Who will save Tottenham in the relegation battle?

Tottenham is urgently seeking a new head coach after parting ways with Igor Tudor. Who dares and is willing to take on the challenge of leading the London club as the season nears its end and Spurs face the threat of relegation?

Tottenham Hotspur is attempting to persuade coach Roberto De Zerbi to take over the hot seat immediately before the season concludes, following the decision to dismiss Igor Tudor. Amid considerations of a shocking move involving legend Glenn Hoddle, the search for a new head coach has become particularly urgent.

The Spurs now need to find their fourth head coach in just 295 days since Tudor's departure. De Zerbi, who has also been linked with the hot seat at Manchester United, emerges as one of the leading candidates. However, the Italian strategist (46 years old) faces opposition from some fans due to his role in the "image rehabilitation" of Mason Greenwood at Marseille. Additionally, De Zerbi is reportedly inclined to wait until summer before deciding on his future.

Nevertheless, Tottenham's leadership is actively trying to persuade the former coach of Brighton & Hove Albion and Olympique Marseille to accept the offer immediately, and this possibility is not entirely ruled out.

Meanwhile, another candidate who appears to have withdrawn from the race is former AS Monaco coach, Adi Hutter. Speaking to Sky Sports Austria, he stated: "In recent days and weeks, I have been continuously contacted by various clubs. However, as I said right after leaving Monaco, I wish to return to coaching work earliest at the start of the new season. My stance remains unchanged."

Tottenham requires a coach who can take over immediately and be ready to lead the team in the upcoming match against Sunderland on Sunday. In this context, they might unexpectedly turn to the option of Glenn Hoddle.

At 68 years old, Hoddle has not coached for nearly 20 years. However, after the heavy defeat against Nottingham Forest made the relegation threat more evident, Spurs spent the entire week reviewing feasible options. Sean Dyche is currently the most highly regarded name on the market, but has also proactively distanced himself from this position.

Executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange are believed to be cautious about candidates with profiles similar to Tudor, who lacks experience with English football and the club's environment. Nonetheless, they had also contacted Hutter, the 56-year-old strategist who previously coached Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Monchengladbach before leaving Monaco last year.

Under Tudor, Tottenham secured only 1 point from 5 Premier League matches since replacing Thomas Frank, and was also eliminated early from the UEFA Champions League.

Regarding Hoddle, he has expressed readiness to assist his former club, similar to other former Spurs coaches like Tim Sherwood and Harry Redknapp. Additionally, names associated with Tottenham and still having recent coaching experience, such as Chris Hughton or Ryan Mason, have also been contacted.

However, Spurs do not wish to hastily grant a long-term contract to the new coach, as they want to maintain flexibility for choices in the summer. At that time, the candidate list could expand, including the familiar name Mauricio Pochettino, who is currently committed to leading the United States team until after the FIFA World Cup.

Glenn Hoddle is regarded as one of Tottenham's greatest players and previously coached the club for two and a half years starting from March 2001. He has not returned to coaching since leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers in summer 2006, except for a brief stint in Redknapp's coaching staff at Queens Park Rangers. Since leaving QPR in 2015, Hoddle has primarily worked in television as a commentator for TNT Sports, and experienced a serious heart attack in 2018.