Teddy Sheringham exclusive: FA should show some ambition and appoint Pep Guardiola as England manager at end of the season
In an exclusive interview with Online Poker ltd, former England ace Teddy Sheringham tells the FA to appoint Pep Guardiola as England manager at end of the season.
Sheringham also gives his season preview on the Premier League’s biggest clubs, in the lead up to the start of the Premier League campaign.
Full Transcript
Question: Community Shield is a glorified friendly, winning or losing it won’t change Manchester United’s season
Teddy Sheringham: “From the point of a view of a player, the Community Shield is a game that you want to win but you certainly wouldn’t lose sleep if you didn’t.
I made my Manchester United debut in Charity Shield, as it was known then, in 1997 and we won. Then I lost a few of them in a row, including in the 1999 season, and we went on and won the treble, so it really has no bearing on your season, or at least it didn’t when I was at Manchester United playing under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Speaking as a forward, it’s always nice to open your account before the season starts, so Garnacho will be happy he has done that, but it’s really a game that is more about building your match fitness and sharpness.
It would have been nice for the Manchester United players to get one over on their Manchester rivals, but the players won’t be too concerned that they lost in the dressing room – it’s not a big deal for a player.”
Q: United have shown that they can compete with Manchester City in one-off games. Are they ready to do that over the course of this season?
Teddy Sheringham: “I think Erik ten Hag will use the result and the performance in the right way. It’s another stat that says Manchester City haven’t beaten Manchester United in normal time, so that can only be a good thing.
All football managers like to build positivity. Ten Hag will use the stats to demonstrate to his players that they can compete with Manchester City.
At the end of the day, United lost, but it’s a friendly match and there will be positives to take from it. On the balance of the game, United probably should have won it. They got off to a bit of an iffy start but then settled down and had the best chances of the match, which, unfortunately Marcus Rashford didn’t take.
So, there are positives, and that’s exactly what Erik ten Hag said to the media after the game. For me, the most pleasing part of the performance is the fact that this is another game against City where United have held their own and are not getting overrun. The way that City play, they can beat you by two, three or four goals. On a game-by-game basis, United are getting closer to them. The question is can they do that over the course of a season? Competing with City over 38 games is a much bigger challenge and they haven’t shown that they can do that yet – that’s where the improvement needs to come from. Consistently winning games in the Premier League and keeping the pace with them there.”
Q: Rashford missed a couple of big chances and looked a bit off the boil. Is that match sharpness, concentration or confidence issues. What does he need to do to become a killer in front of goal?
Teddy Sheringham: “I still have my doubts about Marcus Rashford. I really hope that he can develop that killer instinct in front of goal, but I’m still trying to work out what his best position is on the football pitch.
Is he a winger or is he a striker that leads the line? At the moment, he plays off the left and roams around. We know he has unbelievable pace and can stretch teams with runs in behind, but I wouldn’t consider him to be a wide boy because he doesn’t feed the centre forward. I don’t see him as a player that plays in a ten because he doesn’t get involved enough and I don’t think he has the cuteness in his game to be that stylish playmaker that creates chances for other players. He’s not a number nine because he doesn’t hold the ball up.
He’s a talent that can score goals at any particular time, but I still don’t think he’s found that position that he can call his own. He mainly plays off the left, but as I said, he doesn’t provide what a typical winger does.”
Q: Manchester City won the title for a fourth season in a row, although Arsenal run them pretty close. Given the club’s that you played for, who would you rather won the Premier League this season.
Teddy Sheringham: “When someone asks me who I would prefer to win the Premier League between Manchester City and Arsenal, it’s not like they’re asking me would I rather lose a hand or a foot because I don’t mind that Manchester City are winning everything. Manchester City are simply the best. You have to appreciate just how brilliant they are and have been under Pep Guardiola. You have to take your hat off to them because they’ve been phenomenal.
Pep Guardiola has taken football to a completely different level. People are still chasing him.
I admit that Arsenal are getting close. I have to say, I’m a little bit surprised that the only signing they’ve made so far is the Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori because Arsenal’s defence was formidable last season.
