USspur
Well-Known Member
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
It’s ok playing the long game if they want to start off in the Championship..
USspur
Well-Known Member
Might be on an island but I don’t think bringing poch back is a good idea
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
You're not...
It's an expensive, yet the least costly way of appeasing the fan base...
It would taint his reputation as things have not changed enough for him or any manager to succeed...
If I was him, I'd listen to their offer, politely refuse and tell the world that he desperately wants to manage Spurs again... But the club are not serious in building a club that wants to win...
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
#HoweOut is apparently trending. Might be unpopular but I'd take him if he did get sacked.
BrooklynYid
Well-Known Member
I do think Poch can can the board and Lewises to spend. If they didn't back him we'd be done as a PL club. I think folks are forgetting how good he was with us. And he loves the club. Would take him back in a hearbeat.
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
Interesting point on the Twatter ..
Vinai leaves Arsenal - they improve.
Lange leaves Villa - they improve.
Frank leaves Brentford - they improve.
And where did they all end up ?
Vinai leaves Arsenal - they improve.
Lange leaves Villa - they improve.
Frank leaves Brentford - they improve.
And where did they all end up ?
J.spurs
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
Because complaining about Tottenham is better than the work I need to be doing:
After 25 games played last season, Brentford are five points better than they were under Frank. We are two points worse than under Ange. Not sure either of these are all that significant a difference. Both clubs will probably finish there or thereabouts where they were last season.
Vinai has been here for less than a year. We are not significantly worse than when he took over. Lange has been around for a couple of years or so but became sporting director, whatever that means, in the fall. So who really knows? The bottom line is we loved Poch because he got us overachieving for a few seasons with a very good, but very thin, squad mostly recruited by Paul Mitchell, who I think came with Poch from Southampton, and fucked off somewhere after building the squad.
Levy loved Poch because of the results, but also because he was a company man who mostly refused to call the club out for all the problems. He's still that way--last week he got stuck into US players for saying that ticket prices at the World Cup were too high. Never one to criticize the suits. It's one of the reasons I think it's strange that fans are having a go at Frank for not bitching about transfers--some of the things he says in pressers are VERY reminiscent of Poch to me.
The point is that the club's strategy under ENIC has been finding that manager who can A) catch lightning in a bottle and overachieve AND B) be willing to be a good soldier and work at a club that isn't going to back him like the managers they're competing against. Harry was A but not B. Mourinho and Conte weren't really either--maybe A for a while. We can't really say about Ange due to injuries, and Frank doesn't seem to be A (though his injury crisis is as bad as Ange's). Fans want C) which is to play entertaining football as well, and we extended more patience to Ange because he was C.
Poch was A B& C but it will be tough for Poch the sequel to repeat that because the PL is quite a bit different even in the 8-9 years since his prime. The only manager in the PL right now I can think of who seems to have had that kind of effect is Unai Emry, and even he has had the benefit of a club that pays high wages, if not huge transfer fees. Villa are basically a bubble unless they get more investment.
Saying all that, if/when we sack Frank, fuck it, bring the man in.
After 25 games played last season, Brentford are five points better than they were under Frank. We are two points worse than under Ange. Not sure either of these are all that significant a difference. Both clubs will probably finish there or thereabouts where they were last season.
Vinai has been here for less than a year. We are not significantly worse than when he took over. Lange has been around for a couple of years or so but became sporting director, whatever that means, in the fall. So who really knows? The bottom line is we loved Poch because he got us overachieving for a few seasons with a very good, but very thin, squad mostly recruited by Paul Mitchell, who I think came with Poch from Southampton, and fucked off somewhere after building the squad.
Levy loved Poch because of the results, but also because he was a company man who mostly refused to call the club out for all the problems. He's still that way--last week he got stuck into US players for saying that ticket prices at the World Cup were too high. Never one to criticize the suits. It's one of the reasons I think it's strange that fans are having a go at Frank for not bitching about transfers--some of the things he says in pressers are VERY reminiscent of Poch to me.
The point is that the club's strategy under ENIC has been finding that manager who can A) catch lightning in a bottle and overachieve AND B) be willing to be a good soldier and work at a club that isn't going to back him like the managers they're competing against. Harry was A but not B. Mourinho and Conte weren't really either--maybe A for a while. We can't really say about Ange due to injuries, and Frank doesn't seem to be A (though his injury crisis is as bad as Ange's). Fans want C) which is to play entertaining football as well, and we extended more patience to Ange because he was C.
