Tim Sherwood set for summer exit from Tottenham

According to Sky Sports Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood will leave the club at the end of the season

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood is set to leave the club this summer. This decision will come as no surprise to many.

When he was appointed by Spurs after the exit of Andre Villas-Boas his appointment smacked of a short-term one. Sherwood was never experienced enough to take on the role.

Expectations

Tottenham is a club with big expectations. Spurs have been in and around the top four of the Premier League on a regular basis in recent seasons.

Having re-invested the Gareth Bale money in an attempt to build a squad capable of challenging for the Champions League places this season, the men from north London now sit five points off arch-rivals Arsenal, who are fourth place in the Premier League table.

Spurs look highly unlikely to make the Champions League this season, but all the blame cannot be laid at the door of Sherwood, as he took over mid-season. However, the Spurs boss has had enough time to prove that he has what it takes to be a top-flight boss.

Lacking Experience

Sherwood’s stint as Tottenham boss is his first as a manager. He was only ever warming the seat for a more high-profile boss to come in this summer. The Spurs hierarchy were in a no lose situation really with his appointment.

If he did really well then the move would have seem a clever one on their part and if he underachieved, then they could just replace him with the minimum of fuss, which is what seems to be happening this summer.

Tim Sherwood was never ready to become Tottenham boss. He was promoted from being coach to being the manager of one of the most ambitious clubs in the country. It was too big a jump for Sherwood.

At times during his reign he has shown his inexperience. I get the sense that the only reason that Sherwood was given the job in the first place was that he was available and Spurs’ preferred replacement for Andre Villas-Boas was not.

Likely Replacement

For months now Dutch head coach Louis van Gaal has been linked with the Spurs job. Sherwood tried to bat away questions about the Dutchman coming in to replace him, but he must have known deep down that Van Gaal was lined-up as his successor.

Surely Sherwood was not arrogant enough to think that he could do a better job at Spurs than a man that has won league titles in Spain, Holland and Germany?

Van Gaal has spent the last 20-odd years establishing himself as one of the best bosses in European football, while Sherwood has little managerial experience. I think I know who I would rather have managing my multi-million team and it would not be the novice.

Spurs are also believed to be looking at Southampton’s highly-rated Argentinian boss Mauricio Pochettino, who has instilled his own football philosophy into his young Saints team. Van Gaal is current favourite for the job though and looks the more likely appointment.

Next Season

Tottenham’s summer investment may not have paid off very well this season, but next season could be a very different story. All Spurs summer signings will have had time to settle at White Hart Lane and will be more accustomed to the culture, being that most of the signings were foreign.

Whoever inherits the Tottenham team next season will be inheriting a very decent group of players. The likes of Christian Eriksen, Paulinho and Vlad Chiriches have all shown flashes of their ability this season.

I suggest that next season they will produce even better form having become accustomed to life in England and the Premier League. The Tottenham job is a very good one for a boss that is tactically aware and able to cope with demanding Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Blame Game

Tottenham could finish in the top six once again this season, but the Champions League dream has once again eluded the north London outfit. Tim Sherwood may not be a great manager, but he cannot shoulder all the blame for Spurs’ disappointing campaign.

Technical director Franco Baldini has brought in a host of players that both Villas-Boas and Sherwood have had to try and shape into the team. The next Tottenham boss will need a big personality and thick skin.

Sherwood seems to have both of those, but he does not yet have the managerial ability or experience. Louis van Gaal on the other hand has all three of the required attributes and also has the football knowledge required to help Spurs progress next season.

Is Louis Van Gaal the right man to replace Tim Sherwood?