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Tottenham are looking for a sixth permanent manager in seven years after sacking Thomas Frank - who will they turn to next?

As it stands, the early indications are that an interim appointment until the end of the season is the most likely route Spurs will go down.

There is expected to be a lot of change among head coaches at various clubs this summer, so it makes sense to wait until then to see who is available.

Who next for Spurs? Have your say...

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'Glasner, Silva and Iraola were all on Spurs' radar'

Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace, Marco Silva at Fulham and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola are all out of contract at the end of June. All three were on Spurs' radar last summer even though Frank was first choice at the time, and Glasner has already said he is leaving Selhurst Park.

Manchester United will also decide on their next permanent manager this summer, when Michael Carrick's short-term deal comes to an end.

There has also been speculation over the futures of Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot this season, although both remain committed to Man City and Liverpool and their current contracts, which run until the summer of 2027.

There is a World Cup on the horizon in the USA too, where the home nation is managed by former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who only this week spoke again glowingly about his time in N17.

Roberto De Zerbi has just left Marseille overnight, and people in the game expect the former Brighton boss to come back to the Premier League at some stage.

'Not an obvious choice for interim appointment'

But if there's no permanent appointment until the summer, who could be in charge when Premier League leaders Arsenal cross north London to face Spurs - live on Sky Sports - on Sunday February 22?

In terms of an interim appointment, there does not appear to be an obvious choice.

John Heitinga was recently brought in as an assistant to Thomas and he was popular at Anfield while working with Slot, before he took the Ajax job in the summer - where he was sacked after just five months in charge.

Tottenham's statement today only mentions that Frank is leaving. There is no mention of his assistants - yet.

The last interim that Spurs last turned to was Ryan Mason when they sacked Antonio Conte and then Cristian Stellini in 2023. Mason was recently sacked by West Brom.

Former Spurs player and manager Tim Sherwood is another who has been linked with a potential interim return and speaking to Sky Sports News, he insists whoever goes in has a tough job on their hands.

"There's a shortage of people they can turn to," he said. "I think they will turn to Heitinga, who is there already and has experience as a manager.

"It's a great opportunity for someone who is not in a job. It's a club I love and I know a lot about it having spent many years there in different capacities. It needs someone to give the club a lift, whether that is me or whoever they decide to bring in.

"Whoever it is has a tough job on their hands because let's face it, in the summer it is going to be Pochettino. It will be impossible for Spurs to look beyond Pochettino with the clamour from the Tottenham support to bring him back to the club."

Redknapp: Of course I'd love interim job

One name that has routinely come up in conversation regarding an interim stint is the return of Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp led Spurs to the Champions League during his first tenure in charge between 2008-2012, and although the 78-year-old hasn't managed a club since 2017, he admitted that he would love the chance to take charge on a short-term basis if the call came.

"Would I fancy it? Of course I would! I'd do it without any shadow of a doubt," he told Sky Sports.

"But, I'm a realist. I don't live in cuckoo land. It's very doubtful I would get the job.

"Could I do the job? Yes, I could do the job. What they need now is someone to come in and get back to basics. Hard work when you lose the ball. Don't be embarassed when you lose the ball to run hard to get it back. Work together, bit of confidence. Make them believe in themselves. If someone can do that they will get the results they need.

"They've got my number. If anyone wants to ring me they know where I am. I wouldn't be holding my breath sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring, that's for sure.

"I've got loads of energy! There's not a spare hour in my diary! Yeah, that's not a problem."

'Poch return a no-brainer'

There's one standout candidate among the fans, who want Pochettino back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium either now or in the summer after the World Cup...

George94: I would get Pochettino back100 per cent. The fans like him, all the players like him and I like the style of football he plays. It is a no-brainer.

Liam: Get an interim for the rest of the season, then go all out for Poch in the summer after the World Cup. Fans want him back, he wants to come back.

