Ben Davies has emerged as a candidate to take over at Tottenham (Image: Andrew Kearns – CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur face a crucial managerial decision following Igor Tudor’s departure, with defender Ben Davies surprisingly emerging as one of the candidates being considered. The news comes much to the astonishment of supporters, with the links emerging in the hours after Tudor’s 44-day tenure came to an end. The Croatian boss has left the club mired in relegation trouble, having failed to secure a single league victory during his tenure, with Davies now one of those who could be tasked with a rescue mission. Tudor earned just one point from five league outings – a 1-1 draw away at Liverpool. His solitary victory came in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 clash against Atletico Madrid, though this proved insufficient to overturn a 7-5 aggregate defeat.
According to The Telegraph, Davies is amongst several interim candidates being floated to take the reins for the remainder of the campaign. Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino, two of the frontrunners for the permanent position, are considered unlikely to commit before the summer. Welsh defender Davies has been joined by a host of former Spurs players on the shortlist of temporary options. Harry Redknapp, Glenn Hoddle, Tim Sherwood and Chris Hughton have all been touted as possibilities, while out-of-work managers Adi Hutter and Sean Dyche are also reportedly under consideration.
Fan reactions to the links with Davies have been divided. The 32-year-old, who is currently sidelined through injury, joined the club from Swansea City in 2014. He has racked up more than 350 appearances for Spurs, though only five of those have come this season.
“Gotta say, as much as it would be a huge gamble, I would take Ben Davies over most, if not all, of the other prospective candidates being suggested,” one supporter wrote. “Initially I was like WTF but after some thought, I can see the vision. I also love that he put his hand up to do it.”
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Another called for Davies to take the reins with midfielder James Maddison – yet to feature this season as he recovers from a long-term injury – as his assistant. They said: “Why not? Only vibes can save us now anyway.”
Other reactions were far less encouraging. “Ben Davies?! Are we down that bad for a manager?” questioned one fan, while another simply stated: “Not Davies man”.
All of Davies’ appearances this season came under Thomas Frank (Image: GLYN KIRK, AFP via Getty Images)
Spurs sit just one point above the relegation zone following their defeat to Nottingham Forest in their most recent outing and there is even a degree of resignation amongst supporters in the wake of the Davies speculation. “This fanbase deserve relegation,” declared one fan. “I’m convinced it’s a social experiment.”
Short-lived boss Tudor stepped in as interim manager following Spurs’ dismissal of Thomas Frank, yet successive defeats to Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace left the club just above the drop zone. The former Juventus manager suffered a personal tragedy earlier this month when his father passed away — with Tudor receiving the devastating news moments after Tottenham’s loss to Forest on March 22 – and while the club offered their condolences in the immediate aftermath, they still concluded that a managerial change was necessary.
“We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for head coach Igor Tudor to leave the club with immediate effect,” a club statement on Sunday read. “Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their respective roles of goalkeeping coach and physical coach.
“We thank Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their efforts during the past six weeks, in which they worked tirelessly. We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time. An update on a new head coach will be provided in due course.”