If Levy wants 'Spurs DNA' restored then he has to ensure selection of latest manager is spot-on

THE worst-kept secret in football is out and Antonio Conte’s departure from Tottenham is now a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.

- Dan Kilpatrick

The club is already succession planning, and Fabio Paratici has begun drawing up a shortlist of possible candidates, thought to be topped by former Spain boss Luis Enrique.

Daniel Levy will have the final say on whether Conte remains in the job until his contract is up in June or leaves sooner, which really boils down to whether the chairman believes he is still the best man to lead Spurs to another fourth-placed finish and salvage something from the season.

There has been little in recent weeks to suggest Conte’s side are capable of maintaining their loose grip on fourth, although they have a favourable run-in, starting against Forest tomorrow, and one game a week for the remainder of the campaign. Liverpool still have to play four of the ‘big six’, including Spurs.

There is incentive for Levy to be decisive rather than appoint an interim boss (which would almost certainly be Ryan Mason) until the end of the season, when there will be increased competition for available elite coaches, possibly from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Juventus.