J.spurs
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
Jacques Santini???
USspur
Well-Known Member
Wilfred Ndidi?
Havocc
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
End of season review, then hire Poch back.
That will happen
That will happen
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
I do wonder if they'll pull the trigger sooner if the unrest from the fans keeps growing.
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
As soon as they voted with their wallets someone would listen...
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
Then what's to point in being a fan... A fanatic, a supporter...?
If our value is transferable and can basically be sold to the highest bidder... I hope those who have stolen our club and replaced it with a corporate machine, fail spectacularly...
And if that means we go through turmoil, What's the fucking difference to the shit show we've been watching for circa 2 decades...
Let it fucking burn...
USspur
Well-Known Member
USspur
Well-Known Member
USspur
Well-Known Member
From Frank today
I think there's a couple of things in it. I think the last five games we played, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Sunderland and Bournemouth, I think it's been consistent, good competitive performance through the roof? No, but good competitive, consistent performances and that's what you need in a long season. Those five games should have given us more than the five points we got, probably eight, nine, 10 points.
And if you get that from those games, it's different. So that's what we're focusing on. Can we produce performances like that last night? Overall, like the performance, it's my job to deal with all the scrutiny. It's no problem, I can face all the questions, I'll take all the blame, I'll take all that.
Also, my job is to look through everything and look through the defeat last night. Of course, it was very emotional and tough to take for everyone, but I think it was in many ways good and we deserve more from that. So we just need to keep doing that, especially the last two games, it's a minimum of four points we should have, if not more. So we just need to keep doing that. And the next thing is, it's almost the perfect storm.
In a storm, some are building fences and hiding behind it, others are building windmills and getting stronger and getting more energy and learning from it.
I think there's a couple of things in it. I think the last five games we played, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Sunderland and Bournemouth, I think it's been consistent, good competitive performance through the roof? No, but good competitive, consistent performances and that's what you need in a long season. Those five games should have given us more than the five points we got, probably eight, nine, 10 points.
And if you get that from those games, it's different. So that's what we're focusing on. Can we produce performances like that last night? Overall, like the performance, it's my job to deal with all the scrutiny. It's no problem, I can face all the questions, I'll take all the blame, I'll take all that.
Also, my job is to look through everything and look through the defeat last night. Of course, it was very emotional and tough to take for everyone, but I think it was in many ways good and we deserve more from that. So we just need to keep doing that, especially the last two games, it's a minimum of four points we should have, if not more. So we just need to keep doing that. And the next thing is, it's almost the perfect storm.
In a storm, some are building fences and hiding behind it, others are building windmills and getting stronger and getting more energy and learning from it.
USspur
Well-Known Member
USspur
Well-Known Member
USspur
Well-Known Member
Latest news & breaking headlines
The latest breaking UK, US, world, business and sport news from The Times and The Sunday Times. Go beyond today's headlines with in-depth analysis and comment.
When Tottenham Hotspur appointed Thomas Frank as head coach last summer, there were three characteristics they believed stood out: Frank was a progressive coach, an expert in team culture and a master developer of young players.
Nobody could deny Frank had shown all those qualities at Brentford and, crucially, in the Premier League. Unlike Ange Postecoglou, his predecessor, Frank had significant experience of the division and a track record of managing players physically from August through to May. In his opening press conference, Frank said one of the main aims of his first season was to “compete on all fronts”, a reference to Tottenham collapsing in the league and finishing 17th last term.
Yet just as the Christmas tree needles were being hoovered up at the training ground on Monday, so are Spurs back in their own January routine. In the league, they sit 14th, the same position they held this time last year under Postecoglou. Injuries are piling up again, with seven players out at present, including a starting attacking four in Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke. As for competing on all fronts, Tottenham are on course for a play-off spot in the Champions League but out of the Carabao Cup. In the FA Cup, they face Aston Villa at home in the third round on Saturday, hoping to preserve their last realistic hope of winning a trophy.
Frank knows the importance of the FA Cup to keep this season afloat, not least because of the legacy of Postecoglou, who would have been sacked much earlier last season had it not been for the Carabao Cup and Europa League. In terms of league position, Frank is already on shaky ground. Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in November 2019 with Tottenham 14th in the table and more credit in the bank than Frank. José Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte were dismissed when Spurs sat seventh, eighth and fourth.