Hopefully there are a few teething problems with him settling into the team and that can create a bit of disruption among their defensive ranks.”
Q: Liverpool have appointed a new manager in Arne Slot. They are yet to make a signing but have picked up some decent results during their pre-season. What do you think will be there minimum objective this season?
Teddy Sheringham: “The only people who know what the Liverpool objective is this season are the board, the players and the new manager Arne Slot. We know that it is going to be difficult for him to follow in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp – he will want to and need to be his own man.
If you look at Slot’s experience, I think it may take him a bit of time to get to grips of managing a giant like Liverpool. Cutting your teeth in the Premier League with Liverpool will test his managerial abilities.
There’s a lot of pressure at Liverpool; you’re expected to win, and the fans expect you to win and challenge for trophies. Liverpool have only really known success over the last six or seven years, so if they aren’t on that path, there could be some rumblings of discontent.
They only need to look at their big rivals Manchester United to see what could happen. United have been so inconsistent, up and down, a trophy here and there, in the same period where Liverpool have been so successful. The fans won’t want to see their club follow that pattern.
It won’t be easy this season for Liverpool and Slot. The likes of Tottenham, Newcastle, Villa, Arsenal, they will all be vying for a place in the top four – it’s going to be very difficult for any club to get in there this season because it’s so competitive.”
Q: You’ve spoken about the culture shock from moving from Holland to the Premier League where every opponent can beat you. It’s a completely different kettle of fish to the Eredivisie.
Teddy Sheringham: “The Premier League will be a learning curve for Arne Slot, there is no doubt about that. He will need to get to grips with the Premier League and he will need to do it quickly.
It’s difficult for players when they come over to the Premier League. You quickly find out how tough it is game after game. It will be exactly the same for managers.
Getting to grips with the intensity that every single opponent brings can take a bit of time, and with Liverpool, managing playing every three days because of Champions League football, will be tough. Liverpool travel to Ipswich Town on the opening weekend. They’ve just got promoted. They’re buzzing down there. They want to start well and will be looking to take a massive scalp.
When you’re managing in Holland, a lot of these bottom teams roll over. Whereas in the Premier League, that doesn’t really happen. That’s something you need to learn quickly about English football if you’re a foreigner. If you don’t take every opponent seriously, you can come unstuck. You’ve got to understand what the Premier League’s all about. Arne Slot will find out pretty quickly.”
Q: Aston Villa finished the season in fourth and will be playing in the Champions League next season. They’ve signed a lot of players this summer – do you think they can finish in the top four again or do you think they will find life difficult like Newcastle did last season trying to manage the demands of domestic and European football.
Teddy Sheringham: “I think it’s a tough, tough ask for Aston Villa to finish in the top four again this season, but I would say that I would expect Villa to manage the challenges of European and domestic football a bit better than Newcastle did last season. Unai Emery has that experience of managing a group that plays every three days; he did it with Arsenal in the Europa League, and he’s done it throughout his career managing in Spain. As a manager, Emery is much better equipped to handle that then Eddie Howe was, simply because he has the experience. He’s more established. He’s done it before and his record in European competition is as good as anyone.
Aston Villa have spent a lot of money to help sustain the challenge of the Champions League. Expectations at the club have been raised by Emery.
I think it will be a tough season for Villa, but I think they can handle it. I think that the Villa players will be able to handle juggling domestic and European football because of Emery’s experience. I fully expect them to be very good again. I expect them to finish in the top four and for them to be up there consistently all season.”
Q: Newcastle finished the season in seventh. Given the ownership and the ambition there, is this a season where Eddie Howe will be feeling a bit of pressure to improve on that?
Teddy Sheringham: “Like any manager at a big club, if you don’t start well then you can find yourself under a lot of pressure quickly. Is he under more pressure because of what happened last season? I don’t think so. The one silver-lining that he has is that his team can focus on playing one game a week without European football, so you would expect Newcastle to be better than seventh place.
The issue is that it’s really competitive in the Premier League. Can he get them into the top four again? I’m not sure that he can when I look at the other teams up there. Sixth place and a cup would be an unbelievable season, and I think they would be happy with one or the other.