DaveSpurs: I suggest we get Tim Sherwood or somebody who knows Spurs as interim manager until the end of the season, and get Poch back in the summer.

Andrew21: Right decision to let Frank go. Let's go and get an interim who knows the club inside out, then welcome Poch's return in the summer.

JSawyer22: Harry Redknapp and Ryan Mason to take over until the end of season. Get some actual football being played and the fans enjoying going again. Then bring back Poch after the World Cup.

'There's no guarantee the great times return under Poch'

However, Jay Bothroyd, speaking on Sky Sports FC, provided a word of caution over a potential Pochettino return.

"When a manager goes back to a club he's already been at, it's not guaranteed that there will be great times again," he told Sky Sports News.

"The Tottenham team he managed was a great side. He helped develop some of those players but they were still top players with so much ability.

"I'm not sure any of the players today would get into that side.

"But there is no doubt Pochettino loves the club and knows it extremely well."

Keane? Carrick? Alonso? Do the fans want anyone else?

Pochettino is the name that is mentioned the most but there are a few other candidates who are interesting the Spurs supporters...

Big Tel: I think De Zerbi would be sensible until the end of season. That way he can get a better look at the squad and if they give him full control, he can make additions when and where is needed.

Gazza 1990:I think we should go all out and get Michael Carrick as our manager!

Peripheral Vision: Get on the phone, get on your knees, admit you were wrong, and give Ange Postecoglou the season three he and the squad deserved. He got us into the Champions League, he should be the one to manage us in it.

Lucky: It was a questionable appointment from the beginning. A lot of the decision-making at the club is poor. I would like to see Xabi Alonso come in next, but with us so close to the relegation zone, I'm not we can take a risk on him now.

Conor: Get Robbie Keane!

'Keane has passion needed to get Spurs moving forward'

Michael Dawson agrees, Conor!

Former Spurs defender Dawson has called for former team-mate Robbie Keane to be an option for the job at Spurs.

"Spurs have a big decision now over who comes in," Dawson told Sky Sports News. I hear people talking about an interim appointment and if that happens, they can only be thinking about Pochettino in the summer.

"But if they wanted to make an appointment now, there's someone out there. Someone who knows the football club, who played for the football club who has the passion needed. He's someone who loves the club and will galvanise everyone, and bring them in the right direction.

"It's Robbie Keane.

"I can't see him leaving Ferencvaros in the middle of the season but why not give it to him on a permanent basis.

"They've tried Jose Mourinho, they've tried Antonio Conte and Thomas Frank. There's a disconnect between the players and the fans and that can't be the case. The situation Spurs are in, they have to be together from top to bottom.

"Whoever comes in has to give the players confidence. Keane can do that."

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Thomas Frank's Tottenham spell is over after just eight months.

Tuesday night's 2-1 loss at home to Newcastle, who were winless in their previous five matches, ended up being the final straw. Spurs remain without a Premier League victory in this calendar year.

Spurs were booed off by their own supporters at both half-time and full-time of the loss to the Magpies, with chants of 'sacked in the morning' and 'we want Frank out' aimed at the head coach.

Frank arrived in the summer as the popular Ange Postecoglou's replacement following a successful seven-year spell in charge of Brentford. Why did it not work out for him at Spurs?

Tottenham sack head coach Thomas Frank after eight months

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Fans reject playing style

Tottenham's playing style became a major bone of contention under Frank. His predecessor Postecoglou's high-intensity, attacking ethos may have been flawed, but it did at least give supporters something to get behind. 'Angeball' entertained.

The same cannot be said of Frank's approach.

The Dane insisted his ultimate aim was for Spurs to play free-flowing football, but fans saw little evidence on the pitch.

Their numbers for possession, passing sequences and build-up attacks all plummeted. Instead of pressing opponents and forcing high turnovers, Spurs under Frank seemed happier to sit back and absorb pressure. It all felt reactive rather than proactive.