With Daniel Levy gone, Frank has been given more leeway, in terms of results, from the next generation of owners, in Vivienne and Charles Lewis, who want less churn at the top and to delegate football decisions, including the hiring and firing of coaches, to the club’s “football experts”.
Assuming they stick to that position, it leaves Vinai Venkatesham, Tottenham’s new chief executive, in charge. Venkatesham is close to Frank and has been a loyal supporter so far — the pair speak almost every day, play table tennis together and share similar views about some of the club’s deeper-rooted problems. Frank said on Monday that Venkatesham’s patience with Mikel Arteta, while he was the chief executive at Arsenal, would inform his approach at Spurs.
Yet go back to those three traits that helped Frank get the job last summer and the case for redeploying the “Arteta Hold” becomes harder to make. Progressive football? According to Opta, Tottenham are in the bottom half of the Premier League table this season for goals scored (11th),passes (11th),chances created (15th),expected goals scored (17th) and through-balls (20th). At home, where Frank’s attacking blueprint should be clear, Spurs have won only two out of ten league games this season.
Development of players? Richarlison has a decent return of eight goals in Solanke’s absence and the 19-year-old Archie Gray has played more games in central midfield. Micky van de Ven has stayed fit, which is not to be underestimated, given his history of serious hamstring problems. But none of Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel, Lucas Bergvall, Xavi Simons or Randal Kolo Muani have excelled, while Brennan Johnson, who many thought might thrive under Frank, has been sold.
And culture? Frank has asked for padel courts to be installed at Hotspur Way but otherwise, Spurs has been nothing like Brentford. The cracks are everywhere, between players and fans, fans and coach, coach and players, players and board. Away at Brentford on New Year’s Day, Tottenham supporters booed Frank specifically, after singing “boring, boring Tottenham” late in a goalless draw. Away at Bournemouth on Wednesday night, Van de Ven appeared to be calling one angry fan down for a fight. A few hours after the defeat, Cristian Romero, the club captain, posted a scathing message about the board on Instagram. And that’s only the last three games. At the end of a tense, 25-minute press conference on Thursday, one reporter suggested the future of Greenland, given Frank’s Danish nationality, might make for a lighter topic next week. Frank laughed. “That would be good,” he said.
Frank has certainly been dealt a difficult hand, not least because of the injuries to his attacking players, with Solanke’s absence especially limiting. There is also an awareness at Tottenham of a lack of leadership and proven quality in the squad, which looks painfully short of the level required to finish in the top four.
Since the 2019-20 season, when Pochettino was sacked, Tottenham’s net spend has been nearly £700million, more than Manchester City, but it is hard to think of one signing in that time who would start in Pochettino’s best team. Kulusevski, perhaps, or Van de Ven? Both have too often been injured. Romero? An elite team wouldn’t rely on him like Spurs do. Romero will miss the game against Villa because of suspension.
A steady decline has left Frank in charge of a middling squad, full of optimistic signings, based on potential, and back-up options, bought after top targets were missed. Simons, for example, has needed six months just to get to grips with the Premier League after deals for Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, who could have helped Frank get off to a stronger start, fell through.
The club’s new leadership insists there will be a change of approach in the market, although it has been a familiar start to the January transfer window, with only Souza, a 19-year-old left back from Santos, close to joining so far. Even Fabio Paratici, Tottenham’s co-sporting director, whose main remit is to negotiate the transfers, may have to be replaced if he leaves for Fiorentina.
The dilemma for the Tottenham hierarchy is how much weight those mitigating factors should bear and for how long, but also whether the frayed connection between Frank and the fans can realistically be restored. Some of that is about style of play and results, but also message and projection, the need for Frank to sell a vision to supporters and to convince them that patience with a sensible coach is not just blurring into an acceptance of mediocrity.
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
Read a comment earlier that I can't disagree with. It said that they can't think of another Spurs manager that has created such a disconnect with the fans so quickly. Not even Christian Gross and Jacques Santini fell out with the fans this quickly.
We even gave George bloody Graham a chance ..
We even gave George bloody Graham a chance ..
Dave
.....typing shite
Founding Member
Yeah but Christian Gross got here by Tube, Jacques Santini sounds like a drink and George Bloody Graham won us a trophy!
