Gus Poyet (59), who left Jeonbuk Hyundai having delivered two trophies, said he would like to take on the role of firefighter at Tottenham Hotspur, where he once played.
The Sun in the U.K. exclusively reported on the 12th (Korean time), "Poyet, a former Tottenham figure, has volunteered for the managerial position amid relegation danger. He said, 'Why am I not considered?' and indicated that if his former club again contemplates changing managers, he would be willing to take that position."
This season Tottenham has fallen into its worst slump. Failures in the transfer market and long-term injuries to key players combined so the void left by Son Heung-min has not been filled, and the team has creaked on both offense and defense. They sacked Thomas Frank and hastily brought in Igor Tudor as interim manager, but have lost all four matches.
As a result, Tottenham have suffered five consecutive league losses and face the prospect of a club-record sixth straight defeat, plunging them into relegation danger. Their current Premier League record is 7 wins, 8 draws and 14 losses (29 points), 16th among 20 teams. The gap to 17th-place Nottingham Forest and 18th-place West Ham United (both 28 points) is only one point. If they do not win the next match, relegation could become a reality.
Now the possibility of Tudor himself being dismissed midseason has emerged. Meanwhile, Poyet has expressed his willingness to take the Tottenham job, drawing attention. The Sun published an interview with him, saying, "Poyet has put himself forward as a candidate. He said he is ready to take that role if Tottenham decide to change managers again."
When asked whether he was willing to act as Tottenham's firefighter, Poyet replied, "I feel sorry for Igor, but of course. I know everything about Tottenham. But sometimes people do not consider me as a candidate."
He added, "Before Tudor was appointed people spoke about Robbie Keane. That was natural. They talked about Tim Sherwood. That was natural too. They even asked about Harry Redknapp. I sat at home thinking, 'Why am I not considered?' I was at Tottenham and I know the place," he said, appealing his case.
In fact, Poyet served Tottenham as both a player and a coach. He moved from Chelsea to Tottenham in 2001 and played for three years, and from 2007 to 2008 he served as first-team coach assisting Juande Ramos. He was part of Tottenham's League Cup triumph at that time.
In particular, Poyet also has experience rescuing Sunderland when they faced relegation danger in 2014. He emphasized, "I know relegation battles well. I know what needs to be done. At least I have the experience. I also know the Premier League well."
Poyet also said, "It is a bit funny that my name is not mentioned, but this is the era we live in. You have to promote yourself in the media. If Tottenham want me, I will gladly take it. But right now it's not me," and added, "There is only one thing I hope for now. That Tudor solves the situation. If he fixes the problem and Tottenham stay up, that will be enough," showing support for his former club.
He also said that if he took charge at Tottenham he would first resolve the issue with captain Romero. Romero has been criticized this season for inconsistent performances and rough play. He has received eight yellow cards and two red cards in 21 Premier League matches and has publicly shown dissatisfaction with the team.
Poyet said, "If I become manager, the first meeting will be with Romero. I will sit down with him and talk in Spanish. We must make sure we understand each other exactly. For Tottenham to stay up, he needs to be in top form."
Poyet is a coach who left a mark on Korean football. He took the reins at Jeonbuk in the summer of 2024. The hiring of Poyet, who boasts the highest name recognition in K League history, attracted much attention and expectation from the start. In particular, Jeonbuk had endured a difficult period, barely surviving the 2024 season promotion-relegation playoff.
But after Poyet took over, Jeonbuk became a completely different team. Jeonbuk secured the K League 1 title early and claimed the Korea Cup trophy as well, completing the double. Poyet also won the K League 1 manager of the year award and in a short time rose to the ranks of all-time great managers.
However, the Korea Cup victory became the final scene for Poyet and Jeonbuk. He experienced controversies including allegations of racism surrounding coach Mauricio Taricco and concluded his time with Jeonbuk after one season. The Poyet group left after perfectly completing the mission of rebuilding Jeonbuk's proud tradition.
Poyet is currently resting and considering his next move. Earlier he said he would like to one day manage the Republic of Ireland national team, with whom he had negotiated before coming to Korea. This time he appears to be pursuing a return to Europe, showing interest in the interim Tottenham manager position.
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