Tottenham: The Special One Done – Where to Next for Each?

The Special One had few special ones during his time in north London as boss of Tottenham

Still, his sacking is likely equal parts fair and harsh. While Jose Mourinho didn’t have a particularly stunning tenure with Spurs, with a few exceptions of course, he likely should never have been hired in the first place. His predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino, should never have been sacked after a slow start following a trip to the Champions League final against Liverpool. With the lack of success the team has seen since the Special One arrived on north London, it is little wonder why he no longer finds himself boss of a football club.

He is a genius, a legend and an all time sound clip. He has won so often in so many places, until recently anyway, that it is truly remarkable that people continue to poke fun at him how they (we) do. Yet it may also be true that he is passed his prime as a manager, that his style and techniques are less perfect for this modern game with its modern players, and that he would do better as the boss of a national team, or even as another highly qualified pundit on television.

These are not punishments for a man of his calibre. The Special One is simply finding it more and more difficult to be as special as he once was; such consequences usually appear eventually, no matter how illustrious the career might have been. Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson are perhaps the most recent to feel this, yet they are far from the only legends to go out with less a bang, yet of course not entirely a whimper.

Jose Mourinho, however, has gone out on a whimper at this juncture of his career. If the firing while he was at Manchester United might have seemed iffy, it is difficult to doubt why Tottenham made the move they did.

They are not likely to get a European spot next season, could very well find themselves without hardware for another season. They lost to Manchester City in the EFL Cup finals and previously lost to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.

Any national team would be honored and likely better with Mourinho as the coach, as would many club teams in less competitive leagues. His ability to teach might be better served at one of these smaller clubs in Portugal or the Netherlands; otherwise he might lead a group of men to World Cup glory, of which would suit the legacy he has crafted for himself with the many players he’s coached down the years.

Yet whatever he chooses to do, we should show the man some respect. He may not be everyone’s favorite, yet he is truly a football lifer, and someone who has a tremendous amount of respect for the game.

His opinions will be enjoyed while he sits in front of the camera, discussing football and his past, present and future, and he will find success when he decides to manage once again. For Tottenham on the other hand, the future is a little more pressing and necessary to sort out however.

Tottenham: A lot to sort out in north London

With Jose Mourinho gone, many believed that his successor will be RB Leipzig boss, Julian Nagelsmann. However, he went to the natural destination of Bayern Munich, to replace the departing Hansi Flick. This leaves a hole in north London that must be filled by someone.

Who might succeed where the Special One failed? Where so many have failed before?

Maurizio Sarri or Massimiliano Allegri are two names that come to mind right away. Sarri has a year of experience in England for one of the most ruthless bosses in the Premier League at Chelsea. It’s difficult to say how much better Tottenham is than his past experiences, but should Sarri be willing, he is certainly an able boss.

He won Chelsea a Europa League title before being shown the door and, while quirky, he can get the most out of the right type of player. Do they have those players in north London? That of course, remains to be seen.

Allegri, on the other hand, is a more traditional manager and could likely slide into the vacated role to accentuate the pieces that still remain at Tottenham. If keeping the players that are there, there in the future, then Allegri,I think, would be a positive step towards that. He is kind, relatable to the players, a winner, and with a strong record of defensive and offensive play. While his style is more Italian than English, the Italians have succeeded in the Premier League before and Allegri is no slouch.

While these are the two names that come to my mind right away, they’re not the only ones. Brendan Rogers, Steven Gerrard’s, and Ralph Hasenhuttl also come to mind. They have their positives and their negatives. I cannot say anything other than I appreciate all of the aforementioned names and would have a hard time choosing one.

If I had to ,however, I would choose Allegri or Brendan Rogers. Realistically speaking, I’m not sure why Rogers would leave Leicester, while Allegri remains unemployed. In any event, Spurs have some planning to do and must not hire someone only to fire them after 18 months. Patience will be key going forward.

Without that, the right coach and players, Tottenham will go a long stretch without silverware. Far longer than at any other time in their history. .