Tottenham fired interim manager Cristian Stellini on Monday after chairman Daniel Levy called Sunday’s 6-1 loss against Newcastle “completely unacceptable.”
Stellini, who was only appointed manager last month after his former boss Antonio Conte left the club, will be replaced with immediate effect by Ryan Mason.
Conte’s long-term assistant won only one of his four games in charge, dealing a deadly blow to Spurs’ chances of competing in the Champions League next season.
Tottenham remain in fifth place in the Premier League, but they are six points behind the top four and have played at least one more game than the teams directly above them.
A difficult season hit a new low at St James’ Park as Spurs were 5-0 down after just 21 minutes.
“Sunday’s performance against Newcastle was wholly unacceptable,” said Levy in a club statement.
“Cristian will leave his current role along with his coaching staff. Cristian stepped in at a difficult point in our season and I want to thank him for the professional manner in which he and his coaching staff have conducted themselves during such a challenging time.”
However, the decision to replace Conte with a member of his backroom staff in the first place has opened Levy up to more criticism from fans.
“We can look at many reasons why it happened and whilst myself, the board, the coaches and players must all take collective responsibility, ultimately the responsibility is mine,” Levy added.
“I met with the player committee today – the squad is determined to pull together to ensure the strongest possible finish to the season. We are all clear we need to deliver performances which earn your amazing support.”
Mason, who took over as manager at the end of the 2020/21 season, will be in command for Thursday’s match against Manchester United at home.
Tottenham finished fourth under Conte last season, and expectations were high that the club would improve this season with over £100 million ($124 million) in new additions.
Spurs have lost 10 of their previous 22 league games after only one defeat in their first ten league outings.
Conte’s reign came to an end with an alarming diatribe in which he blamed his players’ incapacity to perform under pressure.
However, under Stellini, Spurs wasted a goal and a man advantage against relegation-threatened Everton to draw 1-1 and then lost 3-2 at home to Bournemouth before collapsing at Newcastle.
Tottenham’s plight has cast doubt on the future of star striker Harry Kane.
The England captain has a year left on his contract and is being courted by Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Fabio Paratici, the club’s managing director of football, also quit last week after losing his appeal against a 30-month global ban from doing his duties.
Paratici was handed the suspension by the Italian football federation (FIGC) in January after his former club Juventus were found guilty of false accounting.