As their nine-month quest for a new coach ends, BBC Sport looks at how Tottenham's search at times descended into farce and ended with a bold change of direction...
Tottenham's long search for a successor to Glenn Hoddle ended on Thursday with the shock appointment of French national team coach Jacques Santini. A host of top-name managers had been linked with a move to White Hart Lane since Hoddle was sacked in September 2003, just six games into the Premiership season.
David Pleat, then director of football at the club, stepped into Hoddle's role on a temporary basis as Tottenham decided to take their time.
Pleat's tenure in the hotseat lasted the rest of the season as Spurs sank down the table and flirted with the relegation zone.
While Pleat battled to keep Tottenham afloat, some of Europe's top names in management - and some less revered figures - were linked with the job.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill, Blackburn's Graeme Souness and Charlton's Alan Curbishley were all heavily tipped in the immediate aftermath of Hoddle's departure.
As autumn moved into winter, there was still no light at the end of the tunnel.
Italian national team boss Giovanni Trappatoni moved to the top of the list after Christmas, with his agent claiming talks had taken place with the London club.
But the Italian soon made it clear he would not be the one assigned with the task of reviving Spurs.
Lazio boss Roberto Mancini and former Blackburn coach Roy Hodgson were also mentioned in despatches.
With spring on the way, Pleat announced the club knew who their new manager would be - and the name of veteran boss Raddy Antic started to feature heavily in the press.
 | TOTTENHAM'S TORRID SEASON Sept 21 2003: Glenn Hoddle sacked Jan 2: After being linked with a host of names, Spurs say they have found their new manager but won't reveal his name Feb 4: Man City put Spurs out of the FA Cup after coming from three goals behind Feb 4: Spurs sign Jermain Defoe from West Ham for �7m Feb 7: David Pleat reveals: "The appointment is done and dusted" Feb 9: Pleat denies that friend and Celta Vigo boss Raddy Antic is the man is waiting 19 May: PSV's Eindhoven's Frank Arnesen replaces David Pleat as sporting director 3 June: Spurs reveal France coach Jacques Santini is their man |
But Tottenham gave their first definite hint of the shape of things to come when they unveiled former Danish international Frank Arnesen as sports director shortly after the end of the Premiership season.
The arrival of the 47-year-old from PSV Eindhoven not only spelt the end of Pleat's spell at the club but signalled Spurs were thinking bigger than merely the appointment of a new manager.
Chairman Daniel Levy had obviously decided a change of philosophy was called for and decided a continental-style set-up was the best way to try and rejuvenate his ailing club.
Arnesen, with a wealth of contacts and a reputation for developing players such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo and Jaap Stam, would look after the development of youth and handle transfers.
All that remained was to appoint a head coach to concentrate strictly on first-team affairs.
With the departure of Claudio Ranieri from Chelsea and Carlos Queiroz from Real Madrid, two new contenders emerged.
But late on Thursday Spurs caught everyone on the hop by naming Santini, a man who had not figured in any of the speculation.
Santini himself was technical director a Lyon before taking over as France coach - a position closer to that occupied by Arnesen than the one he will fill at Spurs.
But he has restored the joie de vivre to the French team after their disaster at the 2002 World Cup.
And if the bookmakers are correct, when Santini starts work at White Hart Lane he will do so having led France to victory in Portugal.
Whether his alliance with Arnesen will have a similar effect on Spurs remains to be seen.
MMIX
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At last we can stop whinging on about lack of progress on the manager front 
