Football
Exclusive: Tottenham Consider Portuguese Boss Rui Borges After Thomas Frank Sacking
Tottenham Hotspur are looking for a new Portuguese manager following the sacking of Thomas Frank. Mauricio Pochettino is the desired choice, but Rui Borges is emerging as a strong candidate. Borges has had success at Sporting Lisbon and could be the perfect fit for Spurs.
Sporting v Av SAD - Taca de Portugal by Carlos Rodrigues | Getty Images
Managerless Spurs are considering appointing a Portuguese boss to replace sacked Thomas Frank, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
Patience finally ran out for Tottenham’s board after a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday night.
The North London outfit desperately want former chief Mauricio Pochettino, who guided them to a maiden Champions League final in 2019, to return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But ‘Poch’ is committed to USA’s World Cup bid this summer before considering a shock comeback.
Another ex-Tottenham chief, Harry Redknapp, is the people’s choice to take over on a short-term basis while Ryan Mason, as reported by Sportsboom last month, could become interim manager for a third time.
Former Brighton boss Robert De Zerbi is the bookies' favourite to take over after he left Marsielle by mutual consent.
But, if the stars don’t align for the reigning Europa League champions, Spurs are keen to sound out Rui Borges.
Borges is the man who succeeded former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim at Sporting Lisbon.
Out of contract at the end of the season, Borges’ stock is rising because of his work with the Lions.
Stellar Job At Sporting
Sporting won the Portuguese title last season and sit second behind Porto this campaign.
More impressively, Sporting have gate-crashed the English Champions League party, finishing seventh to ensure a top 16 appearance without need of a qualifying round.
The highlight of their group phase success and one of their five wins was a memorable 2-1 success against competition holders, Paris St Germain.
The 44-year-old, who replaced Amorim’s successor, Joao Pereira, in December 2024, learned his managerial trade at a succession of lower league Portuguese clubs.
But Spurs hierarchy are understood to be impressed how he has turned around Sporting’s fortunes after a Pereira’s short and troubled stint in the hot seat.
Shane is a seasoned sports journalist and one of the most recognisable voices in the snooker pressroom. From Ronnie O’Sullivan to Zhao Xintong, he has sat down with the sport’s biggest names and broken hundreds of front-page national stories.
Alongside his work for SportsBoom, Shane regularly freelances for national outlets including the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star.
While cricket is Shane’s true passion, particularly Test cricket, he keeps it largely separate from his professional work. But don’t expect him to be sold on The Hundred as the future of the game.