North London side Tottenham Hotspur, who are currently in a horrible run of form, have reportedly shortlisted a potential replacement for current manager Mauricio Pochettino – RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann. 32-year-old Nagelsmann is one of the most highly-rated young coaches in European football, having been a success at Hoffenheim.
According to The Times, Spurs think that Nagelsmann could be the right man to replace Pochettino, as the report states that the Argentine manager may feel it’s the right time to leave the club. Pochettino joined Spurs in 2014 from Southampton and has firmly established the north London side in the top 4. He even took them to a Champions League final last season, only to fall to Liverpool at the final hurdle.
He has not won a trophy yet with Spurs but has improved the team significantly, going on to become one of the best managers in the league.
Julian Nagelsmann: The right man for the job?
Many pundits and fans feel that current RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann is destined for the top and will manage a top Europe side in the years to come. The German became the coach of Hoffenheim at the age of just 28, becoming the youngest to manage a Bundesliga side.
In his first season with the club, he took them to 3rd in the league, followed by a 4th and 9th place finish in the next two seasons. Nagelsmann moved to Leipzig earlier this year and has kept them in the running for a Champions League spot, and is currently second in the league.
Nagelsmann’s tactics and philosophy has won him plaudits as he has employed an exciting and fearless style of play. He likes his players to press high up the pitch, retrieve the ball and play quick, direct football. He’s tactically savvy, employing different formations to suit the players he has in his squad.
Tottenham need to refresh things and need a makeover, especially in the backline, which needs a few quality additions. They have top quality players like Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele around which a team can be built, and a young manager like Nagelsmann can take Spurs in a different direction to Pochettino.
A regeneration of sorts at Spurs might be a challenge which might excite a few managers but the cash crunch due to the new stadium proving to be a hindrance, it will take a brave call for someone like Nagelsmann to take on the massive rebuild job at this stage in his career.