Tottenham: Steffen Freund Stays, Ferdinand, Ramsey Leave
By Logan Holmes
The situation around the Tottenham coaching staff has become clearer in recent days with the news that Steffen Freund will remain at the club but Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey have left White Hart Lane.
Mauricio Pochettino brought his backroom staff with him when he moved to Tottenham from Southampton. He is supported by Jesus Perez (Assistant Head Coach), Miguel D’Agostino (First Team Coach) and Toni Jiminez (Goalkeeping Coach) who also worked with him at Espanyol.
The arrival of Pochettimo’s support staff meant Tottenham were over-staffed and decisions would have to be made over the coaches who have worked with the first team in recent seasons.
Tony Parks
Tony Parks [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]It had already been announced that Goalkeeping Coach, Tony Parks had left Spurs having returned to White Hart Lane when Harry Redknapp was appointed in 2008.
Parks will always be remembered by Tottenham fans for his penalty saving heroics in the 1984 UEFA Cup Final penalty shoot-out as Spurs lifted the trophy under Keith Burkinshaw.
On ending his playing career Parks became a respected goalkeeping coach, working with England before coming back to Spurs. He was a popular figure at Spurs and initially worked wonders in rebuilding and maintaining Heurelho Gomes’ confidence as Spurs made it into the Champions League.
Steffen Freund
Steffen Freund was appointed in July, 2012 as Andre Villas-Boas’ assistant working with the first team. He appeared to be moved sideways in the second season but remained at the club after the sacking of AVB although in a lesser role and was given responsibility for the Under-21 team. With the departure of Tim Sherwood it was uncertain what would happen to Freund but in his interview on Spurs TV last week, Pochettino stated that the former Tottenham player would be remaining as part of his backroom team.
Freund is another favourite with the Tottenham fans and brings great a great passion and enthusiasm for his role at the club, whatever it may be.
Les Ferdinand
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Les Ferdinand returned to Spurs during Harry Redknappp’s time at the club. The former striker who scored 39 goals for Spurs was given responsibility as a coach to the strikers.
Unfortunately, his arrival at the club marked a time when the strikers, Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko, went through a very barren period – it was a real goal drought. Ferdinand later later assisted Tim Sherwood with the Under-21 team and players in the Development squad.
On the appointment of Sherwood as manager, Ferdinand became his assistant but with the decision to end the manager’s contract, there was uncertainty over Ferdinand’s future. The club announced this week that Ferdinand had left Spurs.
Chris Ramsey
Chris Ramsey has also left Tottenham. Like Ferdinand he stepped up to work with the first team on the appointment of Tim Sherwood. He had joined Spurs in 2004 to work with the Academy and Development players.
Ramsey is a highly respected coach who had worked previously with the Football Association and the Tottenham Academy players have benefited greatly from his work with them over recent years. Last summer Ramsey worked with Peter Taylor coaching the England Under-21 team at the World Cup.
It is good to see Steffen Freund staying at the club and equally disappointing that two highly regarded coaches like Tony Parks and Chris Ramsey have left. Unfortunately, that is the way of football when managers and coaches are sacked, others lose their posts as well with the new appointment wanting to appoint his own staff. It was always uncertain what Ferdinand brought to his position at the club but we wish him and the others well in their future carers wherever that may take them.