Poch was A B& C but it will be tough for Poch the sequel to repeat that because the PL is quite a bit different even in the 8-9 years since his prime. The only manager in the PL right now I can think of who seems to have had that kind of effect is Unai Emry, and even he has had the benefit of a club that pays high wages, if not huge transfer fees. Villa are basically a bubble unless they get more investment.
Saying all that, if/when we sack Frank, fuck it, bring the man in.
Havocc
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
Again, if we want Poch. We need him in before the World Cup. So he has a pre-season.
Go and get him
Go and get him
J.spurs
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
You’re right, but I just can’t see this happening.
ClemFandango
Lord High Chief of the Privvy
Founding Member
I know his contract is officially up after the World Cup so I think in that respect it would work but getting him in earlier would likely be problematic. Even if the USA went out in the group stages I can't see them releasing him early.
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
World cup should be boycotted so there's a chance...!!!
Style And Glory
On My High Trojan Horse
Founding Member
Last time I was in the US was a few hours before Trump was inaugurated last January. I & many other Canadians haven't set foot there since. And to be clear, nothing against Americans. It's just this government & it's leader.
Back on topic, all these rumours of Frank's replacement just makes him a dead man walking. Not healthy for the morale of the club.
Back on topic, all these rumours of Frank's replacement just makes him a dead man walking. Not healthy for the morale of the club.
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
While their fashistic regime should not escape criticism at any point, my issue with the World Cup specifically, is that FIFA as an organisation is beyond corrupt and does not act in the interests of football in any way.
Add the two together if you like and you've got even more reason to swerve it.
Style And Glory
On My High Trojan Horse
Founding Member
The cheapest tickets for Canada v Qatar are $638 each. And that's a bargain compared to certain sites.
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
With all due respect to Qatar and Canada... That's hardly a game I'd expect to be "top tier"...
I would like some nations to boycott simply because their fans can't travel... Such as the South American or African teams.
J.spurs
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
I have a Scottish expat friend, over the moon about qualifying for this WC. Ticket application for Scotland-Haiti was rejected by FIFA, cheapest available resell ticket (through legal channels) for the game, which I think is in Boston, is $838. It's an obscenity.
Not, as you say, as much of an obscenity as our travel ban on Haitians, but still.
jaxdermot
Well-Known Member
It's a shame Fifa doesn't have more balls, they should move the US games to Canada or something.. I was amazed the NFL took a "stand " kind of (almost a complete non English speaking Halftime show) at least they showed some heart... The only thing more powerful than hate is love, well done Mr Bunny.
It will be interesting to see what prevails this World Cup, love of traveling fans or the hate of this host country. Will the fans travel because they love their team or stay home to avoid the hatred rhetoric. Crazy times.
jaxdermot
Well-Known Member
I feel you, I'm living in Florida 🫠. Half the time I think about moving back to Kinsale , Ireland.... or somewhere else. Hopefully soon you'll be welcomed back and want to come back....
And the Frank situation is toxic... he probably could (but won't) win the Champions League and get the axe...
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
Why is he doing this...
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
Makes me even fucking angrier at the club for not backing him...
USspur
Well-Known Member
USspur
Well-Known Member
Headline reads like the board did not want to sack him, but the Lewis family made them. Good on the Lewis family, but what is the plan now...?
USspur
Well-Known Member
Thomas Frank has been sacked as head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, less than 12 hours after claiming he was “convinced” he would remain in charge.
Telegraph Sport understands that Tottenham’s Lewis family owners and the club’s board felt Frank’s position had become untenable, despite a previous desire to stand by him.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange made the recommendation to the Lewis family to sack Frank following Spurs’ 11th Premier League defeat of the season against Newcastle United, a result that left the team five points above the relegation zone.
Venkatesham and executive chairman Peter Charrington were in the stands to hear supporters chant “you’re getting sacked in the morning” and sing former head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s name.
That proved to be enough to convince the Tottenham board that a change was needed, despite Frank revealing he had spoken to the club’s owners ahead of the Newcastle defeat and had felt safe in his job.
Confirming Frank’s exit, a Spurs statement said: “The club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today.
“Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together. However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.
“Throughout his time at the club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the Club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.”
