How Thomas Frank’s Tenure at Tottenham Deteriorated
Just over eight months after being appointed as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement at Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank has now faced his own fate.
Following the triumph in Bilbao and the Europa League final victory in May, Frank’s arrival was met with a mixed reaction from the Spurs supporters. However, after a strong start to his tenure, a decline in form exacerbated by a dismal home record became too significant for the Spurs management to overlook.
Frank’s time in charge has been anything but dull. He came close to securing a trophy in his debut match as head coach but on Tuesday night departed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to the chant of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” following yet another disappointing home loss to a struggling Newcastle team.
What went wrong?
Winless Wolves come within minutes of victory in north London
Sept. 27: Tottenham 1-1 Wolves
After a promising start to the season marked by a victory over Manchester City, Frank’s momentum was halted by a lackluster draw with Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
A win would have propelled Spurs to second place, yet they found it difficult to generate opportunities against a Wolves team that had lost their first five Premier League matches.
Santiago Bueno’s goal in the 54th minute had the visitors on the verge of a surprising away win that would have eased some of the pressure on then-coach Vitor Pereira, but summer signing João Palhinha salvaged a point for Spurs in stoppage time.
This match highlighted two significant issues afflicting Frank’s squad: a poor home record and a failure to adopt the attractive style of play historically associated with Spurs. — Tom Chambers
Blunt attacking display raises eyebrows
Nov. 1: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea
As fan sentiment towards Frank began to wane, Spurs chose the worst possible moment to deliver one of their most ineffective attacking performances in recent history.
Against a Chelsea side regarded as their second biggest rivals, Spurs managed only three shots throughout the match (one on target), resulting in a meager xG of 0.1.
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, on the other hand, recorded an xG of 3.68, with only Guglielmo Vicario’s commendable performance in goal preventing Spurs from suffering a heavier defeat.
“That hurts massively,” Frank remarked after the match. “I have never managed a team that has created so little in a single game.” — Tom Chambers
Spurs no-show in north London derby
Nov. 23: Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
A favorable result in the north London derby could have made Frank an instant hero in N17, but instead of an uplifting performance, Spurs were overwhelmed 4-1 by their fiercest rivals.
Despite several key players being sidelined due to injury, Arsenal proved to be far too dominant for Spurs, with Richarlison’s audacious 40-yard lob merely a footnote on a painful day for the Spurs supporters.
The fact that three of Arsenal’s four goals were netted by Eberechi Eze — who had notably chosen to join the Gunners over Frank’s team in the summer — only added to the disappointment.
Spurs’ domestic struggles in recent years have unfolded against the backdrop of Arsenal’s resurgence as title contenders, and the unfavorable comparisons with Arteta’s squad have not aided a succession of Spurs managers. — Tom Chambers
Frank’s Spurs outclassed by Forest
Dec. 14: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Tottenham
After saving Spurs against Chelsea a month prior, Vicario had a match to forget as his team was outperformed at the City Ground.
Vicario was partially responsible for Callum Hudson-Odoi’s opening goal and was later caught out by an overhit cross from the winger that sealed the game for Spurs.
Ibrahim Sangaré’s exquisite strike later added some polish to the scoreline for Sean Dyche’s side.
Spurs’ uninspired performance followed confidence-boosting victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague, but the nature of the defeat brought Frank under renewed scrutiny. — Tom Chambers
– Tottenham chief: Team ‘fallen short’, more quality and leadership needed
– Cristian Romero calls for togetherness amid ‘disaster’ Spurs run
– Premier League table
Dr. Tottenham comes to Bournemouth’s aid
Jan. 7: Bournemouth 3-2 Tottenham
Spurs traveled to the Vitality Stadium with just one win in their last five matches, including two draws to start the new year against Brentford and Sunderland.
Their opponents, however, had not secured a league victory since the end of October — sitting in 15th place after dropping from their earlier position of second just two months prior.
Trailing in the second half, João Palhinha’s stunning overhead kick appeared to have salvaged a point for Frank’s team. However, Antoine Semenyo was not closed down in the 95th minute, and his shot from outside the box condemned Spurs to another loss.
As if Frank’s day couldn’t have worsened, a photo of him mistakenly sipping from an Arsenal-branded cup before kick-off circulated widely on social media.
Bournemouth’s three points ended an 11-match winless streak, further reinforcing the appropriateness of Spurs’ ‘Dr. Tottenham’ nickname, given their tendency to assist opponents in overcoming their struggles. — Shivam Pathak
West Ham put Frank on the brink
Jan. 17: Tottenham 1-2 West Ham
Ten days later, the booing from the Spurs supporters reached a peak, and calls for Frank’s exit became impossible to ignore.
This time, they faced 19th-placed West Ham, who, like Bournemouth, had not won in 10 Premier League matches. Earlier in the day, an open letter from Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham informed fans that the “men’s first team has fallen short of where we want to be so far this season.” Their performance did little to counter that assertion.
Frank first sensed the fans’ discontent when the half-time whistle blew. However, a second-half equalizer from Cristian Romero ignited hope for a potential winner, but instead of a thrilling comeback, the Spurs supporters witnessed Callum Wilson bundling in from a corner in stoppage time.
If Frank believed he had endured the worst at half-time, the referee’s final whistle brought a chorus of boos cascading down from the south stand. — Shivam Pathak
Another defeat spells the end for Frank
Feb. 10: Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle
“You’re getting sacked in the morning” echoed from Thomas Frank’s own supporters at the conclusion of another home defeat, this time against a Newcastle team also experiencing a poor run of form.
The following morning, they got their wish.
“The club has made the decision to change the Men’s Head Coach position, and Thomas Frank will depart today,” stated a club announcement.
“Results and performances have led the board to determine that a change at this juncture in the season is essential.”
He leaves Spurs just five points above the relegation zone after a stretch of only two wins in their last 17 league matches — accumulating 11 points during that period.
What began as a promising tenure has now concluded in a manner all too familiar for many who take on the role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