Stylistically, Spurs profiled similarly to Frank's Brentford as he put more emphasis on long passes and aerials. He prioritised defensive solidity, with little success, and their attack suffered. In their November defeats to rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, Spurs generated a meagre combined total of just 0.17 expected goals.

Frank succeeded in transforming their set-piece threat. Spurs have already scored more goals from dead balls than in the whole of last season. But the apparent lack of intent from open play was difficult for fans to stomach given the club's attacking traditions.

Frank pointed to availability issues, with some justification. But the lack of incision was alarming, with Frank frequently preferring a workmanlike midfield pairing of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur, much to the frustration of the club's fans.

Damningly, he departs with Spurs having attempted fewer through balls than any other Premier League side this season.

Home discomforts

It all started so well for Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 3-0 win over Burnley in his first Premier League game in charge in August came after a spirited showing in the European Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain. It offered early encouragement about what was to come under the new head coach.

Fast forward six months, though, and Spurs have only added one further Premier League victory from a total of 13 games in front of their own fans. Their home record is the third-worst in the division. Frank tried to avoid the R-word, but it is relegation form.

Their struggles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where fans outwardly turned on Frank on numerous occasions, made it impossible for him to build a connection with those in the stands and ultimately paved the way for his departure.

Spurs' home form actually ranked as the worst in the Premier League relative to their away form, with Spurs taking 0.69 points per game fewer when playing in front of their fans than they did on the road.

Injury issues

Frank was not helped by certain factors beyond his control. Spurs have been dogged by injuries, especially offensively.

Frank was not able to call on James Maddison or Dejan Kulusevski once during his brief tenure. Dominic Solanke also missed a large chunk of the campaign. And when the striker finally returned to action, Spurs lost Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus.

Wilson Odobert became the latest player to fall when he had to be withdrawn in Tuesday's defeat to Newcastle.

Their current absentee list stretches into double figures and features the suspended Cristian Romero as well as the injured Pedro Porro, Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Djed Spence, Kevin Danso and Ben Davies, in addition to the names already mentioned.

The numbers are striking. Spurs have suffered the third-most injuries in the Premier League this season, their total of 43 putting them behind only Chelsea and Arsenal.

They are top, though, when it comes to the number of days lost. Spurs players have missed a cumulative total of 1,302 days of action this season. It all added up to make Frank's task tougher.

That Arsenal cup

Did getting pictured holding an Arsenal cup have any bearing on whether Frank lost his job or not? No. It was a simple mistake. But it did not help his chances of building a relationship with Spurs supporters.

The Spurs boss drinking from a cup branded with the badge of his biggest rivals, who were flying high at the top of the league while his team struggled, was an embarrassing mishap at a sensitive time. Coupled with the fact Spurs went on to lose that game against Bournemouth, it created an unnecessary hurdle for Frank to climb.

Of course, it was an unfortunate accident. But it added to the noise around his position and gave his detractors more ammunition.

Romero's discipline

When you have a player who knows they are walking into your starting line-up, it can sometimes cause more harm than good. For Frank, that sums up the story of Tottenham captain Romero.

So often the Argentine produced huge moments. Game-saving and perhaps, at times, job-saving moments. A crucial double against Newcastle and an equaliser against Burnley added to why he was indispensable at both ends of the pitch.

But for every time Frank had him to thank, he also had a headache to deal with. Romero wears his heart on his sleeve, but too often did that cause the Dane a problem.

On multiple occasions, Frank publicly backed his skipper despite question marks over his future and whether or not he had the right mentality to wear the armband. Any issues were dealt with in-house. What cannot be argued is that Frank protected the player.

How was he repaid? In his final couple of weeks in charge, he had to respond to comments Romero made on social media where he described the state of a 'stretched' Tottenham squad plagued with injuries as disgraceful. Again, he defended the player. Refused to strip him of his captaincy.

