Cast your minds back to late October 2023, when Tottenham Hotspur were flying high.
Ange Postecoglou had just coached his tenth Premier League victory on the bounce, and there was talk about what he'd be able to build in North London centred around his incredibly exciting, gung-ho brand of football.
Unfortunately, that never happened, as following their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea, which saw them lose James Maddison and Micky Van de Ven to injury, while Cristian Romero got himself sent off, the team spiralled and only just about qualified for the Europa League in May.
This season has been even worse, and should they not find success in Europe, the Lilywhites could finish 17th and with nothing to show for Postecoglou's second season in charge, which, as he went to great lengths to point out earlier this season, is when he tends to win something.
Unsurprisingly, reports are now suggesting the Australian will be moved on in the summer, and while others have pointed to Thomas Frank as a possible replacement, there is another name who has been brought up: a manager with league-winning experience.
Why Spurs would want Frank
So, before getting to the manager in question, it's worth looking at why Spurs might want to hire Frank.
From a tactical perspective, the Danish coach prefers to use a 4-3-3 formation, which has been the Lilywhites' go-to under Postecoglou, and like the Australian, the Brentford boss likes his teams to play a high-octane game.
He wants his sides to progress the ball up the pitch as quickly as possible, and while there is less of an emphasis on playing such a high line, they remain a free-scoring side, with the eighth most in the Premier League this season at 56.
Aside from the pure tactics, he's also shown an ability to completely shape a team as he led the West Londoners up from the Championship and made them a solidly mid-table side despite a relatively modest transfer spend.
Moreover, he's also managed to improve the team even though Ivan Toney left in the summer, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa stepping in to fill the gap.
However, with all that said, there might be an even better option out there, someone who's never managed in England before.
The Manager Spurs could hire in place of Frank
While there are plenty of talented managers out there that Spurs could look to hire this summer, the coach in question is none other than Xavi.
According to football.london, the Spanish icon has been linked with the Lilywhites' hot seat recently, and while it seems like a somewhat unlikely appointment, it shouldn't be.
Starting with the tactics, one of his main priorities at Barcelona was packing out the midfield, which he did by starting a traditional winger on the right but another midfielder on the left, who would come into the middle of the park, while the left-back provided width in the attack.
This approach could allow Dejan Kulusevski to start alongside James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and a defensive midfielder while also allowing Destiny Udogie to do what he does best, which is bombing forward.
To facilitate this interesting approach, the former midfielder, whom Joan Laporta dubbed "the best manager in the world," tends to prefer a 4-3-3 formation, which, as mentioned before, is already how the North Londoners line up.
On top of his tactical approach, the 45-year-old led the Catalans to a La Liga title and left the club with a record of 91 wins, 23 draws, 29 losses and an average of 2.07 points per game.
Ultimately, not only would Xavi institute a style that gets the best out of Spurs' incredible midfield talent, but he's also got the winning experience and would undoubtedly command the respect of his dressing room.