Michael Dawson sees this star as the next Tottenham boss.
With Thomas Frank officially dismissed after an eight-game winless run in the Premier League, Tottenham now face a decision that could shape not just the rest of the season, but the direction of the club. And for former Spurs captain Michael Dawson, the answer is clear if the club opt for an interim solution: it has to be Robbie Keane.
Frank’s exit felt inevitable after the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle, a result that brought loud boos around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and effectively sealed his fate. Despite publicly backing himself to still be in charge for the North London Derby, the club moved swiftly. Eight months into his tenure, the experiment was over.
Now the debate begins. Do Spurs move immediately for a long-term appointment such as Roberto De Zerbi, Mauricio Pochettino, or Oliver Glasner? Or do they steady the ship with an interim until the summer and reassess then?
Return Beckoning For Robbie Keane?
Dawson believes if it is the latter, there is only one man who fits the bill. Speaking on Sky Sports News, he argued that Keane offers something Spurs have been lacking: connection. Someone who knows the club, understands the expectations, and can re-energise a fanbase that has grown disillusioned.
“They’ve got a huge decision to make. I hear everyone talking about an interim – we don’t know. “We don’t know if it’s going to be an interim. If that happens, I think there’s only one manager they’re waiting for and it has to be Pochettino in the summer. “Or do they go and get someone now, and people are saying; ‘Well, who will that be?’ For me, there’s someone there in the making, someone who knows the football club, someone who’s got the passion, played for the club, loves it, will galvanise everyone and bring them in the right direction moving forward, and that’s Robbie Keane for me.”
Keane, who had an impressive G/A of 163 in the Premier League, is currently impressing with Ferencvarosi TC, joint-top of the Hungarian league and competing in the Europa League knockout stages. That success complicates any potential return. As Dawson himself admitted, it is hard to imagine many managers walking away from a title race and European football for a short-term caretaker role.
However, if Spurs believe in Keane’s character and energy, why limit it to interim status? Tottenham have already rolled the dice on serial winners like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. They have tried pragmatism. They have tried process, and they have tried patience. Perhaps the next move needs to be about identity.
Whether the board share Dawson’s conviction is another question. But as Tottenham weigh interim versus long-term, one thing is certain: the next appointment cannot afford to feel disconnected from what the club is supposed to be. And in Dawson’s eyes, Robbie Keane is the only interim who truly understands that.