
Tottenham hires Thomas Frank as coach, luring him from Premier League rival Brentford
by Naharnet Newsdesk 13 June 2025, 16:41
Tottenham hired Thomas Frank as head coach on Thursday after the Danish manager ended his nearly decade-long stay at fellow Premier League team Brentford.
The 51-year-old Frank will replace Ange Postecoglou, who was fired last week despite leading Tottenham to its first trophy in 17 years with a win over Manchester United in the Europa League final.
Tottenham said Frank's contract runs until 2028.
"In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game," the club said in a statement. "He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead."
Strong reputation
Frank joined Brentford in December 2016 and has been manager since 2018. He has established a reputation as a tactically flexible and shrewd coach who has improved players, especially those of a lower profile or who have not performed at other clubs.
At Tottenham, he will have a squad of higher quality — albeit one that finished below Brentford in the Premier League last season — and will be managing in the Champions League for the first time. One of his first games will be against Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.
In that sense, it's a slight gamble from Spurs. Indeed, Frank has never won a trophy in his managerial career.
However, having had Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho at the helm for spells since 2019, even those managers with elite-level pedigree have found it tough to lead Tottenham to success and Frank at least has plenty of Premier League experience.
Brentford has played in the top flight since 2021 and consistently punched above its weight, with Tottenham pointing to Frank's ability to get his former team "significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time."
Frank's 'emotional intelligence'
Brentford director of football Phil Giles said Frank's "wisdom, coaching ability and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club."
"He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength," Giles said.
"We will never forget Thomas, but now it is time to thank him and take the next steps in our journey with a new leader who we believe can be just as successful and influential."
Tottenham said Frank will bring several of his backroom staff with him from Brentford, including assistant coach Justin Cochrane, with set-piece specialist Andreas Georgson also joining from Manchester United.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Nahar Net
a day ago
- Nahar Net
Tottenham hires Thomas Frank as coach, luring him from Premier League rival Brentford
by Naharnet Newsdesk 13 June 2025, 16:41 Tottenham hired Thomas Frank as head coach on Thursday after the Danish manager ended his nearly decade-long stay at fellow Premier League team Brentford. The 51-year-old Frank will replace Ange Postecoglou, who was fired last week despite leading Tottenham to its first trophy in 17 years with a win over Manchester United in the Europa League final. Tottenham said Frank's contract runs until 2028. "In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game," the club said in a statement. "He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead." Strong reputation Frank joined Brentford in December 2016 and has been manager since 2018. He has established a reputation as a tactically flexible and shrewd coach who has improved players, especially those of a lower profile or who have not performed at other clubs. At Tottenham, he will have a squad of higher quality — albeit one that finished below Brentford in the Premier League last season — and will be managing in the Champions League for the first time. One of his first games will be against Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup. In that sense, it's a slight gamble from Spurs. Indeed, Frank has never won a trophy in his managerial career. However, having had Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho at the helm for spells since 2019, even those managers with elite-level pedigree have found it tough to lead Tottenham to success and Frank at least has plenty of Premier League experience. Brentford has played in the top flight since 2021 and consistently punched above its weight, with Tottenham pointing to Frank's ability to get his former team "significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time." Frank's 'emotional intelligence' Brentford director of football Phil Giles said Frank's "wisdom, coaching ability and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club." "He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength," Giles said. "We will never forget Thomas, but now it is time to thank him and take the next steps in our journey with a new leader who we believe can be just as successful and influential." Tottenham said Frank will bring several of his backroom staff with him from Brentford, including assistant coach Justin Cochrane, with set-piece specialist Andreas Georgson also joining from Manchester United.


