Tottenham Hotspur are still in the hunt for a permanent successor to Antonio Conte and have been linked with several candidates across the last few months in N17.
Turbulence on and off the field has engulfed what has become a disappointing 2022/23 campaign and the air of uncertainty at the club has also hit the players, with speculation continuing to swirl over whether Harry Kane will remain a Spurs player next season amid interest from Manchester United.
In among the most high-profile names mentioned in connection with the job was former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, as per Sky Sports, though senior chiefs at the club have decided against pursuing the 35-year-old for the position despite having admiration for his work.
This leaves Tottenham still on the lookout for their next manager and it is still unclear who the man may be to move the Lilywhites forward as 2023/24 approaches.
Would Nagelsmann have been a good appointment by Tottenham Hotspur?
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown has said that hiring Nagelsmann would’ve been an ‘ambitious’ appointment by the Tottenham hierarchy.
Brown told FFC: “I think it would have been quite ambitious really and a huge coup actually if Spurs were to get him, considering everyone pretty much is saying that Spurs are in a bit of a mess this season after what Conte came out and said about their players and the recruitment there, the fact they don’t have a director of football running the show, to go for someone of Nagelsmann’s profile was probably always going to be a long shot. I don’t think he has any interest in the Spurs job. He’s not going to rock up there, but I’m not sure he would have been the right candidate anyway really.”
BBC Sport have also reported that Spurs chose to pass on hiring Nagelsmann, something that former Lilywhites’ goalkeeper Paul Robinson has hit out at in a recent interview, saying: “Tottenham need to act and they need to act quickly. Why wouldn’t they be interested in Nagelsmann? He is one of the most innovative, modern-thinking, modern-day coaches. If Spurs aren’t in the hunt for a manager like that it is worrying. I potentially think they have sounded his people out and they have gone ‘no, don’t waste your time.”
Nagelsmann has managed to achieve some notable feats despite his youthful complexion for a manager and managed to guide Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title in 2021/22 with three games to spare.
Dubbed ‘baby Mourinho’ by some, he is also the youngest manager ever to reach the semi-final stage of the Champions League, something he achieved with RB Leipzig shortly after his 33rd birthday. There is no doubt that Nagelsmann would’ve lifted a Spurs support desperate for some fresh ideas on the field, while his work with developing young players has also been a feature of his management style.
Journalist Florian Plettenberg shared quotes from Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni earlier this year detailing that he often observes Nagelsmann’s methods, which read: “He’s a great coach. We’re following his work with big interest. We often look at his training sessions, we really like the way he trains. I hope that one day I’ll get to meet him personally.”
Tottenham have now moved on their search to other candidates and Sky Sports claim that Feyenoord are growing ‘increasingly concerned’ that they will lose Arne Slot to the north London outfit. Nevertheless, Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi and Fulham boss Marco Silva and Brentford’s Thomas Frank are also being considered.
Despite most outlets suggesting that Spurs aren’t looking to hire Nagelsmann, The Telegraph’s Matt Law has suggested that they may go back in for Nagelsmann if he is endorsed by a prospective incoming sporting director.
Daniel Levy has a lot of thinking to do and big decisions to make in order to satisfy the Tottenham support and Nagelsmann would be a name that would tame the fans’ anguish at current affairs in N17.
