Daily Mail

Tottenham are already planning for Ange Postecoglou's replacement in a dismal campaign.

Spurs sit 16th and are on course for their worst-ever Premier League finish after Nottingham Forest handed them an 18th defeat in the competition.

Only Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton have lost more games, despite Spurs having a +10 goal difference.

Despite their domestic disaster, Spurs have reached the semi-finals of the Europa League after a shock away win against Eintracht Frankfurt.

If they beat Bodo/Glimt over two legs, they will face either Athletic Bilbao or Manchester United in the final for a shot to enter next season's Champions League.

As Mail Sport has reported, Postecoglou is likely to leave even if he wins a trophy. Who Daniel Levy appoints as his successor will be pivotal.

Andoni Iraola – Bournemouth

The Spaniard has lit up the Premier League since his arrival at the start of the 2023-24 season, turning Bournemouth into giant-killing, energetic upstarts.

As a student of Marcelo Bielsa, his play style incorporates attacking football which requires intense pressing from his players.

His humble personality means he tends to let his football do the talking, with Bournemouth experiencing their best-ever season in the Premier League and already breaking their points record.

The Cherries have beaten the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham this campaign, highlighting Iraola’s incredible work.

The Spaniard’s 4-2-3-1 formation has allowed attacking players Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo to dominate the final third, as well as developing Milos Kerkez who is linked with a move to Liverpool.

Similarly to Spurs, Bournemouth have endured tough periods of the campaign with extensive injuries, yet Iraola has continued to get a tune out of his squad unlike Postecoglou

Iraola would be a like-for-like swap for Postecoglou to continue Spurs’ attacking approach whilst being a likeable character who can resonate with fans.

Bournemouth are expected to be raided for their players and, if Iraola is not assured of backing in the summer transfer window despite having them on the cusp of European football, he would surely consider a move to North London.

Marco Silva – Fulham

A manager with extensive experience, the Portuguese knows what it takes to compete in the Premier League.

Having earned his stripes with Estoril, Sporting Lisbon, and Olympiacos, Silva joined Hull in 2017 before moving to Watford.

He started the 2017-18 season well but, after interest from Everton, form dipped as fans blamed his lack of focus for their poor form.

Coincidentally, Silva was dismissed in January 2018 and eventually joined the Toffees before the start of the 2018-19 season but endured a miserable season. he therefore arrived at Craven Cottage in 2021 with something to prove.

However, during his tenure with Fulham, Silva has made the Cottagers a resolute Premier League side, already breaking their points record this campaign.

Operating predominantly in a 4-2-3-1, Silva utilises pressing, discipline and structural fluidity to dominate matches, relying on key wide players to deliver balls into the box. His style would certainly suit Spurs and their abundance of wingers including Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson.

An area for concern would be Silva’s personality. On the one hand, he is an ambitious manager who is not afraid to take risks to further his goals. But he is also an opinionated manager who is demanding of not just his players but also the club hierarchy to get him the players he needs.

Levy is famously tricky to work with and him and Silva may butt heads when it comes to transfer strategy and youth development.

Yet Silva would be a solid choice to steady the ship and return Spurs to being a more consistent side, as he has done with Fulham.

Scott Parker – Burnley

Perhaps what Spurs need is a man who has played for the club and knows what it means to the fans. Parker could be the man for the job.

The current Burnley boss played 50 times for Spurs between 2011-2013 and was a fan favourite known for his tough tackling.

Parker’s often calm and collected persona has brought him success by helping Fulham, Bournemouth and now Burnley to be promoted from the Championship.

Yet, it remains to be seen if the Englishman can push himself to the next level after he was sacked by Bournemouth less than a month into the Premier League 2022-23 campaign, while he suffered relegation with Fulham.

He voiced his concerns regarding the Cherries transfer strategy that they were 'unequipped' for the campaign.

Parker employs a pragmatic style with a defence-first approach as exhibited by Burnley’s resilient defensive Championship form this season with 29 clean sheets, including a run of 12 in a row.

This style has split opinions, and his appointment would be seen as returning them back to the pragmatic days of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.

