View: Nagelsmann can bring refreshing change at Tottenham, tactical flexibility one of his strengths
It has been a turbulent four years for the club since the departure of Mauricio Pochettino and the next manager must bring stability.
It was just two short years ago that Tottenham spent a chaotic six weeks searching for a manager, only to then fire their eventual appointment, Nuno Espirito Santo, less than five months into his reign.
His replacement Antonio Conte has now also recently left North London which means since Pochettino’s departure just over four years ago Spurs have had five different faces in the dugout.
This has hindered the progression of the team on the field, with the club’s top goal-scorer Harry Kane recently suggesting Spurs have “lost a bit of what the values are at this club” in an interview with Sky Sports on Saturday (30 April).
Fans will be desperate to get those values back and one thing that they need is stability, something which a long-term managerial appointment could offer them.
The perfect man for the job would be former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann who the club has reportedly held talks with, according to a report from Sky Sports on Saturday (6 May).
The 35-year-old is one of Europe’s most sought-after coaches and his appointment would be seen as a real coup by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
A lot of fans have been left frustrated by their side’s pragmatic and at times often dull style of play under ex-coaches Jose Mourinho and Conte. In this sense, Nagelsmann would be a breath of fresh air.
The German is known for his high-pressing style and tactical flexibility, at times often changing shape and tactics to suit his opponents.
He was appointed manager of TSG Hoffenheim at the age of 28 making him the youngest manager in Bundesliga history. It was during his time at the club he demonstrated his willingness to utilise technology to improve his side’s performances.
Nagelsmann installed a giant screen on the halfway line of the club’s training pitch which could be controlled by the training staff to watch the footage as training was taking place.
In his early days, he would set his team up in a 3-5-2 during periods of possession and would move into a 3-4-3 or 5-3-2 during defensive transitions showing his in-game adaptability.
During his time at Leipzig, the manager’s play style evolved. A particular focus on building attacks centrally meant that the wingbacks would move infield to attack alongside the forward players.
Once at Bayern Munich Nagelsmann demonstrated his flexibility once again, as he favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation. Alphonso Davies would often burst forward and leave Leroy Sane to drift infield and create central overloads.
According to stats provided by SofaScore, Nagelsmann’s average points per game tally at Bayern Munich was 2.34. Even more impressively, he averaged 1.94 points per game at Red Bull Leipzig and 1.53 at TSG Hoffenheim, two less superior sides in the Bundesliga.
This high-pressing, attacking, and adaptable style of football would be a refreshing change from recent years at Tottenham and something that the fans would welcome with open arms.
In other Tottenham news, it’s time for Harvey White to move on from Spurs.