The Mirror

Tottenham are looking for a new manager after sacking Thomas Frank, with former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino a popular option among their disgruntled fan base

Tim Sherwood has put his hat in the ring to become Tottenham's new manager - but only on a short-term basis. That's because Sherwood convinced that another ex-Spurs boss, Mauricio Pochettino, will be Thomas Frank's permanent successor.

Barely 12 hours after Tottenham's miserable 2-1 loss at home to Newcastle, the club announced Frank's sacking on Wednesday morning. Spurs have only won two of their last 17 Premier League games, leaving them just five points above the relegation zone.

Now Tottenham are searching to appoint a coach ahead of next Sunday's North London derby against Arsenal. Sherwood, 57, both played for and managed Spurs, and he's open to a return.

"I think there's going to be a shortlist of people they could turn to," the former midfielder told Sky Sports. "I genuinely believe they're going to give it to John Heitinga.

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"He's the man there already, he's got experience as a manager. It didn't work out great for him, obviously, at Ajax but Tottenham in the Premier League is a great opportunity for someone who is not in a job.

"It's a club I love, I know a lot about it and I've spent many years there in different capacities and it needs someone to give them a lift at the moment. Whether that's me or whoever they decide to bring in, they've got a tough job on their hands."

However, Sherwood insists that the next person in the dugout will only be a short-term fix due to the 'clamour' surrounding Pochettino. Fans chanted the Argentine's name during the Newcastle defeat, making their feelings on a return following his 2019 sacking clear.

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Pochettino, 53, is currently managing the USA after spells with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and he's expected to lead the country into this summer's World Cup which they're co-hosting. After that, however, the fan favourite would likely be easier to prise away.

"Let's face it, in the summer it's going to be Pochettino," Sherwood declared. "It will be impossible or almost impossible for Tottenham to look beyond Mauricio Pochettino with the clamour from the Tottenham support to bring the man back to the club.

"Whoever is going in there is going in for 12 games plus that Champions League run, there's no future at the club for that person. So there will be very few who want to put their hands up and put themselves on offer for 12 games."

Thomas Frank has been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after just under eight months in charge of the Premier League club following a 2-1 defeat at home against Newcastle United

Ange Postecoglou delivered a three-word verdict as Gary Neville was left stunned by Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur sacking. The Dane was sacked on Wednesday morning after Spurs lost 2-1 to Newcastle United on Tuesday night.

The latest tumultuous result of Frank’s dismal reign resulted in Spurs falling to 16th in the Premier League and made it two wins in 17 league fixtures. And Neville was in The Overlap studio recording this week’s show with Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Roy Keane when a member of the production team, Kiaran Saunders, interrupted to inform them of Tottenham’s decision to part company with Frank.

And Neville was left stunned by the development before he revealed that Postecoglou was actually in the building, as he was due to record an episode of Stick to Football that would be released next week. But following the news, a switch was made, and the episode with the former Celtic and Nottingham Forest boss was changed to be released on Thursday morning.

And when Postecoglou entered the studio, he simply remarked: “Some timing eh,” as he took his seat. The 60-year-old was sacked by Tottenham in the summer despite leading the club to Europa League glory.

Postecoglou delivered on his promise of “always” winning in his second season thanks to the 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Bilbao in May. But ultimately losing 22 Premier League matches and finishing 17th cost Postecoglou his job after two years at the club.

Speaking in the summer, former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “I don’t regret appointing Ange. In his first season we finished fifth and in the second season we were over the moon to win a trophy, but we need to compete in all competitions. We felt that we needed a change.

“It was a collective decision. It wasn’t my decision. We do everything together. Emotionally it was difficult, but we believe we have made the right decision for the club.”

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Levy then added: “We’ve won a European trophy, but it’s not enough. It’s what we haven’t done that is more important. We need to win the league.

“We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League. We want to win.”

But Spurs are currently 16th in the Premier League and just five points above the relegation zone following a dreadful run of form. They are also winless in their past eight Premier League games – their longest run without a victory since October 2008.