Additionally, Parker has failed to prove himself as a capable top-flight manager, giving Levy doubts about him as a long-term appointment.

Whilst fans would welcome Parker as a familiar face to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, his play style could anger the home faithful who want to see expansive attacking football.

Thomas Frank – Brentford

One of the most impressive managers in recent years thanks to his establishment of Brentford as a top-flight side, Thomas Frank has many admirers.

Following their promotion to the Premier League in 2021, Frank has transitioned the Bees from a resilient, counter-attacking, set-piece-focused side to an expansive attacking unit.

The Dane has also performed exceptionally well under difficult circumstances including an injury-ravaged 2023-24 campaign and the glaring omission of suspended Ivan Toney for the bulk of last season.

Moreover, Frank has been key in the development of integral players of past and present including Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa.

He also has a very likeable persona. Often light-hearted and transparent in post-match interviews, there are few that don’t take a liking to the Dane.

Brentford fans have been excitied by their attacking development this season. They have frequently put three or more past opponents, hitting teams with fast transitions, and as a result they sit 11th and in with a shout of European football.

The play style is remarkably similar to Postecoglou’s and could see Frank embed his vision swiftly.Additionally, Frank is tactically flexible unlike the Australian, switching between 3-4-1-2 and 4-3-3 formations depending on the opponent compared to Postecoglou’s gung-ho approach.

Known for quickly building relationships, Frank could be an underdog to the Spurs job and could be the positive energy the club needs.

Mauricio Pochettino – USA

The nostalgic appointment would be the return of Pochettino, a prospect which would excite most Spurs fans.

The Argentinian managed Spurs between 2014 and 2019, consistently overperforming with a young squad as well as taking them to a Champions League final in 2018-19.

Another disciple of Marcelo Bielsa, Pochettino’s high-intensity, expansive football was popular amongst Spurs fans.

His tactics saw him push Spurs to new heights in the 2016-17 season, finishing second with their highest ranking since 1962-63 under Bill Nicholson.

Following the end of his Spurs tenure, Pochettino went on to manage both PSG and Chelsea with mixed success.

A common theme of Pochettino’s managerial positions are his fallouts with the directors and the ownership of the club, including his mutual departure from Chelsea following disagreements over strategy and squad management.

Yet, Levy and Pochettino seem to have a strong relationship since his departure with the Argentinian stating he would like to manage Spurs again one day.

In the immediate term, this seems unlikely given he has been with the USA squad for less than a year with a deal running until July 2026.

He could be a candidate Spurs target in the long-term if their next appointment fails to impress.

It is undeniable that Pochettino would be the dream signing for Spurs fans as a manager who knows the club well, but whether his appointment will come to fruition is another matter.

Aussie football identity Mark Bosnich has declared it will be 'extremely harsh' if Tottenham part ways with Ange Postecoglou.

'Aussie Ange' has guided Spurs to the semi-finals of the Europa League - but it is their woeful form domestically which has him seemingly on borrowed time in north London.

For a club of Tottenham's size, to be sitting in 16th spot in the Premier League after 33 games is unacceptable.

Postecoglou's attacking mindset has been entertaining, but he knows as well as anyone it is results which count.

Speaking on SEN Radio, Bosnich is adamant Postecoglou should remain in charge.

'Sometimes the rumours are actually put out by the clubs themselves to give the manager and team a kick up the pants,' the former Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea goalkeeper said.

'It has been a poor season no doubt about that....18 defeats for a team of Tottenham's stature is not good enough.

'But I will say this to all Spurs fans....forget about the (Premier) League right now. You are not going to get relegated.

'And in terms of Ange, if he's going to go down, he's going to go down fighting. I think sacking him would be extremely harsh (even if they win the Europa League).

'I can understand the hurt and disappointment, but they have just got to stick with it until the end of the season.'

Bosnich also pointed out if Spurs win the Europa League it ensures a spot in the Champions League next season, which is 'big biccies' for the club.

Meanwhile, the likes of Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva have been touted as possible replacements for Postecoglou.

Scott Parker, who guided Burnley to promotion from the Championship, also has admirers within the club.

Parker played for Spurs, was well-liked by supporters and also coached within the club’s academy set-up.