ALL things that Spurs fans either use or love.
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
I still don't agree with the "it's Franks fault" rhetoric...
He is a symptom of a much deeper routed habitual failing...
If he goes, the next manager will also fail if the clubs underlying problems are not addressed...
#Enic-Out
He is a symptom of a much deeper routed habitual failing...
If he goes, the next manager will also fail if the clubs underlying problems are not addressed...
#Enic-Out
J.spurs
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
Agreed. He came to the club very highly-regarded, and hasn't just suddenly become an incompetent buffoon over four months. I think a lot of the criticisms are fair--after all he's a big boy, and quite well-paid--but as you say blaming it all on him hides the deeper problems.
I guess ENIC have an opportunity to address the issues and prove themselves now that Levy's out, but I haven't seen anything to make me confident.
USspur
Well-Known Member
A shame we never hear from ENIC and the board unless we win a trophy cc: Mr Romero
Style And Glory
On My High Trojan Horse
Founding Member
This sums up my reasoning for not wanting Frank.
USspur
Well-Known Member
We are delighted to welcome John Heitinga to the Club as First Team Assistant Coach, joining Thomas Frank’s coaching staff.
John began his coaching career in 2016 following retirement as a player, working with Ajax’s youth teams and took interim charge of the Dutch giants’ senior side in January, 2023, for the remainder of the season.
Ahead of the following campaign, he joined West Ham United as a First Team Assistant before being appointed as Liverpool’s Assistant Coach in July, 2024, helping the Reds to the Premier League title last term.
Most recently, he departed Merseyside and returned to Ajax to become Head Coach in May, 2025.
As a player, John made more than 400 club appearances for Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Everton, Fulham and Hertha BSC. In addition, the former centre-back earned 87 caps for the Netherlands and represented his country at numerous major tournaments.
Head Coach Thomas Frank said: “John is a great addition to our coaching staff. His ability, personality and character will add huge value both on and off the pitch.
“He had an impressive playing career across Europe – including five years in the Premier League – and with the Dutch national team.
“As a former defender, that will be one of his main responsibilities on the training pitch, and he brings great coaching and management experiences from all levels of the game, which will really help us moving forward.”
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
The board have made their minds up then... He stays... Style And Glory
On My High Trojan Horse
Founding Member
I'm resigned to that fact & hope that with a few more "suitable THFC DNA" signings, we can make a go of it.
Just wondering why Heitinga has moved around so often & so quickly?
Just wondering why Heitinga has moved around so often & so quickly?
spurious
Well-Known Member
He's like Hercule Poirot: shows up unexpectedly, solves all the problems, then moves on.
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
If he's staying, this is apparently what the board have chosen to go with ..
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
The margin between Premier League survival and relegation is way way too small...
I know it may be a bit hyperbolic... But with the injuries we're racking up and the way our club is apparently imploding from staff and players leaving or sharing their intent to do so at their first opportunity... We could easily get into some serious serious trouble, very very quickly...
Relegation is not out of the discussion for this club...
I know it may be a bit hyperbolic... But with the injuries we're racking up and the way our club is apparently imploding from staff and players leaving or sharing their intent to do so at their first opportunity... We could easily get into some serious serious trouble, very very quickly...
Relegation is not out of the discussion for this club...
Style And Glory
On My High Trojan Horse
Founding Member
It is really sad that another appointment has gone so wrong.
Losing to the hamsters, in any manner, is quite a low point.
Especially when everyone knew it was a do or die situation.
I don't see a way back for Frank after this.
So the only silver lining for me is that someone, anyone, else will come in & just let these players show what they can do. If it's 'Arry, so be it.
Losing to the hamsters, in any manner, is quite a low point.
Especially when everyone knew it was a do or die situation.
I don't see a way back for Frank after this.
So the only silver lining for me is that someone, anyone, else will come in & just let these players show what they can do. If it's 'Arry, so be it.
Style And Glory
On My High Trojan Horse
Founding Member
I just read the following:
Nuno Espirito has won the same amount of premier league matches at our stadium as we have in the last 9 months.
Nuno Espirito has won the same amount of premier league matches at our stadium as we have in the last 9 months.
USspur
Well-Known Member
Is Frank gone yet