Tottenham likely to wait until summer to appoint new long-term manager

While Tottenham are still considering appointing their third manager of a wretched 2025/26 season, it seems likely that the club will have to wait until the summer to appoint a long-term option.

Spurs are in a perilous position towards the foot of the Premier League table, but Richarlison's late strike at Anfield means we remain a point clear of the drop zone.

After four straight defeats to kick-off his reign, Igor Tudor oversaw a courageous display at Liverpool on Sunday in the absence of 13 senior players. It'd have been a gut punch had we not escaped Merseyside with the point we certainly deserved, but Richy's somewhat scuffed finish means a semblance of momentum has been crafted heading into a huge week.

Only a miracle will see us into the Champions League quarter-finals at Atlético Madrid's expense after last week's debacle, with many focussing on Sunday's relegation six-pointer against Nottingham Forest. It is, without question, our most significant outing since the Europa League final, and it looks like Tudor will remain at the helm for it.

Roberto De Zerbi among managerial candidates who'd prefer summer appointment

A back-to-basics approach paid off for Tudor at the weekend, with the sheer volume of players missing forcing his hand. Tottenham's direct 4-4-2 caused Liverpool issues for the duration of the contest, and it was from a long ball that Richarlison's equaliser came.

Tudor's shift from a high-risk approach without possession to what we saw on Sunday should eventually alleviate relegation fears, but there's every chance that the under-fire 47-year-old is out of the job come Monday morning. We simply can't lose to Forest.

In that scenario, some have speculated whether Spurs could bring forward their summer managerial appointment to the March international break. Of course, that'd rule Mauricio Pochettino out of the running, but Roberto De Zerbi is another highly regarded candidate who's out of work.

However, according to Ben Jacobs, the Italian, who left Marseille in February, is more inclined to wait until the end of the season before picking his next destination, with multiple suitors likely to manifest.

With Tottenham's situation so precarious, that's understandable and, in truth, I don't think hiring a coach like De Zerbi in our current spot is the sensible thing to do. His framework is predicated on complex tactical instructions and incredibly brave build-up sequences that requires specialists Spurs simply don't have at their disposal.

If Tudor does get the boot, I'd genuinely be tempted by Sean Dyche. I get the "Tottenham man" appeals, but who's a legitimate option on that front?