Tottenham are next in action on May 28, when the tackle Liverpool at Anfield.

A win for the hosts will seal the Premier League title for the Reds - and heap more misery on Postecoglou.

Tottenham suffered their 18th league defeat of the league on Monday night

Postecoglou has come under immense criticism amid the side's dismal run

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In isolation, Tottenham were not horrendous against Nottingham Forest. They were undone by two early mistakes which allowed Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to sit back and defend a record number of crosses.

Ange Postecoglou’s big problem, however, is that Monday’s 2-1 defeat is far from an isolated occurrence. It was Spurs’ 18th league loss of the season, which is why he seems set to leave.

Despite scoring only once against Forest, creating chances has not been the issue for Spurs. It is in defence where they are still all over the place. Though keeper Guglielmo Vicario can be blamed for at least one goal, that doesn’t hide the fact it took Spurs nearly half an hour to get to grips with Forest.

When Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White came inside, Tottenham’s midfielders and full backs did not know whether to stick or twist. There were no instructions from the side or leadership on the pitch and, within 16 minutes, Forest led 2-0.

It has been a recurring theme. You don’t lose that many matches if you are organised properly, an aspect that sometimes only takes simple coaching to achieve.

Being difficult to play through is one of the easiest things to work on. Blocking space, condensing the pitch and protecting your goal should not be difficult for the quality players at Spurs, but they have not done it.

It is not just a case of being naive - it feels as if Tottenham don’t go into games with a defensive plan. They simply have an idea of how to try to hurt opponents and think that will be enough. At Premier League level, it is not and teams are working them out. I saw Nuno work them out and Wolves did the same. Spurs lost 4-2 at Molineux and, while Postecoglou said they played well, that was only true with the ball. Without it they were awful. They were outnumbered in parts of the pitch and didn’t fix the problem.

Tottenham have rarely changed tactics. Postecoglou did pair Dominic Solanke and Richarlison up front late on against Forest which was unusual, but it was desperation. By then, it was too late. Nuno has been flexible and made changes even when leading. It contrasts with how rigid Postecoglou has been.

This latest loss was not particularly bad. Richarlison had two good chances before scoring late on. I know James Maddison stayed on the bench, but I could see the logic. Forest defended so deep there was no room in behind for him to thread his passes.

If Postecoglou is to leave, he can still do so on a high note by winning the Europa League.

He has a big decision to make over Vicario before the semi-final, because when a goalkeeper is gifting goals like he is, the dressing room loses confidence.

We can’t forget the excitement Postecoglou has brought to my former club. But while neutrals love watching Spurs, opponents love playing against them, too.

Ange Postecoglou is likely to leave Tottenham Hotspur regardless of whether his side wins the Europa League – while the club is set to carry out a wide-ranging summer overhaul of its football operation.

The Australian has overseen a deeply disappointing season in the Premier League with their loss against Nottingham Forest – the 18th of the season – leaving them in lowly 16th.

However, it has been a different story in the Europa League with Spurs in the semi-final and potentially three games away from the Champions League qualification awarded to the winner.

Should that be the case Postecoglou could avoid the axe, but belief has grown over the past few weeks that the 59-year-old will depart regardless.

Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva would be among the leading candidates as a replacement, while Mail Sport understands Scott Parker, who guided Burnley to promotion, also has admirers within the club.

Parker played for Spurs, was well-liked by supporters and also coached within the club’s academy set-up.

Iraola would, however, appear to be more suited to the shift in tactics and focus on attacking football engineered by Postecoglou while Parker’s success at Turf Moor has been built on the back of a resolute defence that has conceded just 15 times in 44 Championship matches.

Former boss Mauricio Pochettino would like to return at some point but is currently the USA coach and has a home World Cup to come next year. Brentford’s Thomas Frank is also on the radar.

Mail Sport revealed last week that another Aussie, Scott Munn, is expected to leave the club after two years as the club's chief football officer. And it can now be disclosed that others are likely to follow after a review into the reasons for the club’s underperformance is carried out.