Last season they had the Champions League adventure. I think they were really unlucky to go out in the group stages, and as Manchester United demonstrated, and latterly Manchester City, it takes years to get to grips with the competition and to make progress.
The challenge for Eddie Howe is to keep Newcastle in that top four on a regular basis. If you can’t get into the Champions League, then Europa League football should be the target. The point is that the more you become accustomed to managing playing in Europe the easier it becomes. If Eddie How can keep doing that, then I think his future at Newcastle looks completely assured.
I do feel desperately unlucky for Eddie. I can’t understand why he hasn’t been able to spend the resources that the club has on players when other clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea have been able to. I think it’s unfortunate that he joined the club expecting to invest millions on better players and he hasn’t been able to do that because of the financial rules and sanctions, while some other clubs have.
It’s a shame because I bet he thought when he joined the club he would have carte blanche and spend whatever he wanted. He would have thought let’s get some top players in and excite the Newcastle fans. That hasn’t really materialised.”
Q: Chelsea finished the season in sixth, and I think it would be fair to say that they were making progress towards the end under Poch. Were you surprised they fired him and replaced him with someone that was managing in the Championship?
Teddy Sheringham: “I look at Chelsea and think, who knows what is going on at that club with some of the decisions that are made. I was as shocked as anyone with the decision to go in a different direction and move on from Poch because he looks like a very good manager to me. He makes players better, he makes teams better.
Okay, he might have missed out on big titles or trophies at certain times, but for me, I think he knows what it takes to manage a football team and build a football team that is capable for challenging for the biggest prizes. That’s what you’re hoping for when you get a new manager in. You could see progress being made at Chelsea towards the end of the season, they went on a fantastic run. I was very surprised that he went.
This new guy, Maresca, he’s come in. He seems a little bit temperamental to me. He’ll have to start well. We all know what happens at Chelsea if you don’t do well. Six bad results at any point in the season and he could be trouble.
Even if he does well in the first six games. The next six games after that, if he doesn’t do well, it could be curtains for him, even if he has signed a five-year contract.
Chelsea’s expectations seem to be out of line with what is happening at the club. There are a lot of top teams in the Premier League, it’s not going to be easy for them. I think it’s unrealistic to think they can challenge for the top four or the title after all the changes the owners have overseen.
The owners are a law unto themselves and if they don’t do well in any six-game period, that could be the end of it for any manager in the Stamford Bridge dugout.”
Q: For me, when you look at Chelsea, it feels like they are one defeat away from an explosion. The vibes don’t look good, and the season hasn’t even started yet – what are you expecting from them this year?
Teddy Sheringham: “I think there’s a lot of uncertainty at Chelsea. They had a big run towards the end of last season and finished in sixth. Poch was showing signs of progress, and now the ownership have reset it all again.
They will be looking for consistency to improve, but that’s hard to achieve when you make as many changes to the squad and management as they seem to do. I think it will be a difficult season for them again.”
Q: We mentioned Arsenal briefly. They’ve got close, but Arteta hasn’t won any proper silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 2020. Does he need to win a major trophy this season to prove that he’s more than a good coach?
Teddy Sheringham: “There’s absolutely no way I can criticise or tell Mikel Arteta that he needs to win trophies for Arsenal! It’s a bit condescending to fans of my old club Tottenham given that they haven’t won a major trophy in a much longer period than Arsenal, so I can’t say that.
What I can say is that, looking at the club from outside, Arteta is improving Arsenal. He’s making things better at the football club. They may have finished last season and the season before in second, they may not have won anything in that period, but they are on the right path.
He’s looked at his squad and the player’s that he thinks he needs and signed a defender. For me, I still think they need a centre forward who can finish things off. A player like Ivan Toney would be a massive addition for Arsenal and I think if they signed him, they would be even stronger title contenders.
If they had a player like Toney, who is something a bit different to what they have, a big presence who can lead the line, then Arsenal would be the finished article.
