‘Too big a risk’: Chris Sutton claims Tottenham simply can’t appoint 40-year-old as manager now

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Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live’s Monday Night Club, Chris Sutton has been discussing Tottenham hunt for a new manager and the idea of Jermain Defoe getting the job.

Defoe is clearly on the path to becoming a manager. He’s currently a coach at Tottenham, while he has a podcast series on the BBC all about becoming a manager.

This is clearly a path Defoe wants to pursue, and given that he’s already embedded at Tottenham, one listener suggested that he could be considered to be the next Spurs manager.

However, Sutton shot down that idea, stating that it would be too risky to hire someone with so little experience at this level.

Defoe a risk

Sutton gave his verdict on Defoe.

“Jermain Defoe may end up being a top class manager. He had a brilliant playing career, he’s just gone into coaching.

“I do think that a lot of Spurs fans would view that appointment as too big a risk after what has gone on under Conte and they would probably want a bigger name.

“That’s not taking anything away from Defoe, clearly he was an intelligent player and he may go on to great things in coaching, but he needs a bit more of an apprenticeship with his coaching.”

Got to start somewhere

Yes, hiring someone like Defoe would be a huge risk, but if he interviews well and has shown promise in his coaching role with the U18s, why shouldn’t he be considered?

Let’s not forget, every great coach has to start somewhere. Pep Guardiola was seen as a risky appointment by Barcelona back in the day, while Zinedine Zidane had never had a senior managerial role before taking Real Madrid to a trifecta of Champions Legaue triumphs.

Now, we’re not saying Defoe is at that level, but he has to start somewhere and there’s no time like the present.