The new Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo wasn’t the first choice which the club made, but he is here to stay and he is already being backed by the Spurs hierarchy. I was chatting about this appointment with the brilliant Alan Bohms last week on the podcast, in particular about what challenges Nuno has before him at Spurs. Some of the things which the man has to overcome will be done in the short term, and others will come in time. Nonetheless there is no doubting the fact that Nuno will have plenty on his hands as the boss of this topsy-turvy club.
Here are the first things on the Portuguese manager’s to-do list.
Keeping Harry Kane
Now when it comes to Harry Kane it is fair to say that Nuno has come in during a tough time for Kane and the club. Nuno will have had nothing to do with any deals or promises which were made to Kane over the last couple of years, which gives him less leverage than he would like. With this being said however, if Spurs are looking to keep Kane they will have to use Nuno to convince the talisman that the club is going forward and that it is most certainly ready to compete.
Clearing Dead Wood
Nuno is going to have to work hard with the board to clear out a lot of the dead wood which the club has, and clear out players who are earning too much and not delivering on the pitch. This is not something which will only be the manager’s job of course, but there is no doubt that he will have a big say in who stays and who goes. This will need to be done quickly in order to free up some funds which can then be used on buying players.
Shoring Up The Defense
There is absolutely no doubt about the fact that Spurs’ defense needs major surgery and this will undoubtedly have been one of the main conversations when he was brought on board. The club needs at least 3 or 4 signings back there, as well as clearing out one or two who are no longer fit for purpose. This is definitely the foundation which needs to be rebuilt at Spurs.
Putting Smiles on Faces
From a fan’s point of view, Jose Mourinho kind of undid everything that Pochettino had done at Spurs, regarding getting the fans on board with the exciting football which we were playing. This will be one of the toughest jobs for Nuno as he comes to Spurs, and he will have to deliver a team on the pitch which is vibrant and exciting if those fans are going to come back on side. Many have fallen out of love with the club, so he will have to make them all fall in love again.
How do you think Nuno will get on at Spurs?
