The search for a new manager seemed like a story that was never going to end but now it is finally over, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s short contract at the club does raise questions for Tottenham Hotspur. This is either an appointment that fits what the club were always looking for or is rather a short term appointment to steady what is a turbulent time at the North London Club.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Short Contract is Not a Huge Surprise
Former Wolves Boss Can Calm the Storm at Spurs
Tottenham fans may well feel that the appointment of Santo is not the marquee appointment that they wanted, especially when they were linked with the likes of serial winner Antonio Conte, much admired Julian Nagelsmann as well as Brendan Rodgers, Erik ten Hag and Paula Fonseca, among others. Yet maybe the meticulous Santo is exactly the right man to get Tottenham through what has been a torrid time.
No Champions League football for a second consecutive season, finances in a perilous state following the construction of the new stadium and the lack of revenue due to the global coronavirus pandemic, as well as Harry Kane agitating for a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur stadium needs a steady hand at the wheel.
Tottenham’s 2021/22 Ambitions
Outside of the club’s hierarchy, no one can know exactly what the ambitions will be for the new Premier League season for Santo and Spurs but getting back into the top six has to be a minimum requirement. Some will say that top four is a priority, but there has to be some realism about what the club can achieve. The squad has been struggling for two seasons at least and unless chairman Daniel Levy has a change of attitude and behaviour, the club is likely to have a similar squad come August 14 when the new Premier League season kicks off.
Silverware is a word that has become a millstone around Tottenham’s necks with no trophy to celebrate for 13 years, and an FA or League Cup win would not be turned down by fans who want success on the pitch.
Why Nuno Espírito Santo?
The simple answer is that others rejected the offer, or lack of funds was an issue, and then there is the new Director of Football, Fabio Paratici who has a history of being shrewd in the transfer market, but it seems he finally sold the former Wolves manager to Levy. Levy has been at pains to say that any new manager needed to fit the Spurs DNA, so Santo does feel an odd change as someone who has shown a pragmatic approach in general.
Santo also brought the best out of right-back Matt Doherty at Wolves, who had a torrid time under Jose Mourinho and the Irishman will be happy to be reunited with a man he knows well.
Santo could well be an astute choice of calm pragmatism or a sign of last-ditch desperation from Levy and the Spurs board who continue to lose favour with fans.
Espirito Santo’s Short Contract – Levy Planning for Short Term
Whilst the short term contract is not hugely surprising, it also suggests that Levy is not making any long term plans for Tottenham Hotspur. On appointing Santo, Levy told the official website: “I believe Nuno is the man who can take our talented group of players, embrace our young players coming through and build something special.”
Within that is a suggestion that Santo will have to work with what he has got and whilst there is undoubted talent at the club there is a team that showed last season it needs rebuilding from top to bottom and two years is a short time to deal with the issues the club faces.
Time will tell but Santo is in a no-lose situation. If he fails, people will be unsurprised but if he succeeds he will become a Tottenham legend and may be around for a long time.
Tottenham are a club lacking identity and focus right now. Santo and Paratici are the men Levy has entrusted to try and change that but, without backing and new recruits, things may just get worse before they improve for Spurs.
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