I’m very surprised that they’re going for more defenders and not signing a striker. I like Gabriel Jesus, I think he’s a very good player, but he’s not going to score you 25 goals a season, which is what you need if you want to win a title. Arsenal need a number nine of they are going to go the distance in the title race.”
Q: Why do you think Ivan Toney hasn’t moved yet? He was hot property, but the interest in him seems to have cooled from the top clubs.
Teddy Sheringham: “I’m not sure why Ivan Toney hasn’t moved yet. It’s no secret that he’s on the market and wants to move to a top, top club.
Perhaps it has to do with the way that he finished the season. I thought he was very below par after coming back from his ban. I liked what I saw of him in the European Championships for England. I thought he showed great leadership qualities in the cameos that he made because he was thrown in when England needed something, and he didn’t look phased by that.
In those limited moments, I was impressed with him and his temperament. He occupied defenders, he was powerful. He made himself a nuisance.
Playing at centre forward at the top level is one of the hardest jobs in football. He’s shown over the years that he can cut it with the best. He’s 28 now, so he’s coming into the prime of his life as a striker. From now until he’s 31 or 32, he will be at his peak.
I’m very surprised that someone hasn’t taken him. I would snap him up if I was a manager looking for a top centre forward. There’s definitely a great deal for a club out there to do. I don’t want to see him go Arsenal though. I don’t want to see the good players going Arsenal. They’ve got enough.”
Q: Arteta’s pickpocketing stunt
Teddy Sheringham: “I heard about that.
Did a manager ever pull a stunt like that that I played for? I didn’t really play under any managers that were a bit wacky – they were all pretty serious people like George Graham and Alex Ferguson. I couldn’t imagine either of them doing something like that to motivate their players to be honest with you.
They just focused on the football. From a manager’s perspective, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to motivate your players and use every trick in the book.”
Q: Teddy’s predictions for title, top four and three relegation spots and reasons behind his tips
Teddy Sheringham: “I think Manchester City will win it again. Arsenal will be second again. Aston Villa will be third and Tottenham will be fourth.
With Tottenham, I think it’s possible to qualify for the Champions League. I would love to see a title challenge and I think they could do that if things go their way, but fourth is achievable. I’m looking around at Liverpool and I think they may have a transitional season with the new manager coming in.
As for the other bigger clubs, Chelsea will find things difficult again. You don’t know what could happen there, but I’m not expecting top four or a title challenge.
Newcastle United have got some good players. Perhaps not playing in Europe will help them, but I can’t see them getting into that top four with the quality of the teams I just mentioned.
With Manchester United, there are so many question marks. They need to improve their consistency. If they can do that, then they could have a chance (of getting in to the top four).”
Q: On the England manager
Teddy Sheringham: “I think the FA have found a way of appointing a manager that they like. There’s a succession plan where the U21 coach steps into the big role, which is exactly what happened with Gareth Southgate.
Gareth was originally appointed in exactly the same way, on an interim basis. He’s essentially on trial and the FA will be thinking that if he does well, he’ll stay in the job on a permanent basis.
From my point of view, I think that’s very hopeful. I don’t know an awful lot about Lee Carsley, but for me, the FA have got so much money and they’re going to be paying top dollar to whoever takes the job before the World Cup.
I think they should be breaking the bank and going out and getting the best. And for me, that man is Pep Guardiola. If England want to take the last step and win a major trophy, if they want to go one step further from where Gareth – who was phenomenal – has taken us, then you have to look at Pep Guardiola. Go out and have the ambition to get him, paying him whatever it takes to get involved, and, hopefully, Guardiola can take England one step further.”
Q: Definitely. It could work out quite nicely if this is to be Pep’s last season. It’s like, keep the engine running, Lee, and… Pep you can take over in a year’s time!
Teddy Sheringham: “Sometimes you must do it. You must go out and get the best possible man for the job.
For Carsely, it’s a great opportunity to manage his country and some of the world’s best players, but there’s no comparison between the two managers.
The England job might suit Pep at his age. I’m not suggesting that he will want to slow down in his life, because everything that he does is with full steam and100% commitment, and you can tell that by the way he still motivates his players.
