Next Manager Thread (2026 Edition)

[MartyFunkhouser]

I think the owners feel it's the play they had to make from the moment they came in. In fact, I wonder if they were happy to putter along with Frank knowing Poch would come in the summer until the situation got as bad as it did? That's something I don't know. One thing...with the ST prices being announced before the end of the season, they are going to need a big, fat, cheap hit...Poch allows them that.

That sums up my fears though, I love the bloke and I rate him but I think the emphasis is on him being a dopamine hit to keep the fans happy, unless it matched with a structure ambition and the help any manager needs. I don't wanna see another manager ruined by the club I particularly don't wanna see Poch dealt that way. We are a graveyard for managers

 

[Raziel]

Honestly, I cannot grasp this obsession with a Poch return as being based on anything but nostalgia and wishful thinking!

His record since leaving us has been less than average... he had the lowest win rate at PSG over the past decade despite having a team brimming with talent... even coming second to Lille, for crying out loud.

If he comes, he will insist on control over transfers - as he tried to do at Chelscum before being sacked. Only this time he will be in a position of strength. And that gives me apprehension.... we all saw what that meant with us when the purse strings were loosened... Ndombele and Lo Celso mark 2 anyone? Not to mention the rumours of concerns at Chelscum that his training methods were "tactically primitive" or "antiquated". Didn't manage to win any CONCACAF silverware either...

Hope I am wrong because it is clear that VV and Lange will be appointing him mainly because of fan clamour...

The owners are cowards and clueless, and Poch as @thfcsteff has mentioned is a cheap way of favor with the fans.

If you know me, you would know I was never a believer that Poch was the messiah (and I'm not interested in revisiting that conversation), nor do I believe it was a mistake to fire him at the time (again, yes, caveats, no, not interested in the conversation), however ..

The case for Poch is based on what does the club need right now

- Emotionally the club is crying out for someone to follow, to align to, to get us feeling like they care, we care. It's one of the reasons some people still harp on about Ange despite his massive football deficiencies. People want to dream, and the best moments this club has had is when the fans/we feel connected, BMJ. Harry, Poch, for a little moment under Ange.
- On field goals are reset, we need to re-establish (not just one season) ourselves in top 6, Poch has enough to do that, the Chelsea stint showed the game has not quite passed him by yet. We are so far away from actually challenging for anything, what we need is aligned to what Poch can proven achieve.
- Xavi, Bergvall, Gray, Udogie, Vuskovic, Odobert, lots of young hungry players that seem to fit Poch more than senior ones (see PSG) do.

Summary: If the goal is to reset team to being in top 6, getting an odd good cup run, having a good feeling around club and spending the next 3 3+ years gradually building on the current squad (the one thing he didn't have last time), then Poch seems an easy fit, and the time he will get from fans is a massive advantage vs. literally anyone else.

If you are expecting us to win titles/trophies due to pure tactical brilliance against the odds, he's not your guy.

I do share the concern about his input on buys (Ndombele/Lo Celso), but I also worry about Lange/whoever at the moment anyway.

 

[Lemonade Money]

The owners are cowards and clueless, and Poch as @thfcsteff has mentioned is a cheap way of favor with the fans.

If you know me, you would know I was never a believer that Poch was the messiah (and I'm not interested in revisiting that conversation), nor do I believe it was a mistake to fire him at the time (again, yes, caveats, no, not interested in the conversation), however ..

The case for Poch is based on what does the club need right now

- Emotionally the club is crying out for someone to follow, to align to, to get us feeling like they care, we care. It's one of the reasons some people still harp on about Ange despite his massive football deficiencies. People want to dream, and the best moments this club has had is when the fans/we feel connected, BMJ. Harry, Poch, for a little moment under Ange.
- On field goals are reset, we need to re-establish (not just one season) ourselves in top 6, Poch has enough to do that, the Chelsea stint showed the game has not quite passed him by yet. We are so far away from actually challenging for anything, what we need is aligned to what Poch can proven achieve.
- Xavi, Bergvall, Gray, Udogie, Vuskovic, Odobert, lots of young hungry players that seem to fit Poch more than senior ones (see PSG) do.

