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By TARA ANSON-WALSH, FOOTBALL REPORTER Published: 04: 34 AEDT, 20 February 2026 | Updated: 04: 34 AEDT, 20 February 2026 3 View comments Rafael van der Vaart has named Burnley boss Scott Parker as the 'perfect fit' to take the reins of his former club, and dismissed the notion that a reunion with former manager Mauricio Pochettino would be the best suitable long-term option. Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank after less than eight months in charge last Wednesday, with the side teetering on the brink of the red zone in 16th and just five points clear of West Ham in 18th. Former Juventus boss Igor Tudor, who has established a reputation for rescue acts, has been put in charge until the end of the season on an interim basis. In the summer Tottenham will then look to fill the permanent role. Van der Vaart, who made 63 appearances for Tottenham between 2010-12, told Sky Bet: 'Mauricio Pochettino was fantastic at Tottenham but I’m not truly a fan of bringing old managers back. 'As a player I was always a fan of Scott Parker. As a coach, I believe in him and I think that he would be a perfect fit for Spurs. 'A lot of people will laugh at me saying this, but I know Scott and I know that the players would love him, run extra for him and train like hell. Scott Parker would be a perfect fit, but it is a risk. Any manager you bring in now will be a risk. ' Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has claimed Burnley boss Scott Parker would be the 'perfect fit for Spurs' Van der Vaart (left) also dismissed the notion that a runion with former manager Mauricio Pochettino would be the best suitable long-term option. Parker's time at Burnley has been a tale of two sides. He secured a phenomenal promotion from the Championship in his first season in charge of the Clarets - his third promotion as a manager after achieving the feat with Fulham and Bournemouth - with a club-record 33-match unbeaten run. This season though, Burnley have struggled to establish themselves in the top-flight, and look destined for the drop heading into the final 12 games of the season with their points tally bettered only by rock-bottom Wolves. Burnley also suffered a humiliating defeat in the FA Cup by League One Mansfield Town on the weekend. It is uncertain then whether Van der Vaart's hypothesis will be well-received by the Tottenham fanbase, who will be desperate to see their side establish themselves back at the top of the table next season. Van der Vaart did rely on a more foolproof method of endearing himself to the fans of those in white and blue ahead of this weekend's north London derby, with the 46-year-old aiming a dig at Arsenal after their 2-2 draw against Wolves on Wednesday. 'For me, Arsenal always feels like a youth team – when everything goes well it is fantastic, but when the pressure is too high, they lose their heads, ' he said. 'But this is the first year where I have the feeling that they are stable, and other teams in the league are not performing (which helps), to give them a bit more air (at the top). ' Van der Vaart also claimed that Arsenal 'do not have any world class players' ahead of this weekend's north London derby He continued: 'Arsenal do not have any world class players – I agree with Wayne Rooney. Perhaps it is better to say that Arsenal have ‘stars’ in their team – they have really good players, but nobody is world class. 'To be a world class footballer, it’s not just about your performances, you need the attitude on the pitch. 'When I look at this Arsenal team, they are all "ideal son-in-law’s, " as we say in Dutch – they can play well but I don’t think any would succeed if they went to Real Madrid because the mentality is much harder and there is a lot more pressure. '
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