It might be a perfect situation for him, and it offers him a completely new challenge: managing an international team.”
Q: It’s the first full season under INEOS. How do you think they can demonstrate to the fans that things are going to be different under their watch? That United are moving in the right direction?
Teddy Sheringham: “From my point of view, having a new football structure and Jim Ratcliffe involved as a minority owner doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t even touch the sides, and it won’t have any significant impact on what happens on the grass. It’s just a new man putting money into the football club.
Bringing in a new CEO and football executives won’t improve the players or the manager. I can’t see the new owners showing their ambition by bringing in a player that is going to have a transformative effect on the football club.
The business that United have concluded so far isn’t going to shift the needle. Yoro and Zirkzee are both young guys who will need time to adapt to the demands of Premier League football. There are no guarantees that they will be good signings – you don’t know what you will get from them. They’re going to be inconsistent. Manchester United do not need any more inconsistencies, they need proper players that are going to give you an eight, nine or ten out of ten performance every week.
They need leaders. That’s why I like the rumours about Matthijs de Ligt, because even though he’s 24, he’s been there and done it winning titles in Holland, Italy and Germany. Leaders drag other people along with you. Manchester United don’t need any more young players making mistakes, or players that are learning their trade and doing okay.
Doing okay for Man United is not good enough. You’ve got to be challenging. You’ve got to be up there. You’ve got to be demanding of what’s happening at your football club. I don’t see enough big players at the club who set the standard. I really like Martinez; I think he was missed last season. He’ll make a big difference for me. I think he’s a good leader for the team.
But when I look around the squad and the starting eleven, I don’t see proven players all over the pitch like you do for other clubs. I don’t see players that give me the confidence to think everything’s going to be alright here if United start badly or things go wrong.
A lot of players seem concerned about their own individual performances, whereas the best players, the leaders, they make sure their on performances are always consistent while demanding the best from everyone else. That brings everyone up.
Big players make the team work and I don’t see too many of them at Manchester United to change things. So, for me, with or without Jim Ratcliffe, nothing changes, really.”
Q: Inconsistencies and Jadon Sancho concerns
Teddy Sheringham: “I think you’re going to get inconsistency with the manager. That’s been proven over the last few seasons, and the new people running the club must have also had doubts about him given the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Jadon Sancho has come back into the fold and that will be something to keep a close eye on. That could have its own disruptions for me. It will only take one incident between him and the manager and all of a sudden there will be problems in the squad, which can affect the vibes at a club and in a dressing room.”
Q: Would you have liked to see the club make a statement by bringing in a few world-class players?
Teddy Sheringham: “I would have loved to have seen United sign some world-class, transformative players this season, but they don’t come around very often.
I’ve said this before and I’ll always go back to it, Manchester United should have been doing everything that they could have done to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham and Declan Rice from West Ham when those players were on the market. I was shocked that the club didn’t move for them – that wouldn’t have happened in my day playing at Old Trafford. Players like that only come around every so often, and when they do, you need to get them.
I can see what Erik ten Hag is trying to do with Yoro and Zirkzee, but they will need bedding in, and they will need to understand and learn about the Premier League. That’s going to take them six months. He needs proven quality now to change things at United and to get them up to a consistent level.”
Q: Manchester United made changes in the coaching department, with the most eye-catching appointment being Ruud van Nistelrooy. Is that a PR move from the guys that run the club that’s going to get the fans on board? Is he a danger to Ten Hag? What’s the end game here?
Teddy Sheringham: “Only Erik ten Hag will know if he views Ruud van Nistelrooy as a potential threat. If he signed off on the appointment, and you would have to think that he did, then I don’t think there will be any problems there.
If the club brought him without his opinion, then that could create issues behind the scenes.
Erik ten Hag is the only person that can address that.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy has been brought in as coach. How big an impact could he be on getting Rashford firing again? Does Southgate’s exit give him a chance of an England recall?
Teddy Sheringham: “I suppose Ruud van Nistelrooy could help Marcus Rashford improve his finishing, but a lot if it will depend on the relationship between the pair of them.
