The year 2021 has been, without doubt, a major rollercoaster for Tottenham fans. They have watched the much-vaunted Jose Mourinho era come to end almost as quickly as it began. At the same time, they have witnessed a pretty staggering list of coaching names come and go. Names such as Erik ten Hag, Antonio Conte, ex-coach Mauricio Pochettino, and even Brendan Rodgers have been described as ‘close’, or even more, to the Spurs head coaching position. As it stands, though, none have moved forward beyond any serious consideration.
This leaves Spurs with an open vacancy that is being advertised all across European football, with no steady takers. Naturally, this opens up the path to an appointment that might be seen as a more short-term fix; someone who can come in, ‘do a job’, and move on. For Spurs fans, then, the talk of a returning legend into the dugout might seem somewhat enticing. After all, what better way to get the fans onside than with a favourite?
When that favourite is Jurgen Klinsmann, though, fans are right to be worried.
By all accounts, the German is a Spurs legend – a proper icon of the 1990s who became a stellar part of Spurs folklore. However, his coaching career has been mixed at best. He enjoyed some success with the German national side, although much of his work was soon improved upon by successor Jogi Lowe. His time at FC Bayern was a disaster, while his time coaching the United States national team was a mixed bag at best with a very high profile exit.
Since then, roles at Hertha Berlin soon evolved into a power struggle that seen the German move on in relative disgrace. So, what makes him a good fit for Tottenham, exactly?
Is Jurgen Klinsmann the right hire for Spurs?
Taking out the emotional connection to the club, almost any right-minded Spurs fan would freak out at the concept of a Klinsmann era. The lack of silverware, the rapid turnarounds, and the power plays have all become a hallmark of his coaching career. Throw in the excessive demands for more control at almost every position he has held, and the Klinsmann rumours begin to look downright weird.
Given Spurs are believed to be close to bringing in ex-Juventus supremo Fabio Paratici, that would immediately undermine Klinsmann. The German sees himself as a proper manager, as opposed to a coach; he wants major say in transfers, budgets, and everything else. With Spurs more in mind to build a hierarchy, this would become almost untenable from day one.
For Spurs, though, the need to hire a coach becomes more apparent with every passing day. And with no hire on the horizon, each day without a new coach lowers the bar on what the fans would reasonably accept. Before long, we could be looking at a position where the fans might need to accept a short-term, emotionally-led appointment – like Klinsmann – or face a season of total inertia.
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