Thomas Frank has urged Tottenham Hotspur supporters to provide more encouragement during matches, revealing that defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence apologised to him for their reaction to boos at full-time in Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea. The pair ignored Frank's attempts to have them acknowledge the South Stand after the final whistle, storming past him towards the tunnel.
Frank acknowledged the fans' right to boo after a poor performance but stressed the need for positivity during the game. 'After the match, if we perform badly and lose, it's fair enough they boo us,' he said. 'But during the game, we need a little help. They can be the turning point.' He cited the example of boos directed at goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for playing a sideways pass, urging fans to lift the team when trailing.
Van de Ven and Spence separately visited Frank on Sunday to apologise, which the manager welcomed. 'They came into my office, unprompted, and said sorry,' Frank explained. 'They were frustrated with the performance, the loss and the booing. It means they care about the team and the club.'
Vicario also intervened after the match, pulling young teammate Lucas Bergvall away from a confrontation with an irate supporter. 'There are some bad people in every environment,' Vicario said. 'I had to protect him because he was emotional.'
Frank reported that Bergvall is observing concussion protocol after being withdrawn against Chelsea and will miss matches against Copenhagen and Manchester United. Despite poor home form—three wins in 19 league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium—Spurs have excelled away and are unbeaten in three Champions League matches.
