BBC pundit Garth Crooks has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur should abandon their plan of leaving Cristian Stellini in charge until the summer and instead appoint Mauricio Pochettino as boss for the rest of the season. This comes in the wake of Tottenham’s 3-2 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday which has left the club with an even greater uphill climb to make top-four.
Tottenham chose to stick with Stellini after announcing Antonio Conte had left the club during the international break. While Stellini had overseen a promising period while Conte was sidelined with illness earlier in the season, the move has simply not worked out and has infuriated supporters.
Stellini has played much the same way Conte wanted to and the results have been similar. Tottenham have won just one of their last four matches, culminating in the dramatic defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend. It appeared to be a real watershed moment for Spurs, with Davinson Sanchez getting booed by his own fans and some of the crowd chanting for Mauricio Pochettino to return to the job.
Tottenham Chairman, Daniel Levy, had clearly hoped that Stellini could steady the ship until the summer and perhaps stake his own claim for the job on a more permanent basis with his results. But that has not been the case. Crooks now thinks that Tottenham almost have no other choice but to try and appoint the fan favourite for the rest of the campaign.
“This can’t go on. Tottenham’s season is falling apart. They have sacked Antonio Conte for telling the truth about his team and the culture of the club, and installed coach Cristian Stellini as interim manager because chairman Daniel Levy hasn’t got a clue what to do next,” he told BBC Sport.
“Well, permit me to give him a little advice: install Mauricio Pochettino immediately to bolster the fans and reassure the players on a contract until the end of the season. If he can secure Spurs a top-four spot he gets a big, fat bonus and a two-year contract and enough time to win a trophy or he’s gone. Is that difficult?”
While Pochettino is loved in North London like few other coaches, it is hard to see him being willing to return for what could be such a short space of time. Tottenham are really struggling and their confidence is on the floor. If the move was definitely permanent, perhaps he would be more open to it. But surely there is no way that he returns to a job that may only be his until the summer.
In conclusion, Tottenham Hotspur’s season is falling apart, and the club should abandon their plan of leaving Cristian Stellini in charge until the summer and instead appoint Mauricio Pochettino as the boss for the rest of the season. It is difficult to see Pochettino returning to a job that may only be his until the summer, but if the move were to be made permanent, he would be more open to it. Tottenham’s confidence is on the floor, and they need to make changes to turn their season around.