Spurs Suffer Setback in Managerial Hunt as Top Target Turns Down Approach

Tottenham's attempt to recruit a new manager has taken a hit before it's barely begun. A leading contender has already given the club short shrift, preferring to keep his options trained on more enticing prospects.

Frank's departure came swiftly on Wednesday morning, following Tuesday evening's 2-1 reversal against Newcastle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs' CEO Vinai Venkatesham orchestrated the decision at half-time, with the club's hierarchy and board subsequently backing the move.

The Italian coach had become an increasingly divisive figure in the dressing room, with internal reports suggesting his fixation on Arsenal proved particularly tiresome for those around him.

Several names have already surfaced in the rumour mill. Roberto De Zerbi, freshly dismissed by Marseille on Tuesday, represents an obvious candidate. Interim arrangements could see Frank's assistant John Heitinga step into the breach, while longer-term possibilities include Mauricio Pochettino—though he remains unavailable until after the World Cup—alongside De Zerbi and Andoni Iraola. Both the latter pair had previously rebuffed Spurs approaches when Daniel Levy was still in charge.

According to CBS Sports correspondent Ben Jacobs, the club's decision-making structure involved Venkatesham, Johan Lange, and Nick Beucher acting on behalf of the Lewis family ownership, despite Beucher's lack of formal board representation. Multiple contingency plans are reportedly in place.

Early indications suggest Spurs may plump for an interim manager to shepherd the side through to summer, allowing time to assess the broader managerial market when several positions become available across the English top flight.

Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, sits among the coaches—alongside Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner—whose contracts expire in June. Spurs had him on their shortlist before appointing Frank last summer. However, Iraola has already made his position clear: he will not be joining the Tottenham project.

The Basque tactician recognises Spurs as a substantial institution compared to Bournemouth, yet he's unmoved by the prospect. Having witnessed the systematic deterioration of Tottenham's season under Frank, Iraola's judgment to remain on the south coast appears vindicated. Come summer, he will be a free agent, but his sights are trained on either a top-tier club on an upward trajectory or a homecoming—the chance to manage Athletic Club in Bilbao, where he spent 12 years as a player, clocking up over 400 appearances.