Four weeks to the day that Tottenham Hotspur fired Antonio Conte, they have removed his interim replacement Cristian Stellini following the teams 6-1 loss to Newcastle United.
A statement on the club website reads:
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.
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 with 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.
COYS, Daniel
Stellini had been Conte's second in command, and took charge of the team when the manager took time off for a personal medical emergency in February. He seemed to bring a winning streak to the team and it must be assumed that, in giving him the last ten games of the season to manage, the board were expecting more of the same. In four games there have been a draw, a win, and two losses.
The loss to Newcastle was the worst since a 5-0 loss to Liverpool in 2013.
The team sit 5th in the table with 6 games left to play. Manchester United and Newcastle, in the Champions League places above them, have a six point lead, and games in hand. Below them both Brighton and Liverpool would move above Spurs if they won games-in-hand.
Spurs play FA cup finalists Manchester United on Thursday and Liverpool on Sunday. Neither team have been consistent this season, but both are showing a bit of form, and possibly some end of season resilience, which it is hard to see Spurs matching. With a match against an in-form Aston Villa mid-May and half the remaining games are against other teams battling for European spaces.
By the time of the final day game away to Leeds United, Spurs will be hoping the Yorkshire team have already avoided relegation and are relaxing somewhat.
It is easy to say that Daniel Levy gambled, and lost, in making Cristian Stellini manager.
What happens next is important for the club, by which I mean managerially. No one expects caretaker manager, Ryan Mason, to be long term - though matching his previous stint as caretaker and winning 4 out of 6 EPL matches would be appreciated. The next manager has to find a way to turn Spurs from a team which flatters to deceive, into one which actually achieves.
And, finally, surely, we have seen the last in-season change of manager, yes?