The next managerial appointment that Daniel Levy makes at Tottenham Hotspur is likely to be the most important of his career as chairman at White Hart Lane.
After the recent debacles of the Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte eras, there simply isn’t any more leeway that Spurs fans are likely to grant Levy if he gets it wrong yet again.
When high-profile names and serial winners such as Conte and Mourinho both allude to issues behind the scenes, it doesn’t take an idiot to work out that the problems the club has at the present moment can be laid squarely on the shoulders of the chairman.
With the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Arne Slot apparently coming close to being offered the position only to release statements suggesting otherwise, it’s clear that working for Levy has become something of a poisoned chalice.
?? “I said there were a few clubs interested in me. I in the end made the decision to stay.”
Arne Slot on opting to sign a new deal with Feyenoord. ?? pic.twitter.com/4T3tzHKZCe
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 26, 2023
Here we are, more than two months since Conte’s departure, and the north Londoners still appear not to have any idea whatsoever who will lead them into the 2023/24 campaign.
Given the current season ends on Sunday, and the summer transfer window opens in just over a fortnight’s time, it’s imperative that the club have someone in place, if for no other reason than they can be the figurehead and the main influence when it comes to persuading players their futures are in north London.
“It’s inevitable that he will end up in the crosshairs of big clubs like Napoli,” journalist Gianluca di Marzio said on Sky Sports Italia, h/t Fiorentina.it, when referring to Fiorentina’s current manager, Vincenzo Italiano.
“If De Laurentiis were to bet on Italiano, I would find it normal. I know he is also popular abroad. He is on Tottenham’s list. Many say that Italiano has a €10m clause, but there is no release clause to release him from Fiorentina.”
Vincenzo Italiano clearly has other cheerleaders, and writing on Twitter, journalist Josh Bunting was also full of praise.
Fiorentina into the Coppa Italia final where they will play Inter Milan. 0-0 tonight with Cremonese but a 2-0 win on aggregate. Vincenzo Italiano has done an outstanding job there,a domestic Cup final and a European semi-final. Plays a really nice brand of attractive football.
— Josh Bunting (@Buntingfootball) April 27, 2023
“Vincenzo Italiano has done an outstanding job there, a domestic cup final and a European semi-final. Plays a really nice brand of attractive football,” he wrote.