Tottenham Hotspur have sacked Thomas Frank simply eight months after appointing him, with the north London membership languishing in sixteenth place within the Premier League.
Spurs’ disappointing 2-1 defeat at house in opposition to Newcastle United on Tuesday proved the ultimate straw for Tottenham’s hierarchy, with the Dane having come underneath important strain over the previous couple of weeks with a sequence of regarding outcomes.
The writing gave the impression to be on the wall for the previous Brentford supervisor, who was struggling to churn out wins within the Premier League regardless of efficiently qualifying for the Champions League knockout section.
Frank can be thought to have grated on his gamers with repeated gushing references to Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal.
‘He was continuously happening to the gamers about Arsenal and so they shortly received sick of it,’ a dressing room supply informed The Telegraph. ‘Even earlier than and after the sport on the Emirates, he was telling them how good Arsenal have been. The sensation amongst some was very a lot “simply shut up about Arsenal”.’
This didn’t assist Frank then, when he was pictured consuming out of an Arsenal branded cup earlier than Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth. Gamers and employees are believed to have shared the pictures of their boss round and made gentle of it.
Tottenham Hotspur have sacked Thomas Frank simply eight months after appointing him
Spurs’ gamers are believed to have grown annoyed with the Dane’s references to Arsenal
Frank was defiant regardless of the Newcastle defeat and was concerned in a clumsy ultimate interview
Frank received simply seven and misplaced 11 of his 26 league video games in cost to go away Tottenham a mere 5 factors away from the relegation zone on Tuesday.
An announcement on Wednesday morning confirming the information learn: ‘The membership has taken the choice to make a change within the Males’s Head Coach place and Thomas Frank will depart as we speak.
‘Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we now have been decided to present him the time and assist wanted to construct for the long run collectively. Nonetheless, outcomes and performances have led the board to conclude {that a} change at this level within the season is important.
‘All through his time on the membership, Thomas has performed himself with unwavering dedication, giving every thing in his efforts to maneuver the membership ahead.
‘We want to thank him for his contribution and need him each success sooner or later.’
Day by day Mail Sport understands that the choice to sack Frank was taken reluctantly by chief government Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange, however it was based mostly on latest outcomes and Spurs’ place within the desk.
Their verdict was relayed to the membership’s board who consulted with the Lewis household earlier than it was finalised.
They keep important respect for Frank and what he was making an attempt to realize, realising that one other managerial sacking doesn’t create the soundness they’re in search of on the membership.
It’s extra possible that an interim substitute, moderately than a everlasting appointment, can be named, though Roberto De Zerbi’s exit from Marseille on Wednesday might throw a spanner within the works given the Italian is now obtainable if he’s seeking to instantly return to work.
In the meantime, underneath Frank, Spurs have been additionally knocked out of the FA Cup within the third spherical by Aston Villa, and the last-16 of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle, though they did end fourth within the Champions League League section.
Nonetheless, Frank’s crew have been unable to transform their promising European kind into the Premier League, a contest wherein Spurs have not received since December 28, a run of eight video games.
Tottenham have did not win in eight video games and are 5 factors away from the relegation zone
Frank was booed and subjected to chants of ‘sacked within the morning’ in the course of the Newcastle loss
They’ve picked up simply two factors of their previous six league matches and Frank and the gamers have been closely booed throughout and after the 2-1 defeat by Newcastle, whereas the 52-year-old was once more subjected to chants of ‘sacked within the morning’ by his personal followers.
Nonetheless, the Dane got here out combating afterwards and informed Tottenham’s board it will be a mistake to sack him now, earlier than including that he anticipated to be in cost for subsequent Sunday’s North London derby in opposition to Arsenal.
When requested if he nonetheless believed he was the precise man for the job, Frank stated: ‘I’m 1,000 per cent certain. However I’m additionally 1,000 per cent certain I by no means anticipated us to be in a state of affairs like this with 11 or 12 accidents.
‘I do know when it’s good to construct one thing and get by means of one thing it’s good to present unbelievably sturdy resilience. It’s honest to say there’s sat just a few earlier than me up right here, not just for Tottenham however many golf equipment, who’ve misplaced their head.
‘It’s good to have a relaxed head and keep it up, maintain combating and ensure we stick collectively. You possibly can solely get by means of this collectively – that’s the board, the leaders, the gamers, the employees, that’s me, the followers.
‘I perceive the mechanism in soccer ({that a} supervisor is the simplest factor to vary). However there are additionally numerous research that it’s not the precise factor to do.
‘The one factor I deal with is combating to do the precise factor with everybody else. In fact, we’re not in good state of affairs, however with every thing in life it’s good to keep calm and maintain going.’
When pressed on whether or not he would nonetheless be in cost for the go to of Arsenal, Frank added: ‘Sure, I’m satisfied I can be. I perceive the query. It’s straightforward to level on me. But it surely’s by no means solely the top coach or possession or employees or gamers or administrators, it’s everybody. Everybody is aware of the place we’re in and what we have to enhance.
The subsequent check for Spurs following Frank’s dismissal is a North London Derby in opposition to Arsenal
‘I perceive the followers’ frustration. However this example the membership has been in for 2 years. There may be clearly a sample the place we battle to handle Europe and the Premier League. We have to be taught to take care of that higher.
‘Accidents and suspension don’t assist. Then we face a Newcastle crew struggling recently, however when you take a look at the crew they placed on the pitch, it’s fairly completely different to us.
‘Accidents have to be massively considered. I haven’t stated it an excessive amount of, everybody can see it’s impacting issues.’
Frank had additionally been concerned in a clumsy ultimate interview with TNT Sports activities when he was repeatedly pressed on his future, the connection he has with the Spurs hierarchy and a message for these followers that needed him out.
Because the interview went on, the Dane’s solutions grew to become more and more quick and he gave the interviewer a agency stare because it got here to an finish.
Within the build-up to the Newcastle recreation, Frank had danced across the ‘R’ phrase and did his utmost to keep away from saying it. Solely as soon as did he utter ‘relegation’ throughout a 30-minute press convention dominated by questions on the topic.
That second got here in response to a parallel drawn to Tuesday evening’s opponents Newcastle and their crew that includes Michael Owen, Shay Given and Damien Duff, relegated in 2009 after being dubbed as too good to go down.
Frank’s level was that if Spurs have been ‘just a little bit larger’ the questions can be about reaching the ‘prime 4’, however as a result of they have been ‘not as excessive’ the questions have been about ‘relegation’ and both means, his reply can be the identical, that he was solely centered on the following recreation.
Frank was solely appointed as Spurs head coach in June when he changed Ange Postecoglou
‘There’s little doubt we’re determined to win video games,’ Frank stated and strengthened it for impact. ‘Determined.’
‘While you haven’t received sufficient, it’s good to be determined, as a result of when you’re not determined, you don’t perceive the state of affairs you’re in.
‘By way of you don’t win sufficient. It’s good to flip it and win sufficient soccer video games. That’s what we would like for the followers, that’s what we would like for the crew, for the membership.’
The uncomfortable reality, nonetheless, is that Spurs are deep in a trench of relegation kind. And Frank has paid the value.