With the north Londoners out of the FA Cup, it was decided that it would be best for the players to take five days off after the Newcastle game to reset tired minds and bodies.
That also gives the club time to get a head coach in place in plenty of time to start training with the squad next Monday in preparation for the north London derby against Arsenal on February 22.
Asked immediately after the Newcastle defeat if his job was under threat, Frank had said: “I spoke to them [the owners] yesterday, so no. I understand the frustration and the easiest thing is to point at me. That’s part of the job, unfortunately.”
On whether or not he would be in charge for the Arsenal game, Frank added: “Yeah, I’m convinced I will be. I also think it’s never only the head coach or the ownership or the directors or the players or the staff. It’s everyone. If you do something right, you build something that can last. Of course, we are not in a top position now. Everyone knows, directors, ownership, myself, what position we are in, what we need to improve and what we need to do better. That is what we are working very hard on.”
Frank was also asked if he still believes he is the right man for Tottenham and he replied by saying: “[I’m] 1,000 per cent sure. I am also 1,000 per cent sure that I never expected us to be in a situation like this with 11 or 12 injuries on the back end of this and what we’ve been facing. But I know when you need to build something and need to get through things, you need to show unbelievable strong resilience.
“I think it is fair to say there are a few before me up here, not only for Tottenham but in many other clubs, that have lost their head many times. I think you need to have a calm head, carry on, keep fighting and keep doing the right thing, make sure we stick together because we can only do this if we stick together. That is the board, that is the leaders, that is the players, that is the staff, that is me and that is the fans. We’ve got to get through this.”
Telegraph Sport understands that Tottenham’s Lewis family owners and the club’s board felt Frank’s position had become untenable, despite a previous desire to stand by him.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange made the recommendation to the Lewis family to sack Frank following Spurs’ 11th Premier League defeat of the season against Newcastle United, a result that left the team five points above the relegation zone.
Venkatesham and executive chairman Peter Charrington were in the stands to hear supporters chant “you’re getting sacked in the morning” and sing former head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s name.
That proved to be enough to convince the Tottenham board that a change was needed, despite Frank revealing he had spoken to the club’s owners ahead of the Newcastle defeat and had felt safe in his job.
Confirming Frank’s exit, a Spurs statement said: “The club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today.
“Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together. However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.
“Throughout his time at the club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the Club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.”
Players have five days off
Tottenham’s players have been given five days off, which means the news of Frank’s dismissal is unlikely to have been communicated directly to the squad before it was made public.With the north Londoners out of the FA Cup, it was decided that it would be best for the players to take five days off after the Newcastle game to reset tired minds and bodies.
That also gives the club time to get a head coach in place in plenty of time to start training with the squad next Monday in preparation for the north London derby against Arsenal on February 22.
Asked immediately after the Newcastle defeat if his job was under threat, Frank had said: “I spoke to them [the owners] yesterday, so no. I understand the frustration and the easiest thing is to point at me. That’s part of the job, unfortunately.”
On whether or not he would be in charge for the Arsenal game, Frank added: “Yeah, I’m convinced I will be. I also think it’s never only the head coach or the ownership or the directors or the players or the staff. It’s everyone. If you do something right, you build something that can last. Of course, we are not in a top position now. Everyone knows, directors, ownership, myself, what position we are in, what we need to improve and what we need to do better. That is what we are working very hard on.”
Frank was also asked if he still believes he is the right man for Tottenham and he replied by saying: “[I’m] 1,000 per cent sure. I am also 1,000 per cent sure that I never expected us to be in a situation like this with 11 or 12 injuries on the back end of this and what we’ve been facing. But I know when you need to build something and need to get through things, you need to show unbelievable strong resilience.
“I think it is fair to say there are a few before me up here, not only for Tottenham but in many other clubs, that have lost their head many times. I think you need to have a calm head, carry on, keep fighting and keep doing the right thing, make sure we stick together because we can only do this if we stick together. That is the board, that is the leaders, that is the players, that is the staff, that is me and that is the fans. We’ve got to get through this.”
USspur
Well-Known Member
J.spurs
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
The thing is, if the board don't get the appointment right, or if there are any more significant injuries (just saw the Odobert news) relegation seems as likely as not. As someone said yesterday, we are banking on three teams being worse than us
Yid
Moderator
Founding Member
We do not want you you potato headed cunt...