Forwards are very temperamental people and if you upset them by telling them something, then it could be a difficult relationship. For example, if Ruud van Nistelrooy is coaching Rashford and tells him to look at what another players does, perhaps someone that Rashford doesn’t rate or someone that he thinks he is better than, then maybe he will ignore his advice or lose some respect for his opinion. It upsets some players when a coach asks them to be a bit more like another player.
Like I said, us forwards are very temperamental. Some need the arm around the shoulder and need buttering up.
Telling them how good they are is the main thing because you want your centre forward to be full of confidence. If you don’t treat your centre forward in the right way, it could be a fractious relationship from the off.
Coaching the strikers is a really important role at a club. Ruud will need to disassociate himself as a top player when he coaches. We’ve all heard stories of top players coaching that get frustrated because the players can’t do what they could do with their eyes closed. He needs to go in there without any ego and understand what it is exactly he can do to help bring the bets out of these Manchester United attacking players.”
The club are also close to signing Noussair Mazraoui. With de Ligt, that will take the squad to five former Ajax players (Martinez, Onana, Antony) and then you have other player like Malacia and new signing Zirkzee. Is ten Hag trying to turn United into Ajax?
Teddy Sheringham: “There’s no doubt that managers like to work with certain players that they know and have experienced success with in the past. It’s like in any walk of life, if someone does a good job for you, you hire them again.
I think Erik ten Hag has to be careful by bringing in so many former Ajax players or players that he knows from Holland, because Manchester United don’t play in the Eredivisie, and the Premier League is a much more challenging environment with a higher playing standard.
The players that are joining need to be able to make the step-up. Of the signings that played under him previously, the only one that you could say has been a success is Lisandro Martinez. The jury is out on the goalkeeper Andre Onana and Antony needs to do a lot more.
I like the signing of Matthijs de Ligt. Erik ten Hag made him the youngest ever captain of Ajax and he has played for some big clubs in Juventus and Bayern since he left Amsterdam. He brings leadership qualities, and he’s got that ability to bring the ball out of defence and pick a pass. He’s calm. I think he’s a really good signing.”
Q: Brighton’s Evan Ferguson is the latest name to be linked. There’s no doubt he’s got promise and he’s been compared to a certain Harry Kane. Tell me what you think of the player and is that a move you would endorse?
Teddy Sheringham: “I think Evan Ferguson is a very good player and is obviously a brilliant prospect. Is the kind of signing that Manchester United need to make? I don’t think that he is. I don’t think United should be looking to add him to the squad.
He’s 19 and has great potential. United have already signed a similar player in Rasmus Højlund who is a couple of years older, so he’s not a player that I think the club should be looking to acquire at this moment in time.
He’s too young. He’s too inexperienced. Manchester United don’t need any more inexperienced, inconsistent players this season. If they are going to add a forward, it should be someone with a proven track record who can come in and hit the ground running.”
Q: On Dominic Solanke joining Tottenham
Teddy Sheringham: “When Tottenham signed Solanke I was delighted. That is the kind of signing that I think the club needed and it’s something I like to see.
He’s another player that is coming into his prime as a striker. He’ll be 27 in September; he just had a brilliant season for Bournemouth where he scored 19 goals and got 3 assists. Solanke has qualities that I like. He’s not a big typical centre forward that bullies players with strength, he’s cuter than that.
I think he will develop into an even better player under Ange Postecoglou, and you would expect him to score more goals in a Tottenham side that creates plenty of chances then he did at Bournemouth.
He played well against Spurs for Bournemouth last season. Ange obviously noted that.
I’m excited for the fans because they need someone to finish off a lot of the good football that we played last year, and I’m pleased that we’ve brought him in before the season starts.
Solanke’s signing is a massive boost to the club’s hopes of challenging for the title this season. That will certainly be the aim, it will be difficult of course, but he will also massively help with the battle for the Champions League as well.”
Q: Tottenham surprised a lot of teams last season with their playing style under Ange. Do you think things will be a little bit more difficult for him this season as teams know what to expect, or, with a season under their belts, will it be easier.
