Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has once again risked infuriating the club's supporters by making a series of contentious remarks, insisting Spurs have not yet earned the right to harbour serious expectations.
Frank's Controversial Comparison and Fan Backlash
The comments follow another dismal home defeat, this time a 2-1 loss to Fulham on Saturday night. The match turned particularly sour when goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was booed by sections of the home crowd after a significant error led to Fulham's second goal. Frank directly confronted those supporters, labelling the booing as 'unacceptable' and branding those responsible 'not true fans'.
In a move that has further strained his relationship with the fanbase, Frank then drew a surprising comparison. 'This is on another scale, of course, but more like my first job in Brondby if you compare some of it,' he stated. He contrasted this with his time at Brentford, asserting that the current challenge at Tottenham stems from 'big expectations' that the club has not merited.
'No problem with big expectation if you have also earned the right to really compete for those big expectations, which I think it’s fair to say we haven’t done,' Frank argued. He pointed to a recent history of failing to compete on multiple fronts, despite last season's Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou and the club possessing the sixth-highest wage bill in the Premier League.
Mounting Pressure and Fan Fury
Patience is wearing dangerously thin among the Tottenham faithful. The team's form has been dire, with no Premier League victory since beating Everton on October 26. A hammering in the North London derby by Arsenal was followed by a 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG, before the latest setback against a struggling Fulham side.
Fans have reacted with fury online to Frank's comments about expectations. One supporter wrote: 'He’s clearly out of his element. We won a European trophy last May. We’ll be fighting a relegation battle by the end of May with Frank if he’s still here.' Another criticised the manager's mentality: 'Sick of his inferiority complex & mentality on/off pitch. The DNA of squad we have isn't Cowardball.'
The statistics make for grim reading. Tottenham currently sit in 12th place in the Premier League and have managed just three wins in their last 13 games across all competitions. They were also knocked out of the League Cup at the first hurdle against a genuine opponent.
Frank's Defence and Plea for Patience
Despite the growing unrest, Thomas Frank remains confident that the club's hierarchy will keep faith in his project. He stressed the need for harmony during matches and believes the Lewis family, who assumed control after Daniel Levy's departure in September, are intelligent owners who understand that building success takes time.
'I'm very confident,' Frank said ahead of Tuesday's game at Newcastle. 'When we're dealing with intelligent people they can see every successful dynasty, every successful club has taken time.' He reiterated his stance on the Vicario incident, standing by his claim that mocking your own player during a game is unacceptable for true supporters.
'What I meant by that, just to make it clear was the mocking of one of their own players,' he explained. 'The opponent can do that. You can't do that as a fan. That's where I would stand by what I said. During matches that's where we need each other.' Frank's immediate task is to halt the alarming slide and win back a disillusioned fanbase, starting with a positive result at St. James' Park.