That was followed by a reckless sending off against Manchester United days later, ruling him out for the remainder of Frank's tenure. A leader not standing up alongside his team-mates. Instead, leaving them to fight without him.

Perhaps it's the case that Romero's words and actions were the reflection of how Spurs players felt across the squad. In that case, it was always going to be difficult for Frank to turn it around. But, to have your main point of leadership cause you more harm than good is an issue every manager would rather avoid.

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Tottenham have sacked head coach Thomas Frank after less than eight months in charge, Sky Sports News understands.

Spurs fans booed Frank and chanted for his sacking during Tuesday's 2-1 defeat to Newcastle.

The club's hierarchy are understood to have concluded Frank's position had become untenable.

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Spurs are 16th in the Premier League table, five points above the drop zone, and have won just twice in their last 17 league games.

Frank left Brentford in June to replace Ange Postecoglou after the Australian was sacked despite winning the Europa League.

But the ex-Bees boss failed to win over the Tottenham faithful, with his short tenure littered with setbacks, including drinking from a coffee cup which carried the badge of rivals Arsenal.

Frank exits having won just 13 of his 38 games in charge, with the loss to Newcastle giving him the worst Premier League win percentage of any Spurs manager in the Premier League era with just 26.9 per cent.

The 52-year-old's departure means Spurs are searching for their sixth permanent manager in seven years since Mauricio Pochettino left in 2019.

Frank's successor will take over a side that is out of both domestic cup competitions, but remains in the Champions League knockout stages after the Dane guided them to a fourth-place finish in the table.

Spurs are next in action live on Sky on Sunday February 22 with a home game against rivals Arsenal in the Premier League, followed by a trip to Fulham. Both games will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Tottenham are yet to comment.

More to follow...

Tottenham's next five games

February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

March 1: Fulham (a), Premier League - kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

March 5: Crystal Palace (h), Premier League - kick-off 8pm

March 15: Liverpool (a), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

Thomas Frank is "convinced" he will remain in charge at Tottenham despite fans turning on the head coach after yet another defeat.

Frank suffered the 15th defeat of his reign as Spurs boss with the 2-1 loss to Newcastle at home, meaning the Dane now has a win percentage of just 26.9 per cent in the league, the lowest of any Spurs manager in the Premier League era.

Spurs slipped to 16th as a result of the loss and now sit just five points above the relegation zone, which could have been reduced to three if Manchester United hadn't equalised in added time against 18th-placed West Ham.

Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle - Match report & highlights

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When asked if he would be in charge for the next fixture against rivals Arsenal, live on Sky Sports on February 22, Frank said: "Yeah, I am convinced I will be. I understand the question.

"It is easy to point on me but it is never only the head coach, ownership, players or staff. It is everyone.

"Everyone knows what position we are in and what we need to improve on. That is what we are working hard on."

Frank: I understand why the fans boo and chant

Frank's name was booed by the home crowd before kick-off and that intensified in the latter stages of the game, with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" and "we want Frank out" emerging.

The 52-year-old was also booed heavily while walking on the pitch after the full-time whistle had blown.

"I understand the fans' frustration," he added when asked about the hostile reception.

"It's a position they don't want to be in. We are working day and night to try and change. It's a position the club have been in the last two years. The pattern is that the club are struggling to compete in Europe and the Premier League.

"Part of that is to eliminate injuries and suspensions. We face a Newcastle team that has struggled a little bit lately. But I think they were more on top first half and then we came back into it well.

"The second goal is a bit symbolic of our season."

Frank: I am the man for the job

Despite the dismal run of form and his position at the club now teetering on untenable, Frank still believes he is the man for the job.

He added: "One thousand per cent. I'm also one thousand per cent sure I didn't expect us to be in the position we are in with 11 to 12 injuries.

"There are a few before me up here at Tottenham and many other clubs that have lost their head. I have to stay calm. We have to get through this together."

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who was also under pressure heading into the fixture, echoed this claim and admitted he hopes Tottenham give Frank time to prove his worth at the club.

