Thomas Frank's repeated praise of Arsenal reportedly frustrated Tottenham Hotspur players in the lead-up to his dismissal. The former Brentford manager was sacked on Wednesday, hours after Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle United, their eighth straight Premier League game without a win.
According to reports, several Tottenham players were tired of Frank's constant references to their north London rivals. Following a 4-1 defeat at the Emirates in November, the Dane emphasised how impressive Arsenal were, leading some players to wish he would 'shut up about Arsenal'.
Frank also caused dismay when he was photographed holding an Arsenal coffee cup before a match against Bournemouth. He later claimed he had not noticed the emblem, saying it would be 'absolutely stupid' to deliberately use such a cup. Memes portraying him as an Arsenal supporter circulated among the squad.
Tottenham's poor domestic form—just seven wins from 26 league matches—left them 16th in the table, despite reaching the Champions League knockout stages. Frank admitted last week that some players doubted his suitability, but stressed that performance on the pitch mattered most.
