Soccer

Tottenham sack Cristian Stellini after humiliating 6-1 defeat to Newcastle

Ryan Mason will take over head coach duties with immediate effect

Cristian Stellini has been sacked by Spurs with Ryan Mason taking over as head coach. Photograph: PA
Cristian Stellini has been sacked by Spurs with Ryan Mason taking over as head coach. Photograph: PA
David Hytner
Mon Apr 24 2023 - 17:39

Tottenham have sacked the caretaker manager, Cristian Stellini, in the wake of Sunday’s 6-1 humiliation at Newcastle and placed his assistant, Ryan Mason, in charge.

The move was confirmed by the chairman, Daniel Levy, who described the result as unacceptable and devastating and said he took ultimate responsibility.

Levy said in a statement: “Sunday’s performance against Newcastle was wholly unacceptable. It was devastating to see. We can look at many reasons why it happened and whilst myself, the board, the coaches and players must all take collective responsibility, ultimately the responsibility is mine.

“Cristian will leave his current role along with his coaching staff. Cristian stepped in at a difficult point in our season and I want to thank him for the professional manner in which he and his coaching staff have conducted themselves during such a challenging time. We wish him and his staff well.

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“Ryan Mason will take over head coach duties with immediate effect. Ryan knows the Club and the players well. We shall update further on his coaching staff in due course.

“I met the player committee today – the squad is determined to pull together to ensure the strongest possible finish to the season. We are all clear we need to deliver performances which earn your amazing support.”

Mason, who was passed over for the interim position after the club dismissed Antonio Conte on March 26th, was in caretaker charge for the final weeks of the 2020-21 season after the sacking of José Mourinho, winning four of six Premier League games.

Levy needs to get the next permanent managerial appointment right and he hopes to be able to persuade Julian Nagelsmann to accept the post in the summer. Nagelsmann, sacked by Bayern Munich on 24 March, pulled out of the running to take over at Chelsea last Friday; the west London club are primed to hire Mauricio Pochettino, a former Spurs manager.

Levy has made no move to go back to Pochettino despite the obvious attraction of him, especially his popularity with the fans, who have sung his name at recent matches. It has led to the feeling that Levy has somebody lined up for the end of the season. Luis Enrique, the former Barcelona and Spain manager, is another option.

The immediate priority is to stabilise after the Newcastle defeat when the team were 5-0 down after 21 minutes, bankrupt on every level. Stellini had started with a new-look 4-3-3 formation which he ditched in the 23rd minute, bringing on a third centre-half, Davinson Sánchez, for the midfielder Pape Sarr.

What was most galling for supporters who made the 10-hour round trip to Newcastle was the lack of heart in the performance, the feeling that hardly any of the players were really trying, fuelling the belief Stellini is a busted flush.

Stellini, who took four points from his four games in interim charge, has only managed once previously at first-team level – at Alessandria in Serie C in 2017-18 when he lasted 16 matches, winning three. There was no new manager bounce at Spurs as – apart from the 23-minute experiment against Newcastle that backfired so spectacularly – he has changed little from Conte’s tenure.

Spurs face Manchester United at home on Thursday, when the mood at the stadium could be toxic, before travelling to Liverpool on Sunday. They remain fifth, although their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are slim. – Guardian