The all-or-nothing transfer dilemma Tottenham face this summer

Tottenham Hotspur have a summer of major change ahead of them after the sacking of former coach Antonio Conte has left questions to be answered. The team must now address key questions for the close season, specifically transfers, while also dealing with the absence of a sporting director. The incoming manager will face tactical team-building issues given that potential candidates are very different from Conte and may favour back-four systems. However, doing so would pose major challenges given that Spurs’ squad are built with wing-backs and are naturally built to thrive in a three-man setup where they can play forward at speed.

The new coach will also face a dilemma over the future of Spurs’ wing-back formations. With Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie due to return from loans, both of whom are more adept as wing-backs than full-backs, the team is expected to continue building in that area of the pitch. This presents significant challenges given that most of the potential incoming coaches have favoured back-four systems, which is notably incompatible with Spurs’ reliance on wing-back formations. The squad will need a complete overhaul to be made defensively stable even if a back-four arrangement is employed.

Postecoglou has been tactically flexible in his career and has used a back three with Australia at times, but this has mostly been for matches they were not favourites to win. A new sporting director appointment could bring some clarity and guide how the team can be rebuilt and move forward, regardless of the incoming coach’s preference for certain types of players. The prospect of a chaotically expensive summer in north London is expected, with a revamped defence on the agenda if Spurs plan a future with a back four in place to replace the wing-back formations that currently suit the team well.

Finally, the sports analysis notes that the club enjoys a type of dividend whenever news about strategic changes like the search for new coaches emerges. This is because reaction from fans to organisational changes is consistently positive, which attracts more Tottenham supporters and boosts the club’s revenues at the end of the season, even if no physical games are played.



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