The Manager in Demand: Frank's Near-Misses Revealed
A new book released by Thomas Frank in Denmark has shed light on a pivotal period in May 2024, reminding everyone that the now-Tottenham boss was a man in high demand. The publication, boldly titled 'Diary from the Premier League: The Story of Denmark's Greatest Coach', reveals that Frank was so sought-after he squeezed meetings with Chelsea and Manchester United into a single day.
The book confirms Frank's readiness to accept the Chelsea job, had the offer materialised instead of going to Enzo Maresca. Chelsea's search had been whittled down to a final two, with Frank being one of them. Meanwhile, United, who met Frank in Jim Radcliffe's garage, decided to keep faith with Erik ten Hag after their FA Cup final victory the following day.
Frank also discloses that around the same time, he was approached by the national teams of both the United States and Denmark. His ambition, however, lay in continuing his journey in the Premier League. He subsequently spent another year exceeding expectations at Brentford before Tottenham finally made their move.
The Pressure Cooker: Frank's First North London Derby
Eighteen games into his tenure at Spurs, the atmosphere has shifted. After a positive start, faltering results, an unadventurous style of football, and a heavy reliance on set-pieces for goals have left a section of the Tottenham fanbase doubting whether Frank is the right man to rebuild the club into a force.
There would be no better way to silence those doubts than by securing a positive result in his first North London derby away at Arsenal. A victory, and inflicting damage on their rival's title bid, would provide an immense boost to Frank's popularity. This local squabble always carries extra significance, a fact not lost on Frank's predecessor.
Ange Postecoglou's relationship with a portion of the Spurs support never truly recovered after he reacted with frustration in May 2024 upon realising many fans were happier to lose to Manchester City if it harmed Arsenal's title chances. Postecoglou was dismissed a year later, having failed to beat the Gunners in four attempts.
Clubs on Different Journeys: Strategy and Investment
Frank is acutely aware of the challenge, acknowledging the gap between the two clubs. 'I don't want to praise them too much, Arsenal,' he said. 'But we can't hide from the fact they are top of the table, and they invested a lot in the squad... so they have a very strong competitive squad.'
He succinctly described the situation as 'two clubs on different journeys', admitting 'they're a little bit ahead of us'. The modern power struggle in North London is underpinned by strategy and investment. Mikel Arteta, approaching six years as Arsenal boss, has been unequivocally backed to build his team, exemplified by the club smashing their transfer record to sign Declan Rice for £115 million.
When asked about such spending, Frank noted, 'I don't think we are close to spending £100m, but I don't know. Let's see what happens.' He did, however, express confidence in Tottenham's new ownership, the Lewis family, who have made 'promising noises' about prioritising sporting success since ousting Daniel Levy in September.
Despite the disparity, Frank remains defiant about Sunday's match: 'in one game, I am 100 per cent sure we will be very competitive. Of course we can win.' His confidence may be bolstered by Tottenham's impressive away form this season, which includes wins at Manchester City, West Ham, and Everton without conceding a goal.
An intriguing subplot will be the battle of the set-pieces, an area where both teams excel. Arsenal and Tottenham both have set-piece coaches who worked under Frank at Brentford: Nicolas Jover at Arsenal and Andreas Georgson at Spurs. Frank remarked on his legacy, saying, 'I'm pretty sure the bits I've done at Brentford have inspired a lot of clubs to focus more on set-pieces.'
As Frank searches for a crucial result, he is boosted by the return of several players from injury, including Randal Kolo Muani, who is fit to play despite a broken jaw. Perhaps an omen lies in history: the first game of Thomas Frank's life, at just four days old in October 1973, was a Tottenham victory over Arsenal.
