Time is running out for Thomas Frank to save himself from the sack at Tottenham.
Tottenham are nowhere near the required level to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City this season. The Lilywhites have significantly underperformed under Thomas Frank’s guidance despite spending a staggering £180m on eight new players last summer. They have won just seven of their 22 Premier League matches, leaving the North Londoners languishing in 14th place in the table.
To make matters worse, Thomas Frank has also lost the backing of the Spurs faithful. Supporters have made their feelings clear towards the Danish tactician, with boos and jeers becoming a regular occurrence at matches for the former Brentford boss. The recent home defeat to West Ham was widely viewed as the final nail in the coffin, with fans chanting “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at the manager.
However, the club’s hierarchy opted to take a different view and decided that Frank would remain in charge for the Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund earlier this week. In hindsight, that decision proved to be the correct one, as the Danish tactician masterminded a convincing 2-0 victory that took the Lilywhites within touching distance of automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
Tottenham considering making a move for Xabi Alonso
The win over Dortmund has bought Thomas Frank some time as he attempts to steady the ship at N17 in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, there remains a strong belief that a managerial change is a question of when, not if. Delaying the inevitable could risk Spurs’ chances of progressing deep into the Champions League and securing a strong finish in the Premier League.
Recent reports have linked Xabi Alonso with a move to Tottenham as the club begin to consider Frank’s eventual replacement. The Spaniard was recently sacked by Real Madrid and is now keen to embark on a new challenge. Ben Jacobs has since shed light on whether the Lilywhites stand a realistic chance of appointing the highly rated tactician in the near future. Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, Jacobs said,
“Xabi Alonso is a free agent. People are wrongly adding up two and two and making five and assuming he’ll go to Liverpool. If there’s vacancy at Liverpool and if he’s a free agent, then yes he would be one of the names they consider. But Slot retains the backing of the board. I’m told there’s only so long Alonso is going to wait as he wants to dive straight back in.”
The journalist added,
“He’ll be in demand and he does have aspirations to manage in the Premier League. So, the better Arne Slot does and if Spurs have a vacancy, maybe there will be a situation where he becomes a candidate. There is some appreciation from within the Spurs hierarchy for Alonso.”
Jacobs suggests that it is far from certain that Xabi Alonso will end up at Liverpool, particularly with the club’s board continuing to back Arne Slot and planning to give him until the end of the season. Alonso, for his part, is eager to take on a new challenge immediately and wants to test himself in the Premier League. If Spurs move quickly and Slot continues to impress at Anfield, there is a strong possibility that the Spaniard could consider a switch to N17 in the coming weeks.
Would Xabi Alonso be the right appointment for Tottenham?
Securing Alonso’s appointment could prove to be a turning point for Spurs as they look to build on last season’s Europa League success. The Spaniard has developed a reputation for overachieving with underperforming sides, most notably during his time at Bayer Leverkusen. He guided the club to their maiden Bundesliga title without suffering a single defeat, while also lifting the DFB Pokal. That historic achievement underlined his status as one of the most promising young coaches in world football.
At Tottenham, the former Real Madrid boss would have the opportunity to further develop his managerial career in the Premier League. His tactical philosophy and ideas align well with the club’s needs, and the current squad appears well suited to his brand of football. Appointing Alonso would make the Lilywhites an exciting side to watch, given his adaptability and preference for free-flowing, attacking football.
Will Xabi Alonso make the switch to N17 and test himself in such a demanding environment? Only time will tell, but Spurs supporters will be hopeful that a move materialises if Thomas Frank is dismissed in the coming weeks.