View: Venkatesham has nowhere to hide at Tottenham after 43% manager gamble

Tottenham Hotspur are working to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as their next head coach with immediate effect – but the gamble could be one too many for the club’s hierarchy.

De Zerbi has now been identified as Spurs’ No 1 choice to replace Igor Tudor, but they face an uphill struggle to convince him to start work during their Premier League relegation fight.

Tudor departed by mutual consent on Sunday, but in truth, the writing had been on the wall after the 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Sean Dyche and Harry Redknapp are seemingly in the frame to step in until the end of the campaign, but De Zerbi is the preferred candidate and fresh talks are underway.

However, with Tottenham closing in on a new manager, the spotlight has turned on Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange. If this gambit fails, supporters will demand answers.

Vinai Venkatesham risks Spurs future on Roberto De Zerbi

For Venkatesham, this could be his final chance to prove he has what it takes to hold the reins in N17, with much of his tenure to date pockmarked by disaster after disaster.

After appointing Tudor as interim head coach on a deal until the end of the season, sporting director Lange said it was not “relevant” who he and Venkatesham had spoken to.

But after the 47-year-old stepped away with a solitary win under his belt, questions will be asked of the duo. These criticisms will surely stir again if De Zerbi’s hiring backfires.

While the financial package tabled for the Italian has not been confirmed, it will certainly total tens of millions at a time when the club’s top-flight status is teetering in the balance.

It is a major calculation, and Venkatesham can’t afford for it to go wrong. The decision will decide whether they stay in the Premier League and dictate their future ambitions.

De Zerbi has been offered a five-year contract alongside a survival bonus, despite the fact that he has rarely stuck around at his past clubs for that length of time.

Add in the fact that he is notoriously demanding and unpredictable, and Spurs have a very muddy picture when what they really require is clarity and unity across the board.

De Zerbi’s managerial career in numbers

According to Sofascore, De Zerbi has a 43 per cent win ratio across his managerial career, having won 200 matches and lost 160 over his eight clubs to date.

He enjoyed success in the Premier League during his two-year spell with Brighton but decided to leave in June 2024 following disagreements over the club’s future direction.

De Zerbi averages 1.52 points per game, which would be enough to secure Spurs’ survival.

His longest stint came at Sassuolo, where he took charge of 120 matches in just shy of three years, while his most recent role at Marseille saw him leave after a year and a half.

The warning signs, then, are clear for all to see, but Venkatesham has chosen to ignore them. In doing so, he has staked his Tottenham future on the appointment.

He must therefore walk if it doesn’t work out.

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