Nahar Net
a day ago
- Nahar Net
'Dream come true' for Alexander-Arnold as he is introduced by Real Madrid
by Naharnet Newsdesk 13 June 2025, 16:42 Trent Alexander-Arnold was officially introduced by Real Madrid on Thursday, saying he was fulfilling his dream to play for the Spanish powerhouse and under his idol Xavi Alonso. The 26-year-old England back was the latest reinforcement on defense for Madrid after a season in which the back line struggled following injuries. Madrid pushed up signing Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool — for a reported fee of up to 10 million euros ($11.5 million) — to get him on June 1 instead of for free at the end of the month. That allowed Madrid to count on the defender to play for Alonso's team at the Club World Cup in the United States. Madrid opens its Club World Cup group-stage campaign against Saudi club Al-Hilal next Wednesday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Alexander-Arnold was accompanied by his parents and relatives in the capital. After signing the contract alongside Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, he was introduced with a video of his highlights and then spoke briefly, in Spanish. "Thank you for this opportunity," he said. "To sign with a club like Real Madrid doesn't happen very often. It's a dream come true. I'm very happy and proud to be here. I'm very excited to show my game to Madrid fans but I'm aware that it's a great responsibility to play for Real Madrid. I'm ready to give my all for this team and for the fans." A long-time Madrid admirer Alexander-Arnold was born in Liverpool and grew up as a Liverpool fan but "always admired the (Real Madrid) players and the club." "Whether you support the club or not, you have to respect its history and its trophies," he said. "I grew up watching this club win three Champions League titles in a row. I'm not surprised to see Real Madrid winning trophies. I wanted to be part of the club's success from now on. It's a team with a winning mentality and I can't wait to get started." Alexander-Arnold said he looked up to Alonso when the new Madrid coach played for Liverpool. "I told him he was an idol of mine and now being with him is a dream come true," he said. "He's had a big impact on the way I play. He did impossible things and influenced me in terms of training and working hard. I have him to thank for my high standards." Madrid also this week introduced central defender Dean Huijsen. Only one alternative to Liverpool Alexander-Arnold, who will wear the No. 12 jersey with "Trent" on the back, arrived on a six-year contract through June 2031. He joins fellow England international Jude Bellingham. "We've spoken about Liverpool and Real Madrid," he said. "He's the kind of player you want to have as a friend. I want to know what he's like. I've seen him play for the national team and I also want to see him play for Real Madrid. They say he played an important role in bringing me here, but the club needs no introduction. It was a huge opportunity for me." Alexander-Arnold won nine titles with Liverpool, including one Champions League and two Premier Leagues. "We welcome a player who has won everything and who marked an era in a prestigious club such as Liverpool," Pérez said. "You could have continued playing in any other club but you chose to continue your career with our club and we will never forget that." Madrid and the other 31 teams playing in the Club World Cup are allowed to make early signings in FIFA-approved special transfer windows from June 1-10 and June 27-July 3. Alexander-Arnold had already announced he was leaving his boyhood club with Madrid the expected destination. He made 354 appearances for Liverpool and scored 23 goals. "I always knew that if I ever left Liverpool, it would be to join Real Madrid," he said. "There came a time when I had to decide whether to leave or stay, and it wasn't easy. I'd been there for so long that it wasn't easy. There comes a time when you have to make a decision, and for me, this was the right one. I've been lucky to play for the biggest team in England and now I'm at the biggest in Spain." By its own high standards, Madrid had a disappointing season, finishing runner-up to rival Barcelona in La Liga and being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions League despite having signed France star Kylian Mbappé last summer.


Nahar Net
a day ago
- Nahar Net
Days before Club World Cup kicks off, fears over player welfare are raised
by Naharnet Newsdesk 13 June 2025, 16:40 Days before the start of the Club World Cup, soccer chiefs are facing renewed calls to safeguard players over growing fears of injuries and burnout. The sport's global players union, FIFPRO, said Thursday there should be an immediate implementation of guaranteed four-week breaks for players during the offseason, as well as time off mid-season. "If we can all agree that health comes first, then we should take steps to implement these safeguards," said Prof. Dr. Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO Medical Director. FIFPRO has been critical of the extra workload placed on players as a result of tournaments like the Club World Cup, which kicks off in Miami on Saturday. The newly-expanded tournament involving 32 of the world's best teams has faced pushback since FIFA announced it would be added to an already saturated calendar. The month-long tournament will be played every four years, sandwiched in between the men's World Cup, European Championship and Copa America. It is going ahead against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe, strike threats and repeated concerns over players' mental and physical welfare due to the increased number of games. FIFA president Gianni Infantino this week said the competition was "writing history." "For the first time in history, the 32 best clubs in the world will compete in a tournament to determine finally who is the best club in the world," he said. But many players at the Club World Cup have entered the tournament on the back of a full regular season. Players such as Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha have headed to the Club World Cup just two weeks after winning the Champions League final, having also competed in the UEFA Nations League in between. The tournament ends July 13. That is likely to pose a problem for teams like Manchester City or Chelsea if they play in the latter stages, with the Premier League season kicking off on August 16 and leaving little time to rest before beginning the preseason preparations. FIFPRO said it carried out scientific study involving 70 medical and performance experts to come up with "12 consensus-based" safeguards to protect players from from calendar congestion and excessive workload. It said international soccer lacked "standardized frameworks or regulations." Among the safeguards it is calling for, FIFPRO wants two weeks in the offseason to be "completely commitment free." It wants mid-season breaks to be mandatory. Many European leagues have a winter break, but the Premier League does not. It also wants a minimum four-week retraining period before players return to action after the offseason break. Other safeguards include protection for academy players under the age of 18 and "travel fatigue management" to schedule rest periods after long-haul flights.