Will Ryan Mason (34) take the reins of Tottenham Hotspur again? As rumors of the dismissal of manager Ange Postecoglou grow, the possibility of Mason's interim management has emerged.

The British 'Telegraph' reported on the 18th (Korea time) that "if Tottenham decides to fire Postecoglou, Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva are strong candidates. With the pressure for Postecoglou's dismissal mounting, alternatives have emerged should Tottenham choose to make a change."

The media noted, "Postecoglou's pressure has increased again after losing to Silva's Fulham last Sunday. Tottenham is currently sitting 14th in the league, with only nine matches left."

Currently, Tottenham has gone winless in their last three league matches, with 1 draw and 2 losses. Their rank is 14th with 34 points (10 wins, 4 draws, 15 losses). It wouldn't be surprising if they fall further. They are currently level on points with West Ham and Everton, but hold a slight edge in goal difference.

Tottenham, with 15 losses in 29 league matches, is experiencing the most league losses since the 2008-2009 season. However, the season is not over yet, and the remaining fixtures are also challenging.

'Tottenham News' stated, "For Tottenham fans, the fact that there are still nine more matches ahead is truly frightening. This is due to their struggle in the worst season recently," and added, "Tottenham will face Chelsea, Liverpool, Nottingham, and Aston Villa, as well as higher-ranked Brighton and Crystal Palace. Fans will find this daunting."

Tottenham's last hope is the UEFA Europa League (UEL). The league campaign has already gone awry, and they have been eliminated from both the League Cup (Carabao Cup) and the FA Cup. Winning the UEL is essentially the only chance to qualify for next season's European competitions.

However, given Tottenham's continuing struggles, the outlook isn't very bright. Moreover, their quarterfinal opponent is Eintracht Frankfurt, currently sitting 4th in the Bundesliga. Tottenham alumnus Jamie O'Hara noted, "Tottenham's performance has once again been really poor. There has been a lack of consistency throughout this season," and added, "Frankfurt is an excellent team. If they are eliminated from the UEL, it will likely lead to Postecoglou's farewell."

The Telegraph also pointed out that Postecoglou's survival may rest on the UEL. The media stated, "The UEL is likely to be important for Postecoglou's managerial prospects. It could save Tottenham's season by providing a trophy and a chance to qualify for the UEFA Champions League (UCL). However, there was no evidence suggesting that they would fire Postecoglou, even if they fail to win or get eliminated in the quarterfinals."

Additionally, the Telegraph pointed out, "Tottenham has continued to support Postecoglou and has understood the injury crisis. However, he has struggled to win against Bournemouth and Fulham even after several players returned, and he has also faced difficulties in defeating AZ Alkmaar in the UEL Round of 16."

Currently, Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, and Silva, the Fulham manager, are being mentioned as potential successors to Postecoglou. Both names have frequently been mentioned in the UK. They are much younger coaches, born in 1982 and 1977, respectively, compared to Postecoglou, who was born in 1965.

Iraola has led Bournemouth to 10th place this season. According to the Telegraph, Bournemouth also wants to re-sign Iraola, but he is reported to be interested in the Tottenham managerial position.

Silva is currently leading Fulham to 8th place. The Telegraph reported, "Sources indicate that there are doubts about Silva's future at Fulham after this season. There is a belief that both sides may part ways. The contract is until the end of next season, with a buyout clause of £6 million (approximately 11.2 billion won)."

The issue is that Postecoglou may not complete the season and could be dismissed. If they are eliminated from the UEL and fail to rebound in the league, this is definitely a possible scenario. However, the likelihood of bringing in Iraola or Silva at the end of the season is slim.

If that happens, Tottenham is likely to pull the interim manager card for Mason once again. Mason, currently active as a Tottenham coach, has already taken the helm at Tottenham twice. He served as the interim manager in 2021 when José Mourinho was dismissed and again in 2023 after both Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini were sacked.

Tottenham News predicted that Chairman Levy would assign Mason as interim manager until the end of the season and appoint a full-time manager in the summer. The media noted, "Mason will become the interim manager of Tottenham. It is very difficult to hire a new full-time manager at this point since it could mean missing out on some candidates, like Iraola, whom Levy prefers."

The media added, "Therefore, Tottenham should consider appointing Mason as interim manager again, just as they have done in the past. There is no better timing than now to make that decision before the upcoming international break," and argued that Chairman Levy should announce a split from Postecoglou immediately.

Mason, a product of Tottenham's youth academy, played alongside Son Heung-min during the 2015-2016 season. However, he suffered a skull fracture while playing for Hull City in 2017 and retired about a year later. He has been gaining experience as a coach at Tottenham and even received a managerial offer from Belgian powerhouse Anderlecht last October but decided to remain with the team.

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[OSEN = Ko Seong-hwan, reporter]