What Paulo Fonseca means for Tottenham Hotspur?
Opinion  Published: 11:30 AM June 15, 2021  Tottenham Hotspur have finally ended their long-lasting managerial search, with the appointment of former AS Roma boss Paulo Fonseca. Having trifled through numerous candidates, been linked to an unexpected reunion with Mauricio Pochettino, and on the brink of announcing Antonio Conte, it will come as a relief to Spurs fans that the search is now over. Question marks over the decision will definitely arise, following his poor season at Roma, finishing seventh in the league and struggling against sides in the top 10 this season. Ironically it was Jose Mourinho who was drafted to take the reins from Fonseca once the season had finished, with the Italian now going the other way. While he is certainly a different proposition to Mourinho, it will be interesting to see how he attempts to solve the problems at Spurs. You may also want to watch:  The Portuguese boss hasnt got the most extensive CV, however he has had a relatively successful career and his brand of football will no doubt be a breath of fresh air for the Tottenham faithful. Newly appointed Director of Football Fabio Paratici was reportedly keen on making the appointment, after the breakdown in negotiations with Conte. His involvement is perhaps key to the swiftness of the appointment, in stark contrast to Daniel Levy dragging his feet through a list of candidates over the past few weeks. The pair have a huge task on their hands heading into next season following the Euros. Paratici and Fonseca will be creating a shortlist of targets, alongside Levy, to rebuild the squad. With Fonseca primarily using a 3-4-3, and the quality of centre-backs at Spurs anything but impressive, one would imagine that would be the focus in regard to reinforcements. Aside from recruitment, the style of play Fonseca adopts is one that will make a welcome change from the Mourinho era. An offensively aggressive approach, with progressive passing, will give Spurs an impetus in attack - arguably their strongest department. Defending has been Tottenhams Achilles heel this campaign and the picture remains bleak under Fonseca, as his defensive record is not one to boast about either. On the other hand, with shrewd signings and a philosophy that the players buy into, there is no reason why Fonseca cannot be successful in North London. He will certainly have his work cut out ahead of this season, but it will be interesting to see how he does in his new role.