Vinai Venkatesham has not yet hired an interim Tottenham manager
A true Tottenham Hotspur legend has emerged as a candidate to take over the interim managerial role after Thomas Frank was sacked, although it is easy to point out why the warning lights should be flashing around a potential hire.
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Spurs are on the hunt for their sixth permanent manager in seven years after sacking the Dane on Wednesday, following a period of only two wins in 17 Premier League games that has dragged them into the relegation race.
While the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Robbie Keane and Roberto De Zerbi are the favourites to take over the permanent position in the summer, despite the latter being available now after leaving Marseille, Tottenham are yet to announce who will take over the interim helm.
Let there be no doubt: Spurs are real contenders to be relegated for the first time in the Premier League era, which means that whoever comes in immediately must have an impact on a squad that is plagued by extensive injury problems and has very low self-esteem.
Former manager Harry Redknapp has already said that he will respond to the call, but assistant coach John Heitinga is the man who is currently leading training sessions along with another of Frank’s former assistants, Justin Cochrane.
The fact that Tottenham have yet to announce an interim manager, when they could have hired former Ajax boss Heitinga immediately, suggests that they are considering alternative options – and one of these is now being reported in TALKSport.
They claim that legendary Spurs striker Jürgen Klinsmann is in the running to take over the interim role, apparently in an attempt to galvanise the club and a fan base that increasingly feels disconnected from the team.
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Concerns about Klinsmann’s return are raised
The 61-year-old German is reported to be in the field of candidates despite being out of work since South Korea fired him back in 2024.
He had two separate spells as a player at Tottenham, scoring 38 goals in just 68 games, but it was his impact on the club that earned him legendary status.
However, Klinsmann’s coaching career has not been quite as successful as his illustrious playing career, as he has coached the German and American national teams, as well as spells at Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin.
Worryingly, the warning lights are ringing from his last job in South Korea, where the German faced harsh criticism for his tactical shortcomings and controversies surrounding his stance.
The national team, captained by another Spurs legend in Son Heung-min, went into a downward spiral, and Klinsmann was eventually sacked just 12 months into a position that would have led him to lead the team in the 2026 World Cup.
At that time, KFA President Chung Mong-gyu said, “Coach Klinsmann failed to show the leadership we expected from the national team coach, including match management, player management, and work attitude, which is supposed to increase the competitiveness of the national team.”
In October 2025, Klinsmann was linked with the job of Czech national team manager, only for Czech local media to strongly oppose his hiring, and they eventually ended up choosing Miroslav Koubek instead.
