to be that good - and there is no certainty in teams like Leeds and West Ham will replicate what they did last year.

Neither do I believe it is that related to spending. Some of it is luck. Some of it is the ability to build a team. Again look at Leeds and West Ham last season. Anyone now suggesting Moyes in some sort of brilliant manager?

I think Southampton got a solid core. Vestergaard (even if he has been average at best in the Euros), Bednarek, Ward-Prowse and Ings gives you a solid base. If Ings can score 20+ goals again then I think they can fight for somewhere around 8th - assuming Hasenhuttl is that good. They were 7th before it all went south in January last season.

You might compare it to Nuno as well. How good was that Wolves team on paper before their first season in the PL? How much did the manager influence things? With the risk of sounding like I now want to talk Nuno up.

Jimenez has been brilliant for Wolves. He came from Benfica having scored 5, 6 and 7 goals in his last three seasons there. Hardly a superstar.

Doherty became a fantastically useful player for Wolves. Hopeless for Spurs.

Coady was playing as a no. 8, right back etc. for much of his career. Became a very strong player for Wolves under Nuno.

Neves was sensational for Wolves for quite some time. Not sure if that is the case any longer, but some credit to the club for getting him to deliver his potential for some time (he was obviously rated before going to Wolves as well).

Traore was always seen as this talent, but had failed in every club he had been to - before Wolves (he didn't break through until after the 18/19-season though).

The point being the manager also is part of the story when we talk about how strong a squad is. Pochettino did the same for Spurs. Almost the whole starting 11 in around 16/17 developed with Pochettino and were in hindsight seen as much better player after the fact than before.

It is not easy to get a big job in England. So if Hasenhuttl wants one - he needs to deliver.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
57,224
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New York
Flick apparently wanted Terzic to be his co-trainer before he got his new role at Dortmund. Instead, it's looking like Danny Röhl will follow Flick from Bavaria. Röhl, who got his start on Hasenhüttl's staff in Leipzig & Southampton, has been Flick's co-trainer the past two years in Munchen.

Though Jogi's co-trainer, Marcus Sorg, is staying on as Flick will have two assistants.

I don’t understand what this role for Terzic is. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s like a director of player development type of role. I wanted him to take a Bundesliga job because eventually Dortmund will need a new manager, and it’d be good to have him as an option after he had his first full time job guiding a Bundesliga team. Now he’s in the same situation as before. He’s managed a little make than half a season. Not enough that’d I’d want him as the manager in anything other than an interim manager.
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
59,984
19,055
w/ Renly's Peach
I don’t understand what this role for Terzic is. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s like a director of player development type of role. I wanted him to take a Bundesliga job because eventually Dortmund will need a new manager, and it’d be good to have him as an option after he had his first full time job guiding a Bundesliga team. Now he’s in the same situation as before. He’s managed a little make than half a season. Not enough that’d I’d want him as the manager in anything other than an interim manager.

Keeping Terzic around for fans to clamor for the instant they start turning on Rose, does seem like an awfully silly strategy...
 
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Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
57,224
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New York
Keeping Terzic around for fans to clamor for the instant they start turning on Rose, does seem like an awfully silly strategy...

I think it was Terzic’s request. I think he wants Kehl’s position when Kehl takes the retiring Zorc’s position.
 

Milos Krasic

Best Serbian Footballer (2009) / Serie A Winner
Jul 1, 2008
1,827
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What a fall. From complete control of AC Milan to bouncing from Moscow clubs who will fire him for no reason and refuse to pay him.
 

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