24 April 2023 , 12:58
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Cristian Stellini could face the humiliation of being removed as Tottenham's temporary head coach following their harrowing display at Newcastle.
In an opening that defied belief at St James' Park, the hosts scored five times in the first 23 minutes, as Stellini's decision to switch to a 4-3-3 formation proved catastrophic. He later reverted to a back five, but Harry Kane's consolation strike in the second half failed to mask the farce as Eddie Howe's side romped to a 6-1 win.
Stellini had initially been charged with taking over the hot seat until the end of the season, having previously served as assistant to Antonio Conte. But with the latest debacle following a home defeat to Bournemouth, and hopes of a top four finish fading, Spurs chiefs are set to hold crisis talks over his short term future.
According to the , Tottenham's players are pushing for Ryan Mason to take over first team duties for the remainder of the campaign. It's a baton that Mason has picked up before, becoming the youngest ever interim head coach at the age of 29 when he took over following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
That move came at the tail end of the 2020/21 season, just days before Spurs were due to face Man City in the League Cup final. The surprise call failed to inspire an unlikely win, but Mason did a credible job has he led the squad to a seventh placed finish.
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And his popularity in the dressing room is also likely to be a factor with team morale seemingly at rock bottom. The fan favourite spent eight years at Spurs as a player, but after moving to Hull, was forced to retire in 2018 after undergoing surgery for a fractured skull.
Could Ryan Mason be about to replace Cristian Stellini (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I)In his post-match interviews, Stellini cut a despondent figure, but did at least admit his role in the horror show. “I take responsibility because when I changed the system the game was already gone," he said. "We played better, we scored, we tried to fight. It’s very difficult to understand why the first 25 minutes was so bad.
“We were not prepared to play this type of tough game. To be prepared means to be ready to suffer, to be ready to control the space and be ready to fight. But this? We were not prepared."
Spurs now lie fifth, six points off Manchester United but having played two games more. Defeat at Old Trafford on Thursday will essentially end any hopes of Champions League football next season.