According to Independent, Tottenham have ceased their pursuit of Gennaro Gattuso, owing to the widespread backlash from fans over the Italian’s opinion towards women’s football and same-sex marriage, among other things. The Lilywhites have now missed out on both Gattuso and Paulo Fonseca in a matter of days, leaving them stranded in their pursuit of a new manager.
Here, at The 4th Official, we will take a look at three available options Tottenham could still turn to, in their prolonged search of a new gaffer.
Joachim Loew
Joachim Loew is one of the few star managers available this summer, after announcing his resignation as the Germany head coach after the ongoing UEFA Euro 2020. The former Stuttgart coach has faced a massive backlash from fans due to his questionable team selection, most notably by leaving out the trio of Mats Hummels, Thomas Muller and Jerome Boateng from the national fold a few years ago.
The German team hasn’t performed very well after Euro 2016 either, notably getting knocked out of the group stage in the 2018 World Cup. Loew, nevertheless, has established himself as a fine and competent coach during his 15 years with the German national team.
The 61-year-old is particularly known for his ability to revolve his team around young players, which could be ideal for Spurs as they look to start from scratch after a difficult couple of years. And given his experience, Loew could indeed be an exciting replacement for Mourinho at Tottenham next season.
Lucien Favre
Speaking of experienced coaches, Lucien Favre, too, is looking for a job after being sacked by Borussia Dortmund earlier this year. He was criticised for his tactics, even from the players and the overall lack of positivity around his presence.
That said, no other Dortmund manager, since Jurgen Klopp, came close to breaking Bayern Munich’s hegemony over German football than Favre, whose Dortmund team missed out on the title by just two points in the 2018/19 campaign.
The Swiss coach is an excellent tactician, who isn’t afraid to give young players the opportunity to shine at the highest level of football. He is also a proponent of possession-based, attacking football with a certain degree of high press, which could appeal to Tottenham, especially after a year of Mourinho’s detrimental tactics.
Sergio Conceicao
If old, experienced managers don’t make the cut, Tottenham Hotspur can always turn to Sergio Conceicao. He is the only manager on this list who is not actively looking for a job as his current contract with FC Porto runs until 2024.
During his time with Do Dragao, Conceicao has achieved great things, including two Liga NOS championships as well as one Portuguese cup title. He also helped Porto reach the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League, with his brave team notably beating Juventus in the Round of 16 this past season.
Conceicao might be the least possession-based of the three, but his rigid 4-4-2 often tends to bring the best out of the team defensively while also sporting a certain sense of attacking endeavour. This balance could be ideal for Tottenham as they look to slowly shift away from Mourinho, but maintain the solidity that was offered by the Portuguese tactician.