"Well, I think you know the fine reality of this job is that it could be any of us at any moment and it's not nice," Howe said in his post-match press conference.

"I think when you look at Tottenham and you look at their injury list, it's an incredible list of players that they're missing and I think that's really, really difficult for Thomas.

"I think he's an outstanding manager, I've come up against him many times. I think he's got all the attributes to be a top manager for this football club and I hope he gets the time to show that."

Pressure building on Frank amid 'toxic' atmosphere

Former Tottenham defender Michael Dawson on Soccer Special:

"The situation is escalating.

"The Spurs hierachy need to come out now and say either we are backing Thomas Frank or he goes.

"It's toxic in the stadium and things are just not going right. The players are lacking confidence and they were defending so deep in the first half. It was quite remarkable.

"Dominic Solanke was picking the ball up 10 to 15 yards outside his own box. You've got to get up the field. You are at home and the fans pay their money and they want to see entertainment.

"They got what they deserved from the first half but then they got back into the game. At 1-1, you are thinking right, can they kick on but they dropped deep again, allowing Newcastle to dictate the game. The fans then showed their disappointment.

"It's now 11 league defeats under Frank this season and the pressure is increasing, there is no doubt about it."

Tottenham's next five games:

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There is a clear trajectory when assessing the probability of Tottenham being relegated this season. And right now, it's never been more likely.

Turning to the betting markets at times like this are always a reliable pointer. They have a habit of cutting through noise and sentiment. They don't deal in romance or reputation.

They deal in cold, hard probability. And right now, they are sending a shiver down the white half of north London.

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Since the turn of the year, the drop in odds when it comes to Spurs and the dreaded drop has been one-way traffic.

As it stands, Spurs are now 5/1 with Sky Bet to be relegated from the Premier League. An implied probability of 16 per cent.

Frank 'convinced' he will keep his job at Tottenham

Wouldn't it be just so Spurs to win the Champions League and suffer relegation?

But this predicament is no joke.

With just 12 games to play, Spurs, sensationally, have been dragged into a relegation scrap. They are more likely to be relegated than both Leeds and Sunderland. Who would have foreseen that when the first ball was kicked in August?

Prices like this are built on performance data, remaining fixtures, underlying numbers and, crucially in Tottenham's case, the strength of those around you. And this is where their problem deepens.

West Ham are in the midst of a tear in terms of points in the Premier League.

Across the last six games, they have taken 10 points - the fourth most of any team. If it wasn't for stoppage time drama going against them against Chelsea and Manchester United, that figure would be 13. This is a West Ham team completely revamped by Nuno Espirito Santo.

West Ham 1-1 Manchester United - Match report & highlights

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Despite some late swings going against them, this is a team that looks united playing in front of a fanbase that is seeing signs of survival. In the 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Tuesday night, the London Stadium rocked in the second half like it hasn't rocked since the special European nights of three years ago under David Moyes.

"There's a team spirit here which they can cling on to," reported Sky Sports' Chris Reidy. "The players walk around the pitch applauding the fans, there's genuine belief they can stay up."

Meanwhile, Thomas Frank has overseen just two wins from Tottenham's last 16 matches in the Premier League. If it looks like relegation form, quacks like relegation form, then it's probably relegation form.

"Spurs are in a relegation battle," concluded Sky Sports' Michael Bridge. "There is no confidence in the side and no key players are close to returning."

What makes this threat a serious one is that the bottom end of the Premier League is refusing to play along to the usual script when it comes to survival.

The Hammers' recent surge has warped the safety line. It's injected a level of competitiveness that threatens to drag the survival bar higher than usual. This is starting to look like a season where even 38 points may not be enough to guarantee safety - 40 might be the real target.

That is dangerous territory for any side stuck in a cycle of inconsistency.

For a club that dines regularly at the top table, this is not just uncomfortable reading, it is downright alarming.