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Tottenham Hotspur have sacked Thomas Frank, and the Dane is now the favourite to become Crystal Palace's next permanent manager, with Oliver Glasner leaving at the end of this season

Thomas Frank has emerged as the frontrunner to become the next Crystal Palace manager following his dismissal by Tottenham Hotspur. Oliver Glasner has already confirmed his departure from Palace at the conclusion of this season when his contract runs out.

The FA Cup-winning manager is among the various candidates Spurs could select to succeed Frank in north London. Tottenham's former boss is now also free to make the switch in the other direction.

Remaining in London would hold clear attraction for the Dane following eight-and-a-half years at Brentford. He was initially their assistant head coach before ultimately succeeding Dean Smith.

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Frank has moved from 8/1 to become the 2/1 favourite with bet365 in their next permanent Palace manager market. He has overtaken Roger Schmidt, who now sits at 4/1, as the shortest odds.

Andoni Iraola, Frank Lampard, Gareth Southgate and Jose Bordalas are the 10/1 joint-third favourites. Inigo Perez and Kieran McKenna are 12/1, just behind Spurs assistant coach John Heitinga, who is 14/1.

Adi Hutter, Marco Rose, Marco Silva and Steve Cooper are further back at 16/1. Bo Svensson, Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi are all priced at 20/1, with former Spurs striker Robbie Keane at 25/1.

Julen Lopetegui, Kjetil Knutsen and Scott Parker are available at 33/1. Cesc Fabregas and Enzo Maresca are both quoted at 40/1, alongside Palace under-18s head coach Javier Alonso and Glasner's assistant manager, Paddy McCarthy, with Jose Mourinho rounding off the market at 50/1.

Frank, though, has already been cautioned that the position would be anything but simple. The club's current boss has repeatedly voiced frustration about their transfer activity.

Glasner most recently conveyed his annoyance at failing to secure Dwight McNeil from Everton on transfer deadline day. He told Sky Sports: "We are all disappointed that this deal didn't happen.

"I already planned that next day on training with him. And then, right at the end of the transfer, it can always happen on deadline day - so many things can happen that the deal doesn't happen.

"And this, I was told, is that the terms of the deal changed in the last hours. And then the time is just too short to get the deal over the line, and then the deal failed.

"I can understand that he and his family are disappointed. But believe me, I had the same feeling, because I really have a huge appreciation for him."

Glasner added: "We're all disappointed that we couldn't get this deal done. And unfortunately, it happened in the last hour. And so I can understand his disappointment. I share his disappointment."

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Thomas Frank has been relieved of his duties with Tottenham Hotspur after a shocking run of form in the Premier League, and it seems as though some of his players weren't fully on board with his plans

Thomas Frank irritated his Tottenham Hotspur squad by repeatedly discussing Arsenal before his dismissal, according to reports. The former Brentford manager was removed from his position on Wednesday, just hours after Spurs suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United.

It represented the final blow following a catastrophic spell that witnessed the north London club secure just seven victories from their 26 Premier League fixtures. They also went without a win in their last eight top flight outings under Frank.

Spurs currently occupy 16th in the standings and face genuine danger of becoming embroiled in another relegation scrap after their 17th-placed finish last season. Despite their abysmal domestic record, Spurs have progressed to the Champions League knockout rounds after cruising through the league phase in fourth spot.

Nevertheless, their European achievements proved insufficient to prevent Frank's departure. Following confirmation of his dismissal, it transpired that certain Tottenham players were reportedly frustrated by his continual acclaim of their most fierce rivals.

According to The Telegraph, the Dane was 'constantly going on about Arsenal' and emphasised how impressive they were following Tottenham's humbling 4-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium in November. The report suggests that numerous players became weary of this tactic and the sentiment among some was essentially 'just shut up about Arsenal.'

