Pressure Mounts on 'Nice Guy' Frank After Derby Debacle
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has been directly warned that he must adopt a tougher public persona following his team's humiliating defeat in the north London derby. Spurs were comprehensively beaten by Arsenal on Sunday, marking their fourth Premier League loss of the current campaign and intensifying scrutiny on the Danish head coach.
Former Premier League Keeper Delivers Blunt Assessment
Ex-Manchester United and Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster has publicly questioned Frank's approach, suggesting his media demeanour is too soft for the current crisis. Speaking on his Fozcast podcast, Foster stated that Frank's refusal to criticise his players publicly does not align with the team's abysmal performance. "You don't know what he's like behind closed doors, but he is very nice in the media," Foster said. "I don't think that performance warrants nice. I think he's got to come out all guns blazing there, because the Spurs fans are fuming."
Foster was particularly scathing about the team's approach at the Emirates, adding: "They were abysmal and they were miles off it. From the get go, you knew how the game was going to go because Spurs just straight away went, 'We're just going to sit here and we're not really going to give this a go.'"
Spurs Hierarchy Stays the Course Amid Growing Unrest
Despite the poor run of form and growing fan unrest, the Tottenham board is reportedly standing by their manager. According to The Telegraph, the club views Frank's appointment as a long-term project, having paid £10 million in compensation to Brentford for his services in June. The 52-year-old signed a three-year contract to succeed Ange Postecoglou.
The immediate challenge is a daunting Champions League fixture against reigning champions PSG in Paris on Wednesday night. The squad's resources are stretched thin, with eight players unavailable, including the suspended Brennan Johnson.
Addressing the pressure, Frank expressed unwavering confidence in his long-term vision for the club. "Part of taking this job was to sit here and have the challenges," he stated. "One thing I'm 1,000 per cent sure of is that I know how to build a team. I know how to build a club and we will do that." He acknowledged the need to learn from this difficult period, emphasising that the first four months have provided crucial lessons about his squad.
