Top 10 Best Managers in Tottenham History

Tottenham Hotspur is one of the most popular clubs in the English Premier League and many great managers have coached here throughout the club’s history. Some big names like Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino or Bill Nicholson were part of the coaching team of the London club. Many of them enjoyed successful spells in charge, while some, despite being world-class managers and record holders, failed to live up to expectations. 

Here at Sportsdunia, we ranked the best managers in Tottenham history, who not only won matches but also took the club to new heights during their stints as Spurs managers. Some of the popular English professionals and successful managers are also on this list.

10. Mauricio Pochettino (2014-2019)

Mauricio Pochettino is perhaps one of the best managers in Tottenham history. He succeeded Tim Sherwood, who had one of the best winning records at the London Stadium. Pochettino’s biggest achievement was to take Tottenham to the Champions League every year during his five-year stay. He also came close to becoming the first Tottenham manager to win the European title, only to be denied by Liverpool in the final.

Pochettino’s attacking style of play made the London club as one of the most unpredictable teams in the Premier League. During his tenure, Spurs came second in the 2016/17 league season. The Argentine coach won 160 games as the Tottenham manager before leaving for Chelsea in 2019.

9. Harry Redknapp (2008-12)

Harry Redknapp’s legacy as the Tottenham Hotspur manager is written in the stars. He came to the London Stadium when the club’s performance touched the lowest deck. His arrival revived them and an 11th-place finish looked like an honor in 2008. Redknapp implemented his own style of play which forced the team to create quick counter-attacks. And he had the best weapon to execute his plan in the form of Gareth Bale. 

Tottenham completed a top-four finish in the Premier League in Redknapp’s second year in charge and earned a Champions League spot. For the first time in their history, the Lilywhites progressed to the quarter-finals of the European competition, and the fans just loved that thrilling campaign. Redknapp transformed Tottenham into a team that could fight at the European stage again. It is the biggest achievement in his managerial career at the club.

8. Antonio Conte (2021-2023)

Antonio Conte will be remembered as one of the best managers in Tottenham history. But, Tottenham played some of the most beautiful football under his stewardship. The Italian manager was an immensely successful manager in both Serie A and Premier League. He took the ninth-placed Tottenham to the top four in the league table, denying the Lilywhites’ arch-rivals Arsenal a European spot. Thus, he enjoyed great success early in charge. But, exits from the Champions League and FA Cup in the very next season ended his managerial career in the North London club. 

Conte mixed a perfect blend of attacks and defense in his Tottenham team who competed with the best like warriors. He won 41 games across all competitions at Spurs.

7. Andre Villas-Boas (2012-13)

Boas only spent one year as the Tottenham manager, but his contribution to the journey of the club in a difficult situation has earned him a spot on the list of the best managers of the club. The former assistant of Jose Mourinho made some great moves in the transfer market and signed players like Hugo Lloris, Christian Eriksen and Moussa Dembele, who later became great players at the club.

In his debut season, Andre Villas-Boas guided Tottenham to earn a club-record 72 Premier League points and a fourth-place finish. The Portuguese manager still remains the Tottenham coach with the highest winning percentage.

6. Gerry Francis (1994-1997)

When Tottenham Hotspur were struggling to stay relevant in the English top flight following a disastrous season in 1994, Gerry Francis took charge at the London Stadium and led them to a seventh-place finish in his first season. The Lilywhites also featured in the FA Cup semi-finals in that year. 

Francis’ success in the early years took an unfortunate turn when his goal scoring power Jurgen Klinsmann left the club. Before tendering his resignation, Francis already etched his name in the hearts of the fans.

5. John Cameron (1899-1907)

John Cameron was one of the few Scottish players who served as a play manager in the Premier League. In 1899, the Scottish professional replaced Frank Brettell as the coach of Tottenham. In just two years, he propelled the club to their first-ever FA Cup title. He was also a scorer in the final against Sheffield United. It was most probably the greatest achievement in the club’s history at that time, given their lower division status at that moment.

Cameron was the first manager to win a trophy for Tottenham. And this feat will never be forgotten in the club’s history. 

4. Keith Burkinshaw (1976-84)

Just like most of the managers on this list, Keith Burkinshaw did not find it easy during his initial days at Tottenham Hotspur. When the English outfit was going through a struggling period, Burkinshaw brought them back to the English top flight with the help of Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle, who was also a great find of the manager. The English coach reshaped the whole Spurs squad and with that team, he clinched two FA Cup and one UEFA Super Cup victory. In his stint of eight years, he won 182 games and established his name on the list of the greatest managers in Tottenham history ever.

3. Arthur Rowe (1949-55)

The English manager is one of the most underrated figures in the history of the Premier League. Arthur Rowe’s name is associated with the resurrection of modern British football with his push-and-run style of football. He joined Tottenham in 1949 and led them to a first division promotion in that year before winning the English top division a year later. Rowe was also instrumental in finding great talents and bringing them to the shores of the North London club. He emerged victorious on 23 occasions during his stay at Spurs.

2. Martin Jol (2004-07)

Martin Jol could not win anything as a Tottenham manager, but his name has been ranked as one of the best Spurs managers because of his great contributions towards the development of the club for the future. In his debut season, Tottenham finished ninth in the Premier League. In the next two years, the Lilywhites secured two back-to-back fourth-place finishes and Martin Jole became a star as these were the best top-division finishes of the club in their history. He also gave green signals for the signings of Gareth Bale and Dimitar Barbatov. Jol made Spurs a position holder in the table of “Big Six” in the English top flight.

1. Bill Nicholson (1958-74)

Bill Nicholson is arguably the best manager in Tottenham’s history. The former player of the club took up the managerial role in 1958 and was responsible for forming the greatest team in the history of the club. Spurs won the FA Cup and the Football League first division in 1961 under his watch. They went on to win the European Cup Winners Cup and became the first English club to do so. Nicholson implemented the free-flow style of football which allowed the players in the middle to play freely. An attacking spark in the team’s display also mesmerized the fans at the White Hart Lane. He also holds the record of winning the most games (401) as a Tottenham manager. 

FAQs

Q1: Who is the best Tottenham manager ever?

Bill Nicholson

Q2: Who was the last Spurs manager to win a trophy?

Juande Ramos (2008).

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