Teddy Sheringham: “I’m really optimistic about Tottenham this season; incredibly optimistic. I hope That Dom Solanke catches fire very quickly and finishes off all the chances that Tottenham will create for him.
Last season, Tottenham were having two, three or four chances in the first 10-15 minutes of games and they weren’t converting them. When you don’t take your chances in the Premier League, you make life difficult for yourself and you leave yourself with a mountain to climb. That happened a few times (last season), and all of a sudden you’re one or two down.
I expect more of the same. I don’t think things will be more difficult for Ange, it should be easier. I hope they can get off to a flying start and stay up at the top end of the table for the majority of the Premier League season.”
Q: A lot of people suggested that Ange needed a plan b last season, and that question was met with a stubbornness to play football his way. What do you think about that and is the truth somewhere in the middle in your opinion, Teddy?
Teddy Sheringham: “I don’t think that Tottenham need to change anything or that Ange Postecoglou needs to find a plan b. Not at all. I think they’ve learned from the Chelsea game where they were pushing up incredibly high without putting pressure on the ball. I didn’t really see Spurs make that mistake again in the season, so as long as they carry on manipulating the ball and taking the game to the opposition, that’s fine by me.
Ange’s still learning as well. I’m delighted that they brought in Solanke because they needed someone to finish off all the chances that they were creating. Signing a striker was the most important bit of business the club could have done, and I look at the group and think that this is a team that is ready to compete and dominate games.
With Solanke there, things will get even better. There’s no need for a plan b. You would think that the football will just keep getting better and better.”
Q: When you look at the Spurs squad, are there any areas that the club should be prioritising in terms of further recruitment?
Teddy Sheringham: “No, I’m really happy with what we have at the football club, especially now that Solanke has joined.
I like the capture of the two young midfielders Gray and Bergvall, who are top prospects. We will have to see what kind of a role they play over the course of the season.
I look at the squad and think that it’s nicely balanced. There haven’t been any major departures, the back four and the goalie look really solid and did well last season. I really like Pedro Porro at right back, and I think that Destiny Udogie had a brilliant debut season and will only be better this year.
In midfield, we look strong with Bentancur, Bissouma and Sarr. Son is a massive player and I like Dejan Kulusevski.
It was all about adding that final piece of the jigsaw. We’ve been crying out for a dynamic centre forward since Harry Kane and that’s been addressed now with the signing of Solanke. That will lift everyone at the football club and, when you’ve got a player that can put away chances, it makes everything easier.
I think Solanke has the potential to be the signing of the season.”
Could it have been a blessing in disguise that James Maddison missed out on a place at the Euros and comes into this season fit and with some fire in his belly?
Teddy Sheringham: “I think for James, he will definitely be playing with a point to prove this season after missing out on a place in the England squad. I have no doubt that he will be looking at a new managerial change at England and thinking that he wants to be part of that future.
Of course, to do that, he needs to get back to his best playing for Tottenham. I think he have a massive amount of hunger to show what he’s all about as a player this season, so maybe missing out on the Euros will be a blessing in disguise for him and for Tottenham.
I’m looking forward to seeing the response he shows in the opening game against his old club Leicester.
I also want to see what Solanke’s arrival does for his game. They are obviously good mates, they’ve played together with the England youth teams, and I think that is a key relationship for Tottenham this season.
Solanke could be the perfect foil for Maddison. I can see Maddison creating a lot of things for Solanke and he would have been waiting for the club to sign a top striker to finish off all the cute little balls that he can play.
The signing of Solanke is a bit like when the club signed Jurgen Klinsmann to replace me. It was a big one, and I hope that it gives everyone a massive lift at the football club.
If Solanke starts finishing all the chances that Maddison can create for him, then all of a sudden everyone is talking about Maddison and England again.”
Q: It’s been a good pre-season, Ange has been working his players hard. Are you expecting Tottenham to get off to a flying start in their opening fixture with Leicester?
