Alex McLeish has suggested that Tottenham will not be afraid to sack Nuno Espirito Santo, but insists managers should be given more time to fully make their mark.
The Portuguese coach joined Spurs over the summer, but is already in the firing line after a very mixed opening seven games to the Premier League campaign.
The Athletic recently reported that Nuno, who signed a two-year contract at the end of June, has a clause in his deal that would allow Spurs to terminate it without compensation should the club finish outside the top six this season.
A spokesperson from the club rubbished this claim, but the publication insisted the terms of the manager’s contract are accurate.
Former Premier League manager McLeish has highlighted the ruthlessness of clubs in the modern-day game, stating he would not be surprised if Nuno was axed in the short term.
However, he added that managers need to be given more leeway when it comes to properly stamping down their philosophy at their respective new clubs.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “Listen, the Premier League is fickle. We’ve seen Frank de Boer out the door out after five games at Crystal Palace. Watford managers out the door after seven games this season.
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“Of course, a Premier League club is going to act quickly if the manager’s not getting the results. It falls down to the manager, at the end of the day.
“They’re not going to sack all the players, are they? The manager is the guy who’s going to carry the can.
“Nuno, if that’s the deal, then that’s the way modern football is to a certain degree. You wonder how some others stay in a job but that’s the way some clubs work. You’ve got to give a manager a bit of time, not just five games, certainly not just one season.”
Spurs Web Opinion
The results and performances have been very mixed so far under Nuno. As he is under a short-term, two-year contract, it honestly wouldn’t be surprising to see him on the chopping block soon. That is the way Daniel Levy is likely going to operate until he finds a manager of his preferred profile.
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