Tottenham Hotspur slumped to their fifth defeat of the Premier League season prior to the international break, leaving them tenth in the table, and if Ange Postecoglou is unable to reverse the Lillywhites' fortunes, then the North London outfit should consider Ruud Van Nistelrooy as a potential replacement.
Goals from Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap saw Ipswich take a commanding lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend, and Rodrigo Bentancur's second half header wasn't enough to turn things around, as Postecoglou's men were condemned to their most embarrassing loss thus far. The performance against the Tractor Boys encapsulated Spurs' season, bound by inconsistency and an inability to break down low blocks.
Meanwhile, Van Nistelrooy left Manchester United this week, departing the north-west club as Ruben Amorim arrived to commence his tenure at Old Trafford. The Dutchman is now available on the market, and is evidently open to a managerial role, having applied for the Coventry City job.
Spurs Should Consider Van Nistelrooy
Postecoglou is under some pressure
Still just three points behind third-placed Chelsea, Spurs' season is far from over. The North Londoners are within touching distance of the coveted top four, and thus Postecoglou isn't under immediate pressure.
However, the Australian is certainly facing increasing scrutiny, and if results continue to spiral, then he could be given his marching orders. The former Celtic boss looked 'really down' after the defeat to Ipswich, suggesting that the team's struggles are certainly getting to him, and he may be feeling some pressure.
There's no doubt that the Tottenham hierarchy have some sort of succession plan in place for the scenario that Postecoglou isn't able to improve things. Van Nistelrooy, who impressed in his four-match cameo in the Old Trafford dugout, should be part of this succession planning.
Described as 'having everything' by BBC Sport's Stephen Kelly, the former PSV head coach is highly thought of, and reports suggesting the United squad wanted him to remain at the club under Amorim speaks to his popularity amongst players.
Aside from this recent praise, Van Nistelrooy led PSV to a KNVB-Cup triumph in 2023, demonstrating his clear managerial acumen. The Spurs job would certainly be a step-up, but he appears capable.