Teddy Sheringham: “I’m expecting Tottenham to give Leicester a bit of a rude welcome back to Premier League football. That is what I would like to see, welcome to the Premier League, this is the standard, with the club getting off to a flying start.
Leicester have a new manager in Steve Cooper, so it will probably take them a bit of time to bed into season. It’s not going to be easy for them making the step-up.
They’ll be optimistic. We know that the King Power Stadium is going to be rocking on the opening day of the season. They’ll be excited to be back in the big time.
I would expect Tottenham to have far too much for them. I’m optimistic that we will get off to a good start and start building some early momentum.”
Q: One of the biggest issues with Moyes was the style of football. Does Lopetegui need to start playing beautiful stuff from day one and does that out him under extra pressure?
Teddy Sheringham: “Every Premier League manager is under pressure. That’s where you’re at now. The Premier League is where every single top manager wants to operate.
I do think that Lopetegui is under pressure to play attractive football from the get go. That is why he was appointed and that is what the fans and the board will be expecting from his teams, especially after the money that they’ve spent this summer. He’s been fully backed with the signings he wanted, so there are no excuses.
Bringing in your own players is massive for a manager. That’s what West Ham have done for him; the signing of Max Kilman is obviously one of those situations where a manager is working with a player that he trusts again. He cost a lot of money at £40 million, so he’s been given the tools to bring success to the club.
I think Lopetegui will expect to hit the ground running. It won’t be easy, and his first proper test will be when he hits a rough patch because it’s very easy to run into trouble in the Premier League. It’s easy to find yourself without a win in six games.
Some fans wanted Moyes top go, while some didn’t. All the fans will back the new man, but the expectations are really high, and it will be interesting to see how West Ham fans are feeling in October and November.”
Q: Fullkrug is an interesting signing. He’s 31 – played his entire career in the Bundesliga and cost nearly £30 million. There won’t be much sell-on value given his age. Is this a signing that says West Ham mean business this season?
Teddy Sheringham: “The signing of Nico Fullkrug tells me that West Ham mean business. It tells me the club want to start scoring goals from day one.
He’s an experienced forward who has done well over the last few years playing in Germany. He always looked like a handful when he played against top, top opposition for Dortmund in the Champions League and I was impressed with his cameo performances for Germany at the European Championships.
I hope that he can hit the ground running from day one. He’ll need some help from his teammates, and he’ll need all of Lopetegui’s new signings to bed in to help create the chances for him.
You don’t see club’s bring in a player at his age that much these days. I like the signing. He is in his prime and I hope he does well.”
Q: Zouma was the West Ham captain. Who would be the best person to take the armband when he does depart?
Teddy Sheringham: “It’s really hard for me to predict who will be the next captain of West Ham. I think he could turn to someone like James Ward-Prowse, who was the captain of Southampton and has the leadership qualities you want in a captain.
Of course, when a new manager comes in, they have their own ideas. Ward-Prowse might not even be a key player in his eyes, and perhaps that will count against him when he decides who will wear the arm band.
He has signed Max Killman, who was his captain at Wolves. There is every chance that he could take it.
I saw reports linking Jarrod Bowen with the role. He’s probably West Ham’s most experienced player and has been at the club for a long time, but I think your captain should always be a centre back or a central midfielder; someone that can see the whole park and can bark orders. For that reason, I would rule out Bowen as captain.”
Q: What kind of season are you expecting for Nottingham Forest?
Teddy Sheringham: “For Nottingham Forest, I think this season is still about consolidating the club’s status in the Premier League. You want to see improvement, of course you do, but you also need to be realistic and acknowledge that it is going to be another long and difficult season.
I’m looking forward to seeing what Elliot Anderson can bring. He was a player that Newcastle didn’t really want to let go of but had to because of PSR. He joined for a big fee, £35 million.
It’s been a quieter transfer period by Forest’s standards but they’ve still brought in six new players. They’ve let quite a few go, but the most important bit of business was keeping hold of Morgan Gibbs-White.
Hopefully they can find a consistent side and go from there. I do expect it to be difficult for them and they will be delighted to finish anywhere from seventeenth to fourteenth.”
