Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has made a startling admission, revealing that after six months in the job he is still uncertain about his best starting eleven. The Spurs boss has faced criticism for his frequent tactical changes, particularly in attack, as he searches for a winning formula to halt a dismal run of just one victory in eight matches.
The Challenge of Rotation and Consistency
Frank acknowledged the validity of the criticism levelled at his team tinkering. He stated that while he has a clear idea for several positions, intense competition within the squad makes it difficult to settle on a fixed eleven. "It's not that easy all the time to say, 'OK, it's just those 11' because you need more than 11 players," Frank explained. He suggested that most settled teams have a core of nine or ten ever-present players, with only one or two spots subject to change.
The Danish manager, who made a promising start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, initially seemed to find stability with a defensive unit in a 4-2-3-1 formation. However, the increased fixture congestion brought by the Champions League has led to more rotation and a subsequent dip in results. "It's a combination with the amount of games and that rotation," said Frank, who is navigating his first full European campaign.
A Poignant Return to Brentford
The timing of this revelation is particularly poignant as Frank prepares to face his former club, Brentford, for the first time since his summer move across London. He spent nine successful years with the Bees, but insists there will be no room for sentiment on Saturday. Spurs have played 22 games this season compared to Brentford's 17, a disparity Frank cites as the biggest difference between the two jobs.
"The biggest difference obviously is the amount of games and the short turnaround," Frank noted. "The ability also to nail the message, nail the team and all that bit. How you create a team that's in synch when you need to rotate a bit. That's the challenge."
Praise from the Past, No Sympathy in the Present
Frank has received backing from his former Brentford captain, Nathan Collins, who praised the manager's impact on his career. "Thomas was unreal for me," said the Irish defender. "He gave me a lot of confidence. I'm not surprised he's gone to a higher level and no doubt it will work for him at Spurs."
However, Collins was clear that any goodwill ends when the whistle blows. "He's for Spurs, we're for Brentford. We want to win. You go into battle and you shake hands afterwards," he stated, emphasising there would be no sympathy for his former manager's current plight.
Collins also highlighted the seamless transition at Brentford following a summer exodus that saw Frank, coach Justin Cochrane, and key players like Christian Norgaard and Bryan Mbeumo depart. The defender credited the club's strong culture and backroom staff for ensuring it felt "like just another day" upon their return to pre-season. "It wasn't broken so no need to fix it," Collins concluded, suggesting the Bees have moved on effectively.
As for Frank, he remains focused on the long task at Tottenham Hotspur, aiming to gradually identify his core group. "Definitely for the rest of the season if we do well in the Champions League there will be rotations, but it will be closer and closer until you see the main nine or 10 players that we go with," he affirmed.