Others felt 'dismayed' when photographs surfaced of Frank carrying an Arsenal coffee cup whilst walking around the Vitality Stadium ahead of Tottenham's loss to Bournemouth. He later maintained that he hadn't spotted the Arsenal emblem on the cup he was clutching, explaining: "It's fair to say that not winning every single football match, it would be absolutely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal on it.

"They've been in the changing room the game before us. It's normal to say 'give me a cup of espresso' before every game. I think it's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question like that.

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"We are definitely going in the wrong direction if we are worrying about me having a cup of another club. Of course I wouldn't do that, that would be really stupid."

It's reported that memes portraying Frank as an ardent Arsenal supporter were circulated among Tottenham players and staff following that cringe-worthy incident. Just last week, the recently dismissed Spurs manager confessed that he believed some of his squad doubted his suitability for the role.

He said: "I am pretty sure there are also some players who don't think I am the best bloke or whatever it is, but as long as they work hard and do everything they can on the pitch then I am happy. Is the feeling better if everyone is aligned and happy and likes each other? Probably, but it is all about the performances on the pitch."

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Tottenham have sacked Thomas Frank after just eight months in charge following a disastrous run that saw them drop to 16th in the Premier League

Thomas Frank has been dismissed as Tottenham manager following their 2-1 home loss to Newcastle United on Tuesday. And if they want an immediate replacement to succeed the Dane, there's plenty of readily available options.

Ex-Brentford boss Frank was brought in last June after steering the Bees to Premier League stability, taking over from Europa League winner Ange Postecoglou. Whilst the initial matches showed some promise, fortunes deteriorated rapidly.

Following defeat to Eddie Howe's side, Spurs plummeted to 16th in the league standings on merely 29 points. With the north London derby against Arsenal looming, the club have severed ties with Frank after only eight months.

The search for fresh leadership commences and Mirror Football presents five managers who could take charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium straight away.

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Xabi Alonso

Following a breakdown in relations with the Real Madrid dressing room, Xabi Alonso departed the Bernabeu by mutual agreement in January despite only arriving in May. Previously, he impressed during his spell as Bayer Leverkusen manager.

In Germany, the ex-Liverpool midfielder masterminded a remarkable 2023/24 campaign, clinching the Bundesliga crown whilst remaining unbeaten and lifting both the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup. Alonso's squad also progressed to a Europa League final.

The Spaniard is presently without a club following his departure from Los Blancos, and if Tottenham are looking to make a statement appointment, he should top their list. Prior to his Real Madrid move, he was understood to be on Liverpool's radar and remains amongst the most coveted managerial talent in Europe.

Roberto De Zerbi

Ex-Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi was in charge of French outfit Marseille until Tuesday night, when he left following a string of disappointing performances. A humiliating 5-0 thrashing by rivals PSG on Sunday proved to be the breaking point.

De Zerbi took the Brighton reins in 2022, replacing Graham Potter, and maintained the momentum established by his predecessor. Across almost two seasons at the helm, he steered them to a historic sixth-place Premier League standing and European football.

The Italian moved on after a less impressive second spell, but developed players including Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma during his tenure at the Amex. He possesses proven credentials in developing emerging talent, something Spurs have in abundance, and his English football experience is evident.

Xavi

Barcelona icon Xavi Hernandez launched his managerial path in Qatar before returning to the Catalan club as boss in 2021. Throughout his spell at the Camp Nou, he delivered their first La Liga triumph in four seasons and secured a Spanish Super Cup trophy.

Xavi built his reputation not only on attractive football but also on a remarkably solid defensive record, with his side shipping just 20 goals throughout the 2022/23 campaign. He departed the Catalan giants in May 2024 following disagreements with their president and is currently available.

Bringing in the Spanish tactician would undoubtedly enthuse the Tottenham faithful, as would his attractive style of play. He has previously demonstrated faith in emerging talent, handing Lamine Yamal his debut aged merely 15.

Additionally, one of Spurs' few standout performers, Xavi Simons, would surely relish the opportunity to work under the legendary figure whose name he bears.