Summary: If the goal is to reset team to being in top 6, getting an odd good cup run, having a good feeling around club and spending the next 3 3+ years gradually building on the current squad (the one thing he didn't have last time), then Poch seems an easy fit, and the time he will get from fans is a massive advantage vs. literally anyone else.

If you are expecting us to win titles/trophies due to pure tactical brilliance against the odds, he's not your guy.

I do share the concern about his input on buys (Ndombele/Lo Celso), but I also worry about Lange/whoever at the moment anyway.

The best use of Poch would be to get us to a top 5 position, to form a launchpad for a 'winner'. But that would require a very difficult and unpopular decision, so we will get top 5 with Poch, and then wait until he becomes exhausted with it all again.

 

[DeanoAustin]

On Poch, this is where I am on it.

He has to come back. He's going to be a shadow over the club as long as he doesn't so it needs to happen.

That first game back. Imagine the good feeling in the stadium. "He's magic you know..." reverberating around the stadium as he comes out of the tunnel. That's going to be epic. This season has been joyless to the extent that I'd just love that to give me some enjoyment from Tottenham again regardless of anything else. Memories of when we were a team who I expected to win games and who I expected to compete with the top teams after years of losing silly games and being bummed routinely by the big sides. For most of Poch's reign, that's what he did.

Is that a bunch of emotional nostalgia? Yeah it is. It doesn't mean it can't work though.

He isn't walking into a team with Son, Dele, Toby, Kane, Dembele...but he didn't walk into that first time either. He had a lot of very raw materials and made them a team. Lots of other managers here had good resources but never did with them what Poch did. Now, he has VdV, Vuskovic, Udogie, Porro, Spence, Odobert, Gallagher, Tel, Simons, Sarr, Gray, Bergvall, Phillips, Moore. Really talented youngsters who could be players for us with the right manager. Throw in some of the experience (Romero, Solanke, Pahlinha) and a promised change in approach from the owners that will allow him to supplement those players with ones who will take us forward...

Is Poch a busted flush? Not based on what I saw at Chelsea. They were muck for the first few months under him but by the season's end they were very impressive (shades of his first year here). They dingdonged us 2-0 with a side that was nowhere near their first X1. Poch still has it.

A fella who loves our club, who is clearly an excellent coach, who has done it before allied to a club who will finally realise that they need to spend to compete...there's a lot of hope it could work.

To Dare is to Do...we need to dare with Poch for a bunch of reasons...not least that it just might be a success.

 

[Raziel]

The best use of Poch would be to get us to a top 5 position, to form a launchpad for a 'winner'. But that would require a very difficult and unpopular decision, so we will get top 5 with Poch, and then wait until he becomes exhausted with it all again.

ruthlessly, yes, that's what would make sense.

What I would say is, this squad is deeper (not better) than the one he had, and we financially can compete way more than then, so there is some potential for him finding upside in that time. We should also be smarter and try to work with him (and all managers) to improve their abilities over time, add additional coaching (I'd be happy if we kept our set piece coach as example for next manager). I'd also work with him to push on one of the domestic cups, him winning even the league cup would buy a lot of time/favour beyond what he already will get.

But football is a long game (something our previous chairman did understand), having us back at top4/6 for next 5 years, playing attractive football and waiting for that moment (this year, the Leicester year) where the others fudge up, isn't the worse strategy.

 

[Raziel]

On Poch, this is where I am on it.

He has to come back. He's going to be a shadow over the club as long as he doesn't so it needs to happen.

That first game back. Imagine the good feeling in the stadium. "He's magic you know..." reverberating around the stadium as he comes out of the tunnel. That's going to be epic. This season has been joyless to the extent that I'd just love that to give me some enjoyment from Tottenham again regardless of anything else. Memories of when we were a team who I expected to win games and who I expected to compete with the top teams after years of losing silly games and being bummed routinely by the big sides. For most of Poch's reign, that's what he did.

Is that a bunch of emotional nostalgia? Yeah it is. It doesn't mean it can't work though.

