Antonio Conte’s time as Tottenham manager appears to be drawing to a close. With the Italian’s contract expiring this summer, an extension seems more unlikely with every passing day.
In fact, following his side’s defeat to AC Milan over two legs, suggestions of a more immediate change have ramped up over the past week. Former manager Mauricio Pochettino heads the shortlist of possible replacements, with supporters expressing their desire to see a reunion after the full-time whistle on Wednesday.
However, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that proposition could “end in tears”, and instead gave an alternative suggestion who draws remarkable parallels to the job Pochettino did to initially earn the north London gig. The pundit has identified Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi as the man who best fits what both Daniel Levy and the Spurs fans are looking for in their head coach.
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher warns of Mauricio Pochettino 'tears' as Tottenham eye Antonio Conte replacement
“Now Spurs must look to the future with their replacement, seeking a coach who will deliver on Levy’s promise to play with the style supporters crave,” Carragher wrote in the Telegraph. “When you see the impact of Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton, there are obvious echoes of Pochettino at Southampton: a young, hungry coach making an instant impact with an exciting brand of football.”
This comes after Carragher claimed big clubs across Europe will be looking at recruiting De Zerbi due to his stellar work on the south coast on Monday Night Football. On the programme, he highlighted how the Seagulls have gone from being the team with the fourth-highest amount of possession during a Premier League game last season under Graham Potter (54%) to first under De Zerbi (62.4%) this term.
Moreover, the Italian has increased their big chances created per match to three, which is the third-best in the division, from 1.6 under the now-Chelsea boss, which was the 11th-best in the English top-flight. Their shot conversion is at 12.6%, which is the fifth-best in the league, up from 8.5% under Potter, which was the 17th-best.
Carragher concluded the Sussex outfit are playing like a "top team" and are starring "alongside the two best teams in the country", namely Arsenal and Manchester City. Before De Zerbi was named as a more suitable option, Carragher urged Pochettino not to return to the club which sacked him in November 2019.
“Never go back. That is what they say in football,” he added. “Mauricio Pochettino would be wise to remember that if he is tempted to return to Tottenham Hotspur. Don’t do it, Poch. All parties need to move on. Comebacks are usually more romantic than logical.
“The fact reappointing Pochettino is under consideration is a damning indictment on how Spurs have operated since he left. Going back would be an acknowledgement of the mistake sacking him. He would have to restart in north London, and every setback would inevitably lead to comparisons to when he initially took over.
“It is with a heavy heart that I cannot see how Pochettino can represent Tottenham’s future when he is a symbol of the ‘what might have been’ in the past.”
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