Edin Terzic

Whilst perhaps not the most glamorous option Tottenham could pursue, ex-Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic oversaw an encouraging two-year stint as the German outfit's head coach. Terzic started out as a scout and youth coach under Jurgen Klopp before climbing the ladder, serving as caretaker boss in 2020 and spending two years as permanent manager between 2022 and 2024.

During his tenure, Terzic steered Dortmund to DFB-Pokal glory and came within one victory of wresting the Bundesliga crown from Bayern Munich in 2023. Most notably, Dortmund progressed to the Champions League final in 2024, where they fell short against Real Madrid.

Terzic departed the club following that final defeat, prioritising the team's interests and acknowledging Dortmund needed fresh leadership after finishing fifth in the league. Such selflessness would be appreciated in north London, and the 43-year-old has demonstrated the tactical acumen required to succeed at an elite level.

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Enzo Maresca

Whilst appointing former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca might not sit well with the Tottenham supporters, the Italian enhanced his managerial reputation considerably during his 18-month spell at Stamford Bridge. The west London outfit brought in Maresca following his promotion success with Leicester.

The ex-Manchester City reserve team manager steered Chelsea to UEFA Conference League glory in his debut campaign and achieved a remarkable triumph by securing the Club World Cup last summer. He was dismissed in January amid disappointing results and a communication breakdown with the club's senior management.

Maresca has been linked as a possible replacement for Pep Guardiola at City, but should Spurs seek a new manager with Premier League pedigree, he wouldn't need to relocate far.

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Fans demand Pochettino return

Former boss Frank previously claimed that he could understand why fans were chanting for Pochettino to return.

Speaking last week, he said: “I met Mauricio a few times, great guy, a great coach.

“I think he’s a legend (here). I don’t think he won a trophy, but he was part of transforming the club, from where it was at that stage, to where it ended up in terms of being close to winning the Premier League title. Getting into the Champions League final.

“If you are close, then you are very close to winning it. Sometimes it’s football, it’s margins. Pochettino did a top job here and is a true legend, so if the fans sing his name it’s well deserved.”

Who next?

That's the million dollar question for the Tottenham owners. They had already spent a hefty amount securing Frank's services in the first place so they might not want to do that again.

The favourite appears to be former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi following his exit from French side Marseille. Fans are also keen to see the return of Mauricio Pochettino, albeit he remains in situ with the USA ahead of this summer's World Cup.

Why was Frank sacked?

Simply put, the North London side's Premier League form has been a real reason behind Frank's exit.

Despite having qualified for the next round of the Champions League, their domestic results have been disappointing. Tuesday's defeat to Newcastle was their eighth game without a victory in the Premier League.

It has left them 16th and just five points clear of West Ham United - and staring at the very real prospect of relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs confirm exit

Tottenham released a statement confirming Frank's exit just moments ago. It read: A statement on Wednesday read: "The Club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today. Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

"However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary. Throughout his time at the Club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the Club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future."

Tottenham have sacked manager Thomas Frank after just eight months in charge. Defeat at home to Newcastle proved his final game in charge, with the club slipping perilously close to the Premier League relegation zone.

Frank was appointed at the start of the season to replace Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked despite ending the club's long trophy drought by winning the Europa League. But Frank has struggled to make an impression in his time in the dugout, with fans becoming increasingly critical of the former Brentford boss.

A statement on Wednesday read: "The Club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today. Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

"However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary. Throughout his time at the Club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the Club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.

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Supporters have consistently called for the manager to lose his job, despite qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

But their Premier League form has been desperate. Spurs are winless in their last eight league games and have not won on home soil in the Premier League since early December.

That run of form has left Spurs just five points clear of the drop zone, with the sides in the bottom three moving even closer following their 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle. And that has forced Spurs bosses into immediate action.

Frank leaves the club with a record of seven wins, eight draws and 11 defeats and just 1.12 points per game in the Premier League, the poorest record of any Spurs manager in the history of the competition.

