Thomas Frank inherits an awkward situation at Tottenham

The Herald Scotland

3 hours ago

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy at least waited until the glow of Ange Postecoglou's Europa League triumph had faded slightly before confirming the decision you suspected he was going to make all along anyway. Postecoglou's reward for delivering the North London club's first trophy since 2008 amounted to: 'thanks very much, but it's time to go.'
Postecoglou's dismissal was, of course, far more about Tottenham's Premier League form than their victory over Manchester United in one of the poorest-quality European finals in modern history. Spurs finished 17th last season, an outcome that Postecoglou insisted was tied to his decision to put all his eggs in the Europa League basket. Key players were managed with midweek in mind, not the weekend, and form suffered to an extent that Levy could not see past it.
Only a few months ago, most Tottenham fans would have been in agreement. The initial romance between supporters and Postecoglou was turning toxic, and it seemed certain he would move on at season's end. Football, though, is an inherently emotional pursuit for fans, and nothing rekindles the spark like a shiny new trophy in the cabinet. For those who have followed Tottenham through this barren spell, it was about more than that. They could finally mark the end of an arduously long period where their collective suffering had become a running joke.
'Spursy' had entered the football lexicon as a by-word for flakiness, for being weak, for lacking bottle. That Tottenham's win over a hapless United in Bilbao was earned through guts and grit would have made it all the more satisfying. It also offered hope that maybe Postecoglou was adaptable after all, and supporters' narrative around him seemed to suddenly shift.
Perhaps this one night would change everything. Perhaps 'Spursy' would come to represent something different—something to be proud of. And perhaps Postecoglou, having reset the trophy clock, was the man to lead this brave new era.
Levy, however, was not convinced. Men in his position are required to take the emotion out of these decisions, and he decided that Bilbao was a wonderful anomaly, not an indication of the new direction of travel. The direction had been generally downwards for some time.
On the one hand, a trophy-starved club like Tottenham giving the man who brought all that to a joyous conclusion his P45 seems utterly nauseating—an indictment of the warped priorities of modern football's powerbrokers. On the other hand, Tottenham did finish 17th, one place above relegation. Yes, there was an injury crisis—but one that was seemingly influenced by the demands of 'Angeball' catching up with his players.
All of this, though, puts Frank in a potentially awkward position.
The affable Dane punched well above his weight as manager of Brentford, keeping them in the world's richest league despite consistently operating with one of the smallest budgets. He has proved himself an excellent coach and an effective man-manager—in other words, deserving of an opportunity like the one that has now been given to him.
Usually, a new manager will be required to clean up the mess of the man who came before him. But Frank arrives at Tottenham off the back of their biggest achievement in 17 years. The last glimpse of Postecoglou as Spurs manager was as he hoisted the Europa League trophy into the air on an open-top bus parade, attended by thousands screaming in adulation for him. The players' affection for the ex-Celtic manager—and, by extension, their thoughts on his exit—were made obvious in a not-so-subtly co-ordinated series of social media posts.
It's a testing situation for a new figurehead to inherit, and one he will have to handle carefully. One thing Frank certainly has going for him is that he is very likeable. It will not take long for Tottenham fans to take to him. He does, though, need a strong start. If he doesn't, the decision to dispense with Postecoglou will be dragged back onto the agenda.
How Frank will adapt to the pressure is also fascinating. There is certainly a jump in expectation from Brentford to Tottenham, and the 51-year-old will be that bit more exposed in his new surroundings. This is not to diminish Frank's achievements with the Bees, but they boast an extremely well-run football operation within which he is one of many cogs—albeit the most important one. Can you really say the same about Tottenham?
There is, however, an adaptability about Frank that Postecoglou was accused of lacking. You don't keep a club of Brentford's size in the Premier League without being able to mix up your approach, and he heads across London at a time when his career is on the up. He surely cannot suffer the same volume of injuries that so badly hindered Postecoglou, so that, at least, should go in his favour in terms of being able to implement what he wants to do.
Keeping expectations realistic, too, will be of significant importance. Winning the Europa League does little to change the fact that Tottenham were, over the course of 38 league games, miles away from where they want to be. Frank will need time to change that.
He might well turn it around rapidly, but I don't think he should be harshly judged if that proves not to be the case. Tottenham are still marketed as one of the Premier League's 'big six', but as a host of clubs make rapid strides of improvement, that branding is becoming increasingly outdated.
Frank's first objective should not be to chase down Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, but simply to be better than the likes of Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. That is where Tottenham are.
Above all, though, he deserves to work without the polarising Postecoglou drama hanging over him.