Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has confirmed he held urgent talks with club captain Cristian Romero on Wednesday morning, following the defender's inflammatory social media activity.
Romero's Instagram outburst
The discussions came after Romero posted a message to his 5.1 million Instagram followers in the wake of Spurs' dramatic 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth on Tuesday night. Antoine Semenyo's stoppage-time winner sealed a painful loss for the North London side.
In the post, which has since been edited, the Argentine international appeared to take aim at the club's hierarchy. "At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now," Romero wrote. "They only show up when things are going well."
The original, unedited version contained a stronger accusation, stating that these individuals only appear "to tell a few lies." Romero also apologised to supporters and accepted responsibility for the team's poor form.
Frank's response and internal talks
Addressing the media in his pre-match press conference ahead of the FA Cup third-round tie against Aston Villa, Frank revealed he and Sporting Director Johan Lange had spoken with the 26-year-old.
"Johan and I had a good conversation with him this morning about everything, which we of course keep internally," the Danish coach stated. He defended Romero's overall contribution since being named captain, praising his performance in the Bournemouth match and his leadership during the game.
However, Frank did issue a gentle rebuke, suggesting the centre-back had made an error in taking his frustrations public. "When you're a young leader sometimes you make a mistake, of course it's good to keep it internally," he added.
Pressure mounts at Tottenham
This incident highlights the growing pressure and frustration within the Tottenham camp after a string of disappointing results. Romero's decision to publicly challenge the club's executives is a significant moment, exposing potential tensions behind the scenes.
All eyes will now be on how the squad responds in their crucial FA Cup fixture against Aston Villa, and whether this internal matter has been fully resolved. The episode raises questions about the stability and unity at the club as they seek to turn their season around.
