Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has analysed whether Tottenham might bring in a La Liga manager as a shock replacement for Antonio Conte, while also discussing his potentially perfect successor.
Managers Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique© PA Images
Conte is out of contract at the end of the season and this is putting his future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in serious doubt. This season he has realised that the task in hand is bigger than he ever anticipated and that even more new players need to arrive to make the team successful.
The Italian likes to enjoy immediate success, rather than take part in long-term projects. As such, he could walk away from Tottenham and go back to Italy, such as by joining Juventus.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is keen to tie Conte down to a new contract. This would show ambition and therefore help to keep Harry Kane from going to a Premier League rival. Manchester United are monitoring his situation.
But Levy is now facing the real prospect of Conte walking away from Spurs. As such, he must plan for the future by sounding out potential replacements.
Di Marzio has given his verdict on who could take over in the Spurs hot seat. The journalist reckons former boss Mauricio Pochettino could return, as he is the ‘right successor to Conte’.
Di Marzio also assessed whether Spurs could bring in a La Liga manager who would cause fireworks in the Premier League.
“I think Pochettino would be the right successor to Conte, for the simple reason that he already knows the ‘Tottenham world’ like the back of his hand,” Di Marzio told Dutch source Soccer News.
Former Tottenham boss backed to return
“That means he will not need an adjustment period in terms of the ins and outs of the club. And also in terms of the mentality of Spurs.
“At the moment, Antonio Conte and Tottenham are no longer talking about a contract extension. Antonio is completely focused on the games and his family. I don’t expect an extension, but that’s my prediction.
“As for Diego Simeone; his defensive style of play will probably not be received too well by Tottenham fans.
“They want to see a team that attacks, a team that tries to play spectacularly with all those offensive-minded players running around there. And that is obviously not a good match with the ‘Diego Simeone mentality’.”
As Di Marzio states, Pochettino returning to Spurs appears to be the most likely scenario this summer. He would be welcomed with open arms by Spurs fans after his great first spell at the club.
Pochettino is also an advocate for exciting, attacking football. This would immediately get players such as Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski on board as they would probably thrive.
Di Marzio is right about Simeone being a bad option. He is a master of the ‘dark arts’ in football, which includes gamesmanship and winding up opposition players.
Simeone is not known for an attacking brand of football, instead relying heavily on a solid defensive structure.
Having endured poor football under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and sometimes Conte, appointing Simeone is the last thing the Spurs faithful would want.
Meanwhile, Spurs could miss out on a January transfer target to Bournemouth after the Cherries made a club-record move for him.
SOURCE:msn
