Tottenham confirm Ryan Mason as interim head coach

This morning, Tottenham Hotspur officially announced that Ryan Mason would assume the role of Interim Head Coach until the end of the season. This comes after yesterday’s surprise dismissal of Jose Mourinho and almost all of his assistant coaches. Mason had taken control of first team training yesterday in preparation for the upcoming match against Southampton, and this confirmation means that he will lead the team out on Wednesday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Chris Powell, whom we assumed yesterday would be a interim co-head coach, is instead interim assistant coach along with Nigel Gibbs, who has previously served as an academy coach at Spurs a few years ago. In addition, the club has brought back former player Michel Vorm to serve as Goalkeeper’s Coach. Club legend Ledley King, the only one of Mourinho’s assistants not to be fired along with the manager, will continue as First Team Assistant, the same role had previously.

The official announcement is clarifying, but also represents the miasma of information that has been swirling around the club the past 48 hours. I had previously seen multiple reports stating that Powell and Mason were set for a shared leadership role, but it appears that Mason will be given the reins. As we stated previously, tomorrow he will set a Premier League record as the youngest person to ever manage a Premier League match.

In many ways, this is a no-lose situation for Mason. Expectations on him couldn’t be lower, but he’s a figure that is widely admired and respected throughout the club and the fanbase. If he succeeds in defeating Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final this weekend, he becomes an instant club legend and the manager who brought Spurs silverware for the first time since 2008. If the team flounders, then it’s an indication that there are deeper issues in the squad and he will not be blamed for it. Either way, it’s an incredible opportunity for a 29 year old retired former footballer.

Mason is expected to hold a press conference today at some point ahead of the Southampton match, and you better believe we’ll be covering that.