Vincent Kompany is the ideal candidate for the Spurs job - but if you are a young manager, why would you take it?
Only if you can rid the club of the drift, the lack of identity, and get time as a new coach to build. What Kompany has done at Burnley in just one season is amazing. He’s got them playing attractive football, he’s identified the Belgian market as one of the most physical leagues and got players in from there. Recruitment was good, he had a method and a plan.
He could walk into that Spurs dressing room having won it all, and command respect. Unsurprisingly, Kompany was on Chelsea’s wanted list but doesn’t appear to be heading there.
He’s been touted by Pep Guardiola as a future Manchester City boss. He said it was “written in the stars.” But that can’t happen for a few seasons yet. Guardiola wants more trophies at City.
So Spurs should give him two to three years minimum, and let him get Spurs playing attractive football. Fans might think that is harsh on Burnley. But if Kompany has a difficult fixture list in the first ten games and they lose a lot, no points, he’d be under pressure. He may as well come under massive pressure at Tottenham.
Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi have both earned the right to be in for the Spurs job, but why would they leave Brentford and Brighton, they are challenging for Europe and secure.
You could end up in the job at Spurs for 20 games then sacked. But Kompany may as well give it a go swapping Burnley for Spurs. There was a time when the Spurs' job was irresistible. But now there’s a question mark. So much needs solving.
They have the best stadium and one of the best training grounds, but on the pitch no manager, no sporting director and no identity. Where is the leadership? I believe Kompany can change that.
At the moment Spurs can’t defend, despite having Mourinho and Conte as their boss. So far 58 goals leaked - more than double Newcastle’s total. When they opened up they got battered 6-1 at Newcastle.
Everyone, pundits, TV, radio, were saying when Jose Mourinho got the job: “We’re going to win trophies.” Antonio Conte gets the job, same again: “We’re going to win trophies. Just what we need. Shore up the defence.”
Now they don’t need a “serial winner” manager. They need someone who can build. With hindsight, they should have stuck with Poch. He took younger players and made it work. They had the perfect guy there, and should have given him more money to spend. But they went to Mourinho. Nuno, for four months, that was bizarre, and then Conte.
Spurs fans come on the radio and say: We have to play attacking, attractive football, that is the history of Spurs.” But I ask, would you rather that.. Or win the Premier League by playing dull football? Spurs fans tell me they’d rather have attractive football.
There has been an identity crisis at the club. What are they? How do they get to the point of playing good football, tradition, AND win something? Can that happen?
They are at such a crossroads. In what world do you get rid of Conte, leave his right hand man Stellini in charge, then after Stellini, put Ryan Mason in, while you are going for a Champions League spot?
They have caused a drift which is threatening to ruin their season and cost prestige and money. It could cost them European football. Spurs could end up eighth. Brighton have three games in hand and can overhaul them in the worst case scenario. That’d be massive. What Conte said about that squad is coming true. Be authoritative, have a plan. What does Daniel Levy want?
My long term aim is to be a director of football at a Premier League club. At Macclesfield we are transparent. Why not be transparent about the process and aims. Speak to the fans. It’s a shambles. Define what you are and stick with it.