Various departments within the football operation are under the microscope and a series of changes are expected across areas such as medical, sports science and analytics. There is a belief that the season has not been good enough across the board and that responsibility for that lies not just on the head coach. ‘Nobody is safe,’ said one insider with knowledge of the situation.

Munn led a review that ended with the exit of long-serving head of medicine Geoff Scott last year. This season's injury record has not improved and is arguably worse.

Tottenham will play Norway’s Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final and, should they be successful, would face Athletic Bilbao or Manchester United in the final, which is in Bilbao.

Postecoglou has often spoken of his record of winning trophies in his second season at a club and doing so this year could open the door for a more dignified exit.

A victory in Bilbao could set up a similar situation to that United faced when they beat Manchester City to lift the FA Cup and subsequently handed then manager Erik ten Hag a new contract. Ten Hag was backed in the summer window but was then sacked in October with the episode viewed as an expensive mistake. The way that the scenario unfolded in Manchester will not have gone unnoticed in North London.

Spurs have not won a trophy since 2008 and Postecoglou has had to contend with a series of issues as he seeks to end that drought.

A crippling injury list has decimated his squad, while matches have often played out to chants against chairman Daniel Levy and club owners ENIC. Postecoglou has also overseen an investigation into a suspected leak within the club. When asked if he was going to remain as head coach he responded that he had ‘no idea’ and told reporters ‘you’re going to have to put up with me for a bit longer’ following the unexpected quarter-final win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

There are changes expected elsewhere regardless. The club has already seen one new arrival with Vinai Venkatesham to join as chief executive officer in the summer.

Venkatesham is highly-regarded following his time at rivals Arsenal but the extent of his influence remains to be seen. A high-level trio of Levy, executive director Donna-Marie Cullen and operations and finance director Matthew Collecott are widely viewed as those who call the shots and some have wondered if change may be afoot in that axis following Venkatesham’s appointment.

Cristian Romero has been one of Tottenham's best players in the last four years

The centre back has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid in recent weeks

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Cristian Romero has seemingly opened the door to a move away from Tottenham at the end of the campaign in a recent interview.

The Argentinian central defender has been at the club since joining from Atalanta as Serie A's defender of the year back in August 2021, and he has since played 89 times for the north London club.

Since his arrival at Spurs he has become one of the club's best defenders, however he has been hampered this season by injuries, like many of his team-mates.

However, his reputation within the game has remained intact, and he has regularly been reported as a transfer target for some of Europe's biggest clubs.

Among the suitors, Atletico Madrid have been linked to a move for the World Cup winner ahead of this summer's Club World Cup.

However a recent interview might find other clubs paying somewhat closer attention to Romero's situation, after he suggested he could be open to leaving Tottenham this summer.

'We're in the Europa League semi-finals, and I want to finish the season on a high note,' the Argentina star admitted when questioned on his immediate future by Los Edul.

'After that, we'll see. My focus is always on growing and looking for new places to continue developing.'

Tottenham's campaign has been underwhelming for 2024-25, with the club currently 16th in the Premier League following a 2-1 defeat by Nottingham Forest in north London on Monday night.

As such, they are out of the race to qualify for Europe next term via the Premier League, though their chances are still alive through other means.

Winning the Europa League would secure their place in next year's Champions League, which would put a hugely positive edge on a miserable season.

Romero was also asked which league that he had never featured in he would most like to join, to which he admitted he'd choose Spain, though that is not thought to be a major hint about his future.

The Mirror earlier this week reported Romero was subject of interest from Atletico over a £43million move, with Diego Simeone keen to replenish his defence with several stars' contracts expiring at the end of the season.

In December, Romero warned Daniel Levy that the club are slipping behind their Premier League rivals due to a lack of investment.

Asked if Tottenham were suffering over limited spending and a lack of depth, the centre back told Telemundo Deportes: 'The truth is, I would say no comment, but...

'Manchester City competes every year, you see how Liverpool strengthens its squad, Chelsea strengthens their squad, doesn't do well, strengthens again, and now they're seeing results. Those are the things to imitate.

'You have to realise that something is going wrong, hopefully, they realise it.

'The last few years, it's always the same: first, the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it's always the same people responsible.

