Following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, Tottenham have confirmed that Tim Sherwood has been installed as the club’s manager on a permanent basis.
The former midfielder was initially being eyed as a caretaker while the search for a replacement was made, but the north London outfit have announced that Sherwood has been handed a contract until the end of next season.
Given the new man’s lack of managerial experience, is the decision by Daniel Levy something that could be a masterstroke or is it destined to fail?
The evident thing that stands out is the fact that it is the 43-year-old’s first managerial post. Most managers have to prove their pedigree in the lower echelons of the footballing ladder before they are handed the reins of a top six club.
At White Hart Lane, the expectancy levels are through the roof and with the sheer amount of expenditure on the squad over the summer, failure is not an option.
It appears that the club now has a no-nonsense approach and a short memory when it comes to managers also. Harry Redknapp took the club from the relegation places to the Champions League but was shown the door after failing to do it again. Andre Villas-Boas led the side to a record Premier League points total last season but was dismissed without mercy when things took a slight turn for the worse this term.
As such, Sherwood will need to learn – and fast, or he could face the same fate as the men before him.
However, there is every chance that the new Tottenham manager could be just what the club needs. The ex-midfielder played with the north London club for four years, making over 100 appearances in all competitions.
He has been in the coaching set-up at White Hart Lane for over five years now and as such knows the club inside out. With a host of new foreign players, Sherwood has the local knowledge of the football club, knows what it means to wear the shirt and can potentially relay this pride to the current squad.
Danny Rose has revealed that Sherwood’s lack of experience will not see him as a soft touch to the players – it is the exact opposite, with stringent rules and a code of conduct put in place by the new manager.
Finally, Sherwood looks set to pick his team on form rather than reputation and will give the young players of the club a chance to play if they are good enough.
He has publicly stated his backing of the graduates of the youth academy, while the new man replaced Mousa Dembele with youngster Nabil Bentaleb rather than summer signing Etienne Capoue on Sunday against Southampton.
One way or the other, there is never a dull moment at Tottenham. Sherwood should be given a fair crack of the whip by Levy and the Spurs powers that be, with his destiny set to be decided on the pitch.
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