Tottenham Hotspur told to replace Thomas Frank with Big Six rival boss amid Mauricio Pochettino concerns

Another summer of managerial change appears to be on the forecast for Tottenham Hotspur whilst their season continues to unravel.

So when our Inside Spurs show discussed potential replacements for Thomas Frank, a surprise candidate was suggested – Michael Carrick.

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The five-time Premier League winning midfielder is currently in a second interim spell at his former club Manchester United.

Carrick’s Old Trafford return has begun emphatically by leading the side to wins over title challengers Manchester City and Arsenal.

Only Chelsea have taken points off him across his five total matches in charge, and did so with a 1-1 draw in November 2021.

A short yet successful record, it’s a run that has done enough to impress talkSPORT’s Sonny Snelling as Frank remains under the cosh.

So when asked for his first-choice next appointment on Inside Spurs, he said: “I’m gonna word this in a particular way.

“When, not if, when Manchester United get rid of Carrick… because [Gary] Neville and [Roy] Keane, and all the old heads at the weekend were like, ‘Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel’, they want that big name.

“I don’t think we should be going for a big name like any of those.”

When explaining his thinking behind Carrick, who played 75 matches for Spurs, Snelling added: “I’m just thinking he’s got that association with the club, I feel like his time at Spurs was really underrated…

“I just think with what we’ve seen at his first spell as interim, got results off [Unai] Emery, [Thomas] Tuchel and [Mikel] Arteta.

“He’s done it again against Pep [Guardiola] and Arteta, and played really dynamic, attacking football.

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“His time at Boro [Middlesbrough], he did actually lift them up. I know he missed out on the play-offs, but Boro are a bit of a confusing club with the way they’re run.”

Pochettino return risk

Spurs are likely to appoint an interim manager should they decide to cut ties with Frank.

A permanent hire would come ahead of the 2026/27 season, and it could come in the form of fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino.

talkSPORT understands the Argentine would be open to returning to north London after managing the USA at the World Cup.

Pochettino, who had Spurs challenging for two Premier League titles and a Champions League, remains admired amongst the fanbase.

But Snelling isn’t too keen on a second spell, and offered key reasons as to why Carrick should be their next man.

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“With Poch, I’m just worried if he comes back in and it does go a bit wrong again, then we’ll tarnish his legacy from before. Whereas with Carrick, he’s a young project,” Snelling added.

“We called Ange [Postecoglou] and Frank ‘project managers’, but they’re on the older side of their life.

“Whereas Carrick is young, he’s hungry, he’s got that experience of playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, we need a bit of man management as well in that squad, telling people what to do.

“He’s got a really good mind when it comes to tactics as well. I know the ‘manager bounce’ is a myth, like what is it actually?

“But I think to have back-to-back results against City and Arsenal, and play how they did, make players like [Patrick] Dorgu look like the new Gareth Bale, you could say.

“I feel like that is the manager for me, who can come into this club, rip it all up and start again.

“It would be like when Pochettino came in first of all, that’s where I’m thinking to build.”