He isn't walking into a team with Son, Dele, Toby, Kane, Dembele...but he didn't walk into that first time either. He had a lot of very raw materials and made them a team. Lots of other managers here had good resources but never did with them what Poch did. Now, he has VdV, Vuskovic, Udogie, Porro, Spence, Odobert, Gallagher, Tel, Simons, Sarr, Gray, Bergvall, Phillips, Moore. Really talented youngsters who could be players for us with the right manager. Throw in some of the experience (Romero, Solanke, Pahlinha) and a promised change in approach from the owners that will allow him to supplement those players with ones who will take us forward...

Is Poch a busted flush? Not based on what I saw at Chelsea. They were muck for the first few months under him but by the season's end they were very impressive (shades of his first year here). They dingdonged us 2-0 with a side that was nowhere near their first X1. Poch still has it.

A fella who loves our club, who is clearly an excellent coach, who has done it before allied to a club who will finally realise that they need to spend to compete...there's a lot of hope it could work.

To Dare is to Do...we need to dare with Poch for a bunch of reasons...not least that it just might be a success.

You big softie ...

 

[DeanoAustin]

You big softie ...

I have to be mate. This season has been horrific. As was most of last season. At least with Ange, I got a couple of moments of joy (the Villa home game last year was unreal, the EL final). This year, it's been a slog. Chelsea was the lowest point I've had in that stadium. We were poison. I hate booing but on Tuesday, I joined in at half time. I've said it to the fella next to me, I'm there not because I want to be, I'm there because I feel I have to be.

Poch would bring some enjoyment to Tottenham even if it's just the sugar rush on his appointment and first game.

What a place to be...

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

We were poison. I hate booing but on Tuesday, I joined in at half time. I've said it to the fella next to me, I'm there not because I want to be, I'm there because I feel I have to be.

TBH, this is not a defence of Frank BTW, I reached this point a few seasons back, this year has been particularly bad, but TBH I have felt we are rudderless. I think we have been in a state of flux and just existing for a while now, fair play to Ange for the moment of joy which I will forever be grateful, but that came with a trade off on PL.

I really hope if its Poch we back the guy and have a strategy, otherwise its another fools errand

 

[Gutter Boy]

The owners are cowards and clueless, and Poch as @thfcsteff has mentioned is a cheap way of favor with the fans.

If you know me, you would know I was never a believer that Poch was the messiah (and I'm not interested in revisiting that conversation), nor do I believe it was a mistake to fire him at the time (again, yes, caveats, no, not interested in the conversation), however ..

The case for Poch is based on what does the club need right now

- Emotionally the club is crying out for someone to follow, to align to, to get us feeling like they care, we care. It's one of the reasons some people still harp on about Ange despite his massive football deficiencies. People want to dream, and the best moments this club has had is when the fans/we feel connected, BMJ. Harry, Poch, for a little moment under Ange.
- On field goals are reset, we need to re-establish (not just one season) ourselves in top 6, Poch has enough to do that, the Chelsea stint showed the game has not quite passed him by yet. We are so far away from actually challenging for anything, what we need is aligned to what Poch can proven achieve.
- Xavi, Bergvall, Gray, Udogie, Vuskovic, Odobert, lots of young hungry players that seem to fit Poch more than senior ones (see PSG) do.

Summary: If the goal is to reset team to being in top 6, getting an odd good cup run, having a good feeling around club and spending the next 3 3+ years gradually building on the current squad (the one thing he didn't have last time), then Poch seems an easy fit, and the time he will get from fans is a massive advantage vs. literally anyone else.

If you are expecting us to win titles/trophies due to pure tactical brilliance against the odds, he's not your guy.

I do share the concern about his input on buys (Ndombele/Lo Celso), but I also worry about Lange/whoever at the moment anyway.

Why do you think top 6 is his floor, when he never had us out of the top 4 last time?

 

[billyiddo]

Why do you think top 6 is his floor, when he never had us out of the top 4 last time?

They think he held us back from winning rather than the squad not being deep enough to compete with the richer clubs across multiple competitions

 

[DeanoAustin]

TBH, this is not a defence of Frank BTW, I reached this point a few seasons back, this year has been particularly bad, but TBH I have felt we are rudderless. I think we have been in a state of flux and just existing for a while now, fair play to Ange for the moment of joy which I will forever be grateful, but that came with a trade off on PL.

