4 most likely managers to replace Thomas Frank at Tottenham

The Thomas Frank era at Tottenham Hotspur has drawn to a sorry conclusion, with the Dane failing miserably to oversee a successful long-term project in north London.

Frank arrived as Ange Postecoglou's successor in June with the spirits around the club close to an all-time high in the wake of our Europa League triumph in Bilbao. The majority hoped we were getting an adaptable and canny coach who'd be able to restore some balance to the Lilywhites following two years of all or nothing.

And while there was very early promise, it didn't take long for Frank to gradually lose factions of the fanbase. Uninspiring media talk was matched by an antithetical brand of football to the "Tottenham Way". Dire performances on home soil quickly facilitated a toxic environment, and a particularly dreary start to the new year rendered the manager's position untenable.

A woeful Premier League win percentage of 26.9% (second worst among 21 Tottenham managers) depicts the extent of Frank's woes. This morning's split presents the club with yet another chance to reset, as ENIC go about making their first managerial appointment without Daniel Levy's influence.

Here are the four most likely candidates to replace Frank, even if Spurs wait until the summer to make their move for the long-term option.

1. Xavi Hernández

Frank's successor must command the respect of a currently unenthused dressing room that seemingly wasn't inspired by the former Brentford coach.

There's a dearth of "elite" options on the market, but Xavi Hernández is certainly a name. The all-time great Spanish midfielder returned to Barcelona as manager in 2021, having been a key part of Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Blaugrana outfit.

The Barça legend has unsurprisingly stated that his great tactical influence is Guardiola, but also said that he learned about the art of man management from Luis Aragonés, who led Spain to glory at Euro 2008. "The matter of managing a dressing room is almost more important than the tactical matter. At the end of the day, we become half coaches, half psychologists," he said.

Xavi's spell as Barça boss returned a La Liga title in 2022/23, but he ultimately succumbed to the club's unrelenting 'entorno' and lost his job after an underwhelming title defence in 2023/24. Before that, though, Xavi had shown himself to be an exciting coach who craved midfield superiority via the deployment of a "box" structure in central areas. His teams, at their best, are aggressive and cohesive out of possession, and the trust he placed in youth should encourage Spurs supporters.

Xavi comes with drawbacks, but he's the possession-oriented coach we desire with plenty of room to grow.

2. Mauricio Pochettino

The sense of nostalgia has been prevalent in N17 with Frank at the helm. "There used to be a football club here," some have said.

Compilations of Mauricio Pochettino's 2016/17 Tottenham team have been consumed on repeat, with the majority of us merely wanting to feel something again. I've never been particularly bullish on bringing Poch home, but I must admit that the idea is now more enticing than ever.

I know deep down that things will never be as they were, but there are managers, perhaps only a select few, who "get" this football club. Poch was one of them. His resumé isn't exactly laden with success stories after leaving Spurs, and his current position as USMNT boss depicts a dwindling reputation.

However, the Argentine has discussed his willingness to return to the Premier League on many occasions, and there's no doubt that he'd take the Spurs job back should we offer it to him after the World Cup this summer.

3. Oliver Glasner

The Crystal Palace manager has tried his hardest to get himself fired after he revealed that he'd be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Glasner will be remembered as one of the most important figures in Palace's history, having led the Eagles to FA Cup glory last season—their first-ever piece of major silverware. Palace also achieved their highest-ever Premier League points tally with Glasner at the helm, but the 51-year-old, feeling betrayed by a poor summer window and the club's decision to part ways with captain Marc Guéhi the day before a game, wants out.

His outburst after their 2-1 defeat at Sunderland was Antonio Conte-esque, but Glasner won't be getting the boot imminently. Palace expect him to see out his contract.

That works in Spurs' favour because, had he become available after the club parted ways with Frank, you could easily imagine this simple-minded hierarchy hiring the man who worked wonders south of the river. Glasner is undoubtedly an excellent coach, but this not a manager capable of leading Tottenham into a prosperous new dawn.

Each of his previous three ventures have come to an end after two years.

4. Xabi Alonso

A harsh dismissal from Real Madrid leaves Alonso as the most desirable name on the managerial market. Things may not have panned out in the Spanish capital, but the Spaniard's lofty reputation remains intact as a result of his stellar work with Bayer Leverkusen.

Alonso brought Bayern Munich's decade-long reign of terror over German football to a close by overseeing an unbeaten Bundesliga season in 2023/24. His team were unable to hold onto their crown in 2024/25, but Alonso was nonetheless picked to succeed Carlo Ancelotti on the touchline at one of his former homes.

However, Florentino Pérez pulled the plug on Alonso's reign after just a few months, with a spirited defeat to the overwhelmingly favoured Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup a curious final straw.

This has to be Tottenham's unrealistic dream. Our current mess would surely deter Alonso after a brief but taxing stint, although the Spaniard rescued Leverkusen from the brink midway through the 2022/23 season.

Still, it'd take something special for Spurs to convince Alonso, especially with a job likely opening up at Liverpool sometime soon.