Tottenham Hotspur have doubts about Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl's suitability when it comes to working with bigger names. according to The Athletic. 

Has he been linked with Spurs? 

When speaking to The Athletic's YouTube channel in February, Jack Pitt-Brooke did suggest that the Austrian's name had cropped up when it came to identifying potential replacements for Jose Mourinho during a poor run of form for Spurs. 

Are they right to have doubts? 

It's hard to definitively state Hasenhuttl cannot work with bigger-name dressing rooms given he simply hasn't had that kind of job just yet but, considering the calibre of names Spurs have been linked with elsewhere, perhaps they would be safer options. 

Julian Nagelsmann is in charge of a wholly different RB Leipzig than the one Hasenhuttl presided over between 2016 and 2018. The Bundesliga outfit are now Champions League regulars and even made it to the semi-final last season, while Brendan Rodgers has experience in managing a Premier League giant in Liverpool. 

Indeed, at least those reported targets would be moving to North London leaning on that kind of experience were they to be appointed in the future. 

Has anyone backed the Austrian for a bigger job? 

While Southampton's season has fallen off a cliff recently, they did top the Premier League for the first time in their history in November, prompting Dion Dublin to describe him as an 'elite manager' a month later. 

“So yes, he is an elite manager right now in the Premier League on form," he said on BBC Sport's Final Score. 

“I understand that you have to win trophies and Champions Leagues and Premier Leagues to be an elite manager for the rest of your life – but right now, he has to be. He’s done a great job.”

Would Spurs be silly to overlook him? 

One of the most impressive aspects of Hasenhuttl's work on the south coast has been the fact he has rarely had a huge amount of money to spend. The improvement in Jannik Vestergaard after close work on the coaching field was praised by The Athletic a number of months ago, while Danny Ings, Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong have all performed well for him during his time in Hampshire. 

Still, considering the other names linked with a move to potentially replace Mourinho, their experience in working with bigger clubs may make them a more natural fit from the get-go.