In a way, it speaks for itself that Daniel Levy, the CEO of Tottenham Hotspur, did not make a statement in the concise “Club Announcement” – but instead sent the football boss Fabio Paratici, who was only installed in June. In the summer Levy had promised the fans that he wanted to present them as the successor to the killed José Mourinho, who would bring back the “rousing, aggressive and entertaining” style of the long-time successful coach Mauricio Pochettino. But then the Italian Paratici, previously in the service of Juventus Turin, recommended the Portuguese Nuno Espírito Santo after a 72-day coaching search – and thus a man who had established the Wolverhampton Wanderers in four years with a pragmatic style of play in the Premier League.
Santo’s exactly four-month tenure at Spurs then almost looked like a replica of the destructive style of play of his prominent compatriot – with the inglorious low point recently in the 3-0 draw with Manchester United, when Tottenham failed to shoot for the first time since 2013 in a home game Tor managed. As a result of an internal meeting on Monday morning at 10:47 am, the club announced that Santo, 47, and three assistants would have to leave.
Tottenham’s dull appearance against ManUnited in almost all respects was representative of the season so far, in which Santo and his team lost five of the first ten league games, including the prestigious London derbies against Arsenal, Chelsea and Crystal Palace, each with three goals conceded. Tottenham are currently eighth of the table, the gap to leaders Chelsea is already ten points. With a narrow nine hits, the club that put the rousing offensive at the top of their to-do list is the second weakest attack in the league after promoted Norwich. The sports magazine The Athletic wrote that these numbers only prove what fans would see with their own eyes: a “terrible” football of their team.
“We want Nuno out”, the fans chanted last
At the latest in the second half against United, with the early replacement of attacker Lucas Moura, the audience let their displeasure run wild: Whistles, boos and calls for a coach change (“We want Nuno out”) rained through the stadium. The mass paper Sun had previously declared the game to be “El Sackico” (to sack: dismissed) because it became clear that if one of the two coaches – Tottenham’s Santo or United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – was defeated, it would not be sustainable. It was then the Vabanque game of the Norwegian that worked: Solskjaer geared the strategy primarily to striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who initiated the safe victory with a remarkable volley goal (39th minute) and an equally impressive passport for strike partner Edinson Cavani (64th) . That also ensured the whereabouts of his former teammate – for the time being. Since his return to Manchester, the relationship between Ronaldo and Solskjaer has developed into a kind of shared fate: In all league games, United only won when Ronaldo scored, against Newcastle, West Ham and now Tottenham.
Manchester’s coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (right) was seen as at risk – Tottenham’s Nuno Espirito Santo has now been sacked.
(Photo: Javier Garcia / imago)
Ronaldo’s rescue operation for Solskjaer formed the apt antagonism to storm opponent Harry Kane, who appeared to be standing next to him on the other side. When he approached the goal almost alone, the action ended in a failed cross. Times-Columnist Tony Cascarino, former Chelsea striker, said Kane was not in the right frame of mind and should be removed from the team. Immediately before the end of the preseason, the crowd favorite had formulated his intention to leave the club after 17 years, interrupted by a few loans. Executive board Levy ultimately withstood the courtship for Kane, whose contract runs until 2024. Since then, however, the striker’s form curve has been far below his abilities: with one Premier League goal in nine games.
The turmoil at the Spurs, which had been going on for half a year, began with the decision in April to join the European Super League, which was put on hold two days later. At this point in the collective uproar in the country, Levy used Mourinho a week before the League Cup final. Allegedly also because Levy absolutely wanted to prevent Mourinho, with whom he had fallen out personally, from winning the first title for the Spurs since 2008. As an interim coach, Ryan Mason took over from the expanded coaching staff. This time things should go faster with a successor: According to media reports, Tottenham is said to have almost reached an agreement with the Italian Antonio Conte. The 52-year-old only won the Premier League in 2017 – with city rivals Chelsea.