I really hope if its Poch we back the guy and have a strategy, otherwise its another fools errand

I think that's fair. We obviously deviated from what made us great under Poch when we hired Mourinho, Nuno and Conte. I could see the logic in Mourinho and Conte (and it worked with Conte for a bit) but, in hindsight, they were bad appointments for this club and how we operate. So we've been on a negative spiral for 7 years now and it's gathered significant pace over the last 12 months.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

I think that's fair. We obviously deviated from what made us great under Poch when we hired Mourinho, Nuno and Conte. I could see the logic in Mourinho and Conte (and it worked with Conte for a bit) but, in hindsight, they were bad appointments for this club and how we operate. So we've been on a negative spiral for 7 years now and it's gathered significant pace over the last 12 months.

Yeh the boardroom level stuff is massively indicative of it all, we have reached the perfect storm of where we have been heading for a while, the overspending but ultimately downgrading of the quality in the squad is horrific

 

[harr1984]

On Poch, this is where I am on it.

He has to come back. He's going to be a shadow over the club as long as he doesn't so it needs to happen.

That first game back. Imagine the good feeling in the stadium. "He's magic you know..." reverberating around the stadium as he comes out of the tunnel. That's going to be epic. This season has been joyless to the extent that I'd just love that to give me some enjoyment from Tottenham again regardless of anything else. Memories of when we were a team who I expected to win games and who I expected to compete with the top teams after years of losing silly games and being bummed routinely by the big sides. For most of Poch's reign, that's what he did.

Is that a bunch of emotional nostalgia? Yeah it is. It doesn't mean it can't work though.

He isn't walking into a team with Son, Dele, Toby, Kane, Dembele...but he didn't walk into that first time either. He had a lot of very raw materials and made them a team. Lots of other managers here had good resources but never did with them what Poch did. Now, he has VdV, Vuskovic, Udogie, Porro, Spence, Odobert, Gallagher, Tel, Simons, Sarr, Gray, Bergvall, Phillips, Moore. Really talented youngsters who could be players for us with the right manager. Throw in some of the experience (Romero, Solanke, Pahlinha) and a promised change in approach from the owners that will allow him to supplement those players with ones who will take us forward...

Is Poch a busted flush? Not based on what I saw at Chelsea. They were muck for the first few months under him but by the season's end they were very impressive (shades of his first year here). They dingdonged us 2-0 with a side that was nowhere near their first X1. Poch still has it.

A fella who loves our club, who is clearly an excellent coach, who has done it before allied to a club who will finally realise that they need to spend to compete...there's a lot of hope it could work.

To Dare is to Do...we need to dare with Poch for a bunch of reasons...not least that it just might be a success.

I never used to be bothered about him coming back, but I think it's the right call now if not for one very simple reason - One of the man reasons for our struggles is that our home form is dreadful, and in the main because the atmosphere is so toxic at our place which does not help the players one bit.

Get Poch back and the stadium will be a happy bouncing place once again - does that provide any guarantees long term? No, but it would give our manager the best platform possible to succeed with everyone pulling behind him. Then add in the youngsters he would have the opportunity to work with, the odds are he would do well, and that's before we factor in a potential listening of the purse strings (of course have to see it to believe it first).

In summary, there's no such thing as sure bet, but for where we are a club I don't see there being a better or more realistic option who is going to get us back to where we were last time Poch was in charge....

 

[Baleforce]

I never used to be bothered about him coming back, but I think it's the right call now if not for one very simple reason - One of the man reasons for our struggles is that our home form is dreadful, and in the main because the atmosphere is so toxic at our place which does not help the players one bit.

Get Poch back and the stadium will be a happy bouncing place once again - does that provide any guarantees long term? No, but it would give our manager the best platform possible to succeed with everyone pulling behind him. Then add in the youngsters he would have the opportunity to work with, the odds are he would do well, and that's before we factor in a potential listening of the purse strings (of course have to see it to believe it first).

In summary, there's no such thing as sure bet, but for where we are a club I don't see there being a better or more realistic option who is going to get us back to where we were last time Poch was in charge....

Unless he sticks to that diamond.