'Hopefully, they realise who the true responsible ones are, and we move forward because it's a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.'

Atletico Madrid are keen to secure a deal for Tottenham defender Cristian Romero before the Club World Cup, according to a report.

Romero has been a key cog in the Spurs side since joining on an initial loan from Atalanta in the 2021-22 season.

The 26-year-old was critical of the club's hierarchy and recruitment policy in December, highlighting a lack of depth to their squad in comparison to the Premier League's elite, following a glut of injuries.

Having missed a number of games this season through injury and suspension himself, he has also praised his national side's medical staff in comments that have been construed as a subtle dig towards his rehab treatment at Spurs.

Last month, Mail Sport reported Atletico Madrid are monitoring developments with Romero ahead of a potential summer move.

The Argentina international is also understood to be interested in exploring a move away as he looks to play Champions League football.

Atletico have now made Romero a prime defensive target and are hopeful of signing him for £43million, according to the Mirror.

Atletico want to sign two defender including Romero, with Valencia's Cristhian Mosquera also on the shortlist.

The contracts of Cesar Azpilicueta, Axel Witsel and Reinildo Mandava are up at the end of June and their participations in the Club World Cup, which runs from June 14 to July 13, are in doubt.

A World Cup winner with Argentina, Romero is playing under his fifth manager at Spurs, including interims, since signing for £43million from Atalanta in 2021.

In December, Romero warned Daniel Levy that the club are slipping behind their Premier League rivals due to a lack of investment.

Asked if Tottenham were suffering over limited spending and a lack of depth, the centre back told Telemundo Deportes: 'The truth is, I would say no comment, but...

'Manchester City competes every year, you see how Liverpool strengthens its squad, Chelsea strengthens their squad, doesn't do well, strengthens again, and now they're seeing results. Those are the things to imitate.

'You have to realise that something is going wrong, hopefully, they realise it.

'The last few years, it's always the same: first, the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it's always the same people responsible.

'Hopefully, they realise who the true responsible ones are, and we move forward because it's a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.'

Tottenham are on route to their worst Premier League campaign as they sit 15th - but remain in the hunt to end their long trophy drought having reached the Europa League semi-finals with victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has provided a worrying fitness update on Son Heung-min.

The South Korean missed last weekend's defeat at Wolves and the Europa League quarter-final victory at Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday With a foot injury.

Spurs return to action on Monday against Nottingham Forest - but Son will not take part after being ruled out once again.

And Postecoglou says he doesn't know when his captain, who has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists this season, will return to full fitness.

'He's been dealing with a foot problem for a while, so now is as good a time as any to give him the right time to to get over it,' said Postecoglou. 'He'll definitely miss Monday.

Asked when Son could return, the Spurs boss said: 'Not really sure. It's been something he's been dealing with for a little while and it got to the point where not only it wasn't improving, but it was deteriorating, and it's one of these things where rest is going to be as important as anything else with that kind of injury.

'So, we'll give him that time. Sonny is the kind of guy who always wants to train, so we'll put him on ice for the next few days and see how he responds to that.'

Meanwhile, James Maddison is also a doubt for the visit of Forest after being forced off in the first half against Frankfurt.

Postecoglou said: 'We had the day off yesterday as we didn't get back until the early hours. 'Fair to say he will be a bit sore so he's a doubt for Monday.

Radu Dragusin is now Tottenham’s only other injury absentee after Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso both featured off the bench against Frankfurt

Tottenham sit 16th in the Premier League table, while a win for Forest will strengthen their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Tottenham advanced to the Europa League semi-finals after beating Frankfurt

Vicario insisted Spurs are determined to end the fans' pain by winning silverware

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Victory can transform the mood in an instant and Tottenham's players emerged triumphant from a fine night in Frankfurt with fresh determination to end this season of suffering in style.

'Everyone suffered a lot this season,' said goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after clinching a place in the Europa League semi-finals. 'It has been a very tough one, but we are still alive and want to fight for something special.

'It is an important achievement. The job is not done but it's a big win for Tottenham Hotspur, for everyone, for the boss, for us players, for the staff, for the fans. We are very proud.'

