It’s amazing to think that after ten games of the 2023/24 season, Tottenham Hotspur are sitting comfortably at the top of the Premier League, following an unbeaten start under Ange Postecoglou.
The subsequent loss to Chelsea in N17 felt like a defining moment at the time for what has happened since, Postecoglou’s men scored 4 in that unforgettable Monday night game, losing both Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie to red cards, while also seeing James Maddison and Micky van de Ven forced off through injury.
As it would prove, the Lilywhites would finish that season in fifth place with 12 league defeats in total, having lost a further 37 top-flight games since the start of 2024/25. Arsenal’s rivals, by comparison, have lost just seven games in the last 18 months.
|
Win % in PL – 2008 post |
|
|---|---|
|
The manager |
win % |
|
Redknapp |
49% |
|
Accommodation in Villas-Boas |
54% |
|
Sherwood |
59% |
|
Pochettino |
56% |
|
Mourinho |
47% |
|
Nuno |
50% |
|
Count |
57% |
|
Ange |
41% |
|
Frank |
27% |
It’s all come to a head with Spurs now very much in the relegation picture, with the question remaining as to who will be the next short-term or long-term appointee in north London.
The Premier League manager could be ready to take the Tottenham job
Interim manager Igor Tudor remains in place for now, although after Sunday’s debacle at Nottingham Forest, there is a feeling that the Croatian’s exit is inevitable.
With that in mind, reports this week have indicated that Roberto De Zerbi is ready to get his hands dirty and take over immediately, despite similar claims that it would be better to wait until the end of the season.
The Italian maverick is currently available after his sacking from Marseille last month, with his previous Premier League stints at Brighton and Hove Albion also a big plus.
So is Sean Dyche, another 54-year-old who is believed to be under consideration.
That said, there are those already in the top flight who could also be in the equation, with GIVEMESPORT reporting that talks have already taken place within the ENIC regime over a possible move for Fulham’s Marco Silva.
As the report notes, it is not clear whether that is intended for the 48-year-old to replace Tudor immediately, or to join this summer, with the Portuguese coach out of contract at the end of the season.
Silva, rightly, is said to be ready to take over after amassing a wealth of experience at Everton, Watford and Hull City.
Why Silva would be a better appointment than De Zerbi
There’s no denying that De Zerbi looks to be at the top right now, and the 46-year-old’s eye-catching style of football could make him an attractive option for fans who rightly want exciting and progressive football.
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That said, the one-time Sassuolo boss has never shown he can fit in long-term at any club, spending just under two seasons at Brighton before moving on, and also spent around 18 months in charge at Marseille.
Therefore, Silva would appear to be the best choice for ENIC in that sense, as the young coach at Craven Cottage from the 2021/22 season, has overseen the steady progress in west London in recent years.
There could also be a bonus, should the worst happen, of Silva’s Championship career during a first campaign at Fulham, returning the club to the Premier League at the first time of asking, while comfortably cementing it in the top flight since then.
Even in the current campaign, the 4-2-3-1 manager has led the Cottagers firmly into European contention, doing so without the need for big spending or major club upheaval.
His “mind” – as praised by journalist Dean Jones – created a team greater than the sum of its parts, while turning around the fortunes of players like Harry Wilson, who is now enjoying a career-best season with 16 goals and an assist in the league already.
A long-time player in English football now, having joined Hull City nearly a decade ago in the 2016/17 campaign, Silva has done it all with certainty, tasting relegation with the Tigers, yet also leading his current side to promotion.
That next step is to give him the chance to thrive at an elite club like Spurs, and Silva is the type of person who can bring a sense of calm to proceedings, unlike the chaos often provided by De Zerbi, or the sometimes sinister approach provided by Dyche.
Whether he follows Tudor immediately, or replaces Thomas Frank long-term, the Fulham boss has done more than enough to put his hat in the ring.
Brand new candidate: Spurs looking to hire 4-2-3-1 boss Ange 2.0
Tottenham Hotspur could surprise with the appointment of Ange Postecoglou style.
