THOMAS FRANK APPOINTED AS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S NEW HEAD COACH
AFTER A SUCCESSFUL STINT AT BRENTFORD, THOMAS FRANK HAS OFFICIALLY TAKEN CHARGE AT SPURS, STEPPING IN JUST DAYS AFTER ANGE POSTECOGLOU WAS RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES BY CHAIRMAN DANIEL LEVY. POSTECOGLOU HAD RECENTLY LED TOTTENHAM TO THEIR FIRST PIECE OF SILVERWARE IN NEARLY TWO DECADES—LIFTING THE EUROPA LEAGUE TROPHY WITH A MEMORABLE WIN OVER MANCHESTER UNITED IN BILBAO. HOWEVER, THE CLUB’S DIRE LEAGUE PERFORMANCE ULTIMATELY SEALED HIS FATE.
DESPITE THE HISTORIC EUROPEAN SUCCESS, TOTTENHAM ENDURED A NIGHTMARE PREMIER LEAGUE CAMPAIGN UNDER POSTECOGLOU, LOSING A RECORD 22 MATCHES AND NARROWLY AVOIDING RELEGATION. LEVY, SHOWING LITTLE SENTIMENT IN THE FACE OF THE CLUB’S CONTINENTAL GLORY, MADE THE TOUGH CALL TO PART WAYS AND USHER IN YET ANOTHER MANAGERIAL CHANGE.
FRANK, NOW THE FIFTH MAN TO HOLD THE POSITION SINCE MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S DEPARTURE IN 2019, BEGINS A FRESH CHAPTER IN NORTH LONDON. THE 51-YEAR-OLD DANE IS KNOWN FOR HIS PERSONABLE MANAGEMENT STYLE, SOMETHING BRENTFORD’S CHRISTIAN NORGAARD BELIEVES WILL BE WARMLY RECEIVED AT SPURS.
“THOMAS IS VERY ATTENTIVE TO PLAYERS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL,” NORGAARD TOLD BBC RADIO 5 LIVE. “HE GENUINELY CARES ABOUT HOW WE’RE FEELING, WHICH IS A RARE AND VALUABLE TRAIT IN A MANAGER. THOSE WHO HAVE IT TEND TO DO BETTER. HE’S A NATURAL LEADER WHO’S DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB DURING MY TIME WITH HIM.”
NOT EVERYONE IS CONVINCED, THOUGH. FORMER STRIKER AND PUNDIT CHRIS SUTTON HAS WARNED THAT FRANK COULD FACE IMMEDIATE SCRUTINY.
“FRANK’S TRACK RECORD AT BRENTFORD IS OUTSTANDING, BUT THIS IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO,” SUTTON REMARKED. “TOTTENHAM IS A CLUB WITH FAR BIGGER EXPECTATIONS. HE WON’T GET A GRACE PERIOD. POSTECOGLOU BROUGHT THEM EUROPEAN GLORY AND STILL GOT SACKED—SO WHAT DOES FRANK HAVE TO DO TO KEEP HIS JOB?”
SUTTON BELIEVES THAT SECURING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL—VIA A TOP-FOUR OR TOP-FIVE FINISH—WILL LIKELY BE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT.
MEANWHILE, SPECULATION IS MOUNTING THAT FRANK IS PUSHING TO REUNITE WITH BRYAN MBEUMO TO STRENGTHEN HIS NEW SQUAD. STILL, ACCORDING TO JOURNALIST GRAEME BAILEY, THE NEW MANAGER IS SAID TO BE QUIETLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE GROUP HE HAS INHERITED.
FRANK’S VIEW ON TOTTENHAM’S CURRENT SQUAD
SPEAKING TO THE BOOT ROOM, BAILEY REPORTED THAT FRANK IS QUITE PLEASED WITH THE TALENT AT HIS DISPOSAL AND SEES REAL POTENTIAL IN THE TEAM.
“SPURS ARE CONSIDERING ADDING ANOTHER OPTION ON THE RIGHT WING, BUT INTERNALLY THERE’S A BELIEF THAT FRANK APPRECIATES THE QUALITY ALREADY PRESENT. IT’S THOUGHT HE’LL RELISH WORKING WITH PLAYERS LIKE BRENNAN JOHNSON,” BAILEY EXPLAINED.
NOW TASKED WITH MANAGING A HIGHER-PROFILE ROSTER AND UNDER THE GLARE OF INCREASED MEDIA ATTENTION, FRANK’S TENURE AT TOTTENHAM PROMISES TO BE A COMPELLING ONE.