Pride was evident in the way they overcame Eintracht Frankfurt. By grinding past tough opponents 1-0 courtesy of a penalty scored by Dominic Solanke, in a hostile atmosphere to confront the most common criticism, that Spurs are flimsy and easy to beat.

'It's just a perception,' said Vicario. 'We know what we are capable of when we are really tuned in, when we work hard as a team like we showed. The achievement over two legs was deserved. We showed the resilience and desire to fight.

'We got the job done and deserved to be in the semi-final of a big European competition. It was an amazing night for us. The job is not done. Now we go to the semi-final. We face another tough opponent. But we will fight for sure.'

Tottenham will take on Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, with the first leg at home on Thursday week. They are striving to win major honours for the first time since 2008.

It will not, however, mask a dreadful campaign in the Premier League. Having been devasted by injuries in midwinter, they wallow in 15th. They have lost 17 of 32 league games, and host Champions League chasing Nottingham Forest on Monday.

Nor will it erase doubts around the future head coach Ange Postecoglou but it will reinforce confidence inside the dressing room.

'Not at any stage have I felt they lost any belief in me or what we're doing,' said Postecoglou. 'That is crucial when you're having a difficult season, but there is also a season of opportunity there. That's what keeps driving me.'

Scott Munn, a key ally of Postecoglou, is expected to leave Tottenham after two years as the club's chief football officer when Vinai Venkatesham, formerly at Arsenal, arrives as chief executive at the end of the season.

Munn, 51, arrived from the City Football Group's Chinese branch in 2023, the same year as fellow Australian Postecoglou. He has been a background figure, barely speaking publicly and was charged by chairman Daniel Levy with shaking up and streamlining various departments at the club.

This included a review into the medical department that ended with the exit of long-serving head of medicine Geoff Scott last year but failed to curtail the injury problems that have haunted Postecoglou's tenure.

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates from the Europa League clash between Eintracht Frankfurt and Tottenham plus updates from Chelsea vs Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League.

Troy Deeney insisted that Tottenham are in dire need of a summer clear out if they are to have any hope of bouncing back next season.

Spurs currently find themselves in the midst of a historic slump, with the club languishing in 15th in the Premier League table following a dismal run of results.

Injuries to key players throughout the campaign have severely limited Ange Postecoglou's options, and the Aussie has been largely forced to put his faith in youth to plug the gaps in his squad.

Postecoglou's position at the club has appeared increasingly tenuous in recent weeks, with Thursday's Europa League clash with Frankfurt appearing to be a pivotal moment in the 59-year-old's reign in north London.

Speaking on Tottenham's ongoing woes former Premier League striker Deeney insisted several players will likely need to move on to facilitate a rebuild at the club.

'For me, he's done a good job blooding the younger players and giving them the confidence to go and score a lot,' Deeney told talkSPORT.

'Brennan Johnson, what is he on, about 16 goals now? I think they're in a transition period, I think you could see the likes of Son [Heung-min] move on.

'Potentially [James] Maddison, [Yves] Bissouma, Richarlison, these guys will start moving on. And then obviously they have a lot of young players like Mikey Moore, but I still think they're a little bit like Chelsea.

'They need one, maybe two, older pros just to be like, "We don't do that here, this is how you win things". And that's the bit I think that they're missing.'

Postecoglou has faced criticism throughout the season for a perceived tactical inflexibility for his attempts to mould his squad to fit the system that served him so well in the Scottish Premiership with Celtic.

However, Deeney insisted that the overriding issue for Spurs is a lack of leaders in the dressing room resulting in a lack of identity from the club as a whole.

He continued: 'Every time they lose, it's like, "Is he going to be sacked?"

'I'll say this again. What are Spurs? They've been trying to win a trophy forever. I don't know what the plan is, they've got loads of young talent, no real proper leaders as what I would describe as a leader.

'I look at Ryan Yates at Forest, while Morgan Gibbs-White is the [stand-in] captain, Ryan Yates is the heartbeat of that team.

'And when he plays, he's got the emotional connection with the fanbase, the players respond, he knows he's not the best player, but he's probably the most important to how they play. If you look at Spurs, who is that?'