Five issues facing Ryan Mason at Tottenham Hotspur as he takes over as interim manager

• Tottenham Hotspur have sacked interim manager Cristian Stellini and turned to Ryan Mason
• Mason returns to Tottenham having previously coached the club at an interim level in 2021
• Here are five things facing Ryan Mason as we approach the end of the 2022/23 season

Ryan Mason has been reappointed as Tottenham Hotspur‘s interim manager, following the dismissal of Cristian Stellini after less than a month in charge.

Stellini, who took over as caretaker manager after Antonio Conte was fired, lasted only four games before being fired after a 6-1 loss to Newcastle on Sunday.

Mason will take over as manager of the first team for the second time, having previously overseen the squad from Jose Mourinho’s resignation in April 2021 until the end of that season.

Here, we look at some of the issues Tottenham must overcome in order to secure a Champions League position in their remaining six games of the season.

The Case for Tottenham Hotspur Defence

Stellini appeared to be to blame for a change in defensive tactics that had unravelled within the first 21 minutes at St James’ Park, leaving Spurs 5-0 down.

While critical defensive personnel injuries played a role, putting Ivan Perisic and Pedro Porro as full-backs was a controversial decision.

READ: Cristian Stellini sacked, what next for Tottenham Hotspurs?

Mason’s first game as manager will be against Manchester United at home on Thursday night, when he may opt for a three-man backline, which helped Spurs rebound and surrender only once in the second half, but the damage had already been done.

Forster is on standby

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris apologized to Spurs fans for the team’s “embarrassing” loss on Sunday, admitting the players had shown a “lack of pride.”

While Lloris could not be held directly responsible for the goals surrendered, the Frenchman left the game at halftime with a muscle injury that could force him to miss more time.

Earlier in the season, Fraser Forster filled in admirably for Lloris, and should Mason be without the Frenchman for a critical run of games, the veteran former Southampton stopper will provide a reliable set of hands to help steady the ship.

ALSO READ: What went wrong at Tottenham Hotspur for Antonio Conte

Richarlison is standing by.

Richarlison, a Brazilian forward, is another Spurs player who has struggled with fitness.

The forward has made a handful of late replacement appearances after recovering from a calf injury sustained before the last international break.

As Mason attempts to breathe new life into Spurs’ frontline, Dejan Kulusevski might make way for Richarlison to start against Manchester United.

Ryan Mason should reconnect with the fans

Ryan Mason has been appointed as the interim manager to steer Tottenham Hotspur till the end of the 2022/23 season. | PHOTO: Independent |

After a shambolic start at St James’ Park on Sunday, some Spurs fans left before the halftime whistle.

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust demanded immediate action to “give us all some hope and something to rally around at the end of a truly awful season.”

Whether or not Stellini and the rest of his support staff go quickly, having faith in Mason again restores a connection back to ‘one of their own’ in the dugout.

Ryan Mason should ignore the noise from outside

Mason, a former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, has been on the coaching staff for the past 18 months and has witnessed many changes behind the scenes.

Mason’s previous caretaker tenure demonstrated his ability to be his own man, with Spurs finishing eighth at the conclusion of the season, one point ahead of rivals Arsenal, and securing qualification for the Europa Conference League.

While the debate over the club’s future direction under chairman Daniel Levy continues, and whether or not England captain Harry Kane will still be there next season, Mason simply needs to tune out the background noise and focus on producing the required results across their six remaining games, which include trips to Liverpool and Aston Villa, both of which still have European ambitions.