Tottenham fired Antonio Conte more than eight weeks ago in an attempt to rescue their season.

The move clearly did not have the expected effect.

Spurs’ chances of qualifying for the Champions League have long since vanished, and they now have only an outside chance of making the Europa League qualifications in their final Premier League game of the season against Leeds.

They must outperform Aston Villa, who play at home to Brighton, or they will miss out on European participation for the first time since 2009-10.

Conte’s departure had no effect on the slump. Cristian Stellini, the Italian’s assistant, survived only four games before being fired after a humiliating 6-1 defeat at Newcastle, which chairman Daniel Levy condemned as “wholly unacceptable.”

Ryan Mason was appointed manager for the remainder of the season, but Tottenham have earned 12 points from 12 games since beating Chelsea on February 26.

They have no director of football following the departure of Fabio Paratici due to his 30-month ban for false accounting while serving as sporting director and managing director of Juventus.

And now, after leading Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title since 2017, Arne Slot has decided to stay in the Netherlands.

So, what comes next?

Is it 2021 all over again?

Slot’s decision to stay at Feyenoord is a concerning development for Tottenham fans, who are beginning to fear the kind of extended search that resulted in Nuno Espirito Santo’s ill-fated appointment in 2021.

He lasted four months, losing five of his last seven Premier League games.

Tottenham ran through a list of probable possibilities that summer, including Conte, Gennaro Gattuso, and Paulo Fonseca.

Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham’s beloved former manager, was also interested, and the club did make an inquiry before realizing how expensive it would be to entice the Argentine away from Paris St-Germain.

They didn’t even bother trying this time. Pochettino is expected to be in the opposing dugout when Tottenham next faces Chelsea.

Following Conte’s departure, former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann was prominently connected with the Tottenham Hotspur position, but the club made it clear that they would not approach the German – and have doubled down on that stance in the face of fresh accusations of contact last weekend.

While it would be easy to believe that Tottenham’s wealth should have been enough to entice Slot to transfer to London, Feyenoord have the added attraction of a guaranteed spot in the Champions League group stage.

Is there anyone else here?
According to reliable sources, Tottenham is still interested in former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, who has been unemployed since stepping down following the World Cup.

However, there are alternative possibilities.

Julen Lopetegui, another former Spain coach, is in an unclear situation at Wolves after learning that Financial Fair Play regulations will be a big hindrance to his summer squad building ambitions.

Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, like Slot, has done well in the Netherlands. The 46-year-old is currently on the market after leaving PSV Eindhoven due to a failure to reach an agreement on a future course.

Graham Potter made his name at Brighton and is still well regarded, despite only being at Chelsea for a few months during an admittedly tumultuous owner-inspired recruitment push.

Brendan Rodgers was strongly associated with Tottenham at one point. He didn’t appear to be enjoying himself at Leicester for long before his expulsion, although he does have the FA Cup to his name from his time there.

Ange Postecoglou of Celtic has won back-to-back Scottish crowns and is on the verge of completing a domestic triple. He must also be considered, given his advanced tactical approach.

This season, Levy and Tottenham’s ultimate owners ENIC have faced more criticism than ever before.

Their home season ended in loss last week against Brentford, and few fans will travel to Leeds with any chance of triumph, despite the fact that the hosts are fighting for their Premier League lives.

Then there’s Harry Kane.

The England captain has one year left on his contract and is receiving interest from all of Europe’s top clubs, including Manchester United.

Levy must decide whether to cash in on the forward or risk losing him for nothing in a year’s time in the hope that something positive will emerge to persuade him to commit the rest of his career to Spurs.

Spurs will have no trouble finding a replacement for Slot. Finding the best alternative is a very different matter.