Contingency plans are now being put into place to appoint a replacement and help stave off the ever growing risk of a disastrous drop to the Championship. Spurs' search for Frank's successor will now begin, with former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi the outstanding name following his exit from French side Marseille.

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Frank's exit comes hours after he expressed confidence over his position despite the rising pressure. Asked if he would be in charge for Spurs' next game against North London rivals Arsenal, he said: “Yeah, I’m convinced I will be. I understand the question and I understand it’s easy to point on me but I also think it’s never only the head coach or the ownership or the directors or the players or the staff.

“It’s everyone. If you do something right, you build something that can last. Of course we are not in a top position now. Everyone knows, directors, ownership, myself, what position we are in, what we need to improve and what we need to do better. That is what we are working very hard on.”

TOTTENHAM 1-2 NEWCASTLE: Jacob Ramsey's second half winner condemened Spurs to another home defeat as they slipped closer to the Premier League relegation zone

Eddie Howe said on Monday that he'd step down as Newcastle boss if he didn't feel he was the right man for the job.

Thomas Frank should take a leaf out of his opposite number's book, though given Tottenham now have a 12-day break until the north London derby against Arsenal on February 22, he may not need to.

Goals in either half from Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey - Archie Gray had equalised for Spurs - inflicted the damage as loud chants for fan-favourite Mauricio Pochettino bellowed out from the South Stand.

The home fans were also calling for Frank's head and it's about time Tottenham finally put the Dane out of his misery because the Europa League winners are in desperate need of a refresh and genuinely risk being dragged into the relegation dogfight.

They are still yet to win a Premier League match in 2026, it's now eight games without victory, and on the basis of recent evidence, you cannot say with any degree of certainty that they're too good or too big for the drop.

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Newcastle had won just two of their past 15 top-flight away matches but this triumph appeared a formality from the very first whistle.

Rain-soaked Frank wore the look of a beaten man as he trudged off the pitch at full-time but regardless of whatever happens next, it's scandalous he did not receive substantial backing in the January transfer market.

Spurs had 11 first-team players unavailable for this defeat - 10 due to injury and captain Cristian Romero was suspended - and they've now lost Wilson Odobert to a serious-looking knee issue.

Tottenham's nervousness was apparent inside the opening exchanges when Anthony Elanga's corner bounced off the knee of Radu Dragusin and looped narrowly over the crossbar.

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Guglielmo Vicario then flapped at a high ball he easily could have caught, sparking a chorus of boos.

The suffering did not stop there either for the Spurs supporters as Newcastle racked up an astonishing nine corners inside the opening 30 minutes.

Outside of a tame Dominic Solanke penalty shout, Tottenham spent the crux of the first half pinned back inside their own half and their desperation was compounded by Pape Matar Sarr being booked for a needless dive.

Minutes after Joe Willock looked to have opened the scoring - the goal was ruled out following a VAR review due to a fractional offside - Newcastle were deservedly ahead.

Thiaw met Willock's curling cross, his header was saved by Vicario but the German centre-back was on hand to steer home the rebound as Tottenham's backline pointed fingers at one another.

After Spurs weathered an early second-half storm, Elanga saw two penalty claims rebuffed, Archie Gray drew the hosts level. Xavi Simons, who was later booked for simulation, hung up a corner at the back post, Sarr nodded across goal and Gray turned in.

But Spurs' hope was short-lived as seconds after Conor Gallagher squandered a promising counter-attack, Ramsey restored Newcastle's lead with a sweeping finish after fine work from Anthony Gordon.

The hosts lacked the quality and self-belief required to find a leveller, though Micky van de Ven blasted over a golden opportunity to snatch a point at the death.

Incredibly, in the past 14 months, Tottenham have won more matches in Europe (12 of 18) than they have in the Premier League (11 from 49).

It would be an astonishing show of faith if Vinai Venkatesham did not now pull the trigger. Who would be willing to step into this mess is anyone's guess.

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