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Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has been sacked with immediate effect. But how did it go so wrong?
Last night’s turgid 2-1 defeat to Newcastle appears to have been the final straw for the Tottenham board, as the club sit 16th in the Premier League, winless in their last eight league games dating back to December.
The 52-year-old Dane was a popular appointment following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal last summer, but he has failed to recreate the formula that brought Brentford to ninth and tenth-placed finishes in his tenure.
Pre-season ambitions were high
Spurs’ current league position is hugely damaging to a club that was targeting Champions League football again next season after encouraging summer business.
Xavi Simons, Mohamed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani and Joao Palhinha were recruited alongside Thomas Frank, who had cost £6.7m in compensation to be plucked away from Brentford, where he had managed for nine years.
It seemed a shrewd acquisition, as Frank had transformed the mid-table Championship side into a solid Premier League outfit, playing incisive and efficient football. Innovative scouting and exploitation of attacking set-pieces contributed to the successful model, but it was Frank’s management that was the key ingredient in their relative success.
At Tottenham, however, that efficiency has turned completely stale. Twenty-six games into the season, they have won just seven and will be nervously eyeing the five-point gap between them and West Ham in the relegation zone.
Fans have consistently pointed to an injury crisis within the squad, which has led to Spurs struggling to field a senior starting 11 at points this season. But after January’s £35 million acquisition of Conor Gallagher, a torrid run of two wins in 17 games has proved inexcusable.
Europe was Frank’s and Tottenham’s safe space. They finished fourth in the 36-team league phase, losing only to reigning holders Paris Saint-Germain, though critics have said their fixtures were largely favourable. Factor in the PR own goal of Frank being pictured drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup during Spurs' trip to Bournemouth, the team's dismal attacking output and dwindling attendances towards the end, it is clear Tottenham fans eventually voted with their feet.
His departure will raise questions about the tenability of proven mid-table managers amongst the elite jobs. Frank’s success with Brentford meant he was a coveted asset across Europe, but he unquestionably failed to inspire success in North London.
Thomas Frank’s record after eight months as Spurs head coach:▫️ 38 games▫️ 13 Wins | 10 Draws | 15 losses▫️ 62 scored | 54 conceded▫️ Out of FA Cup, League Cup▫️ 16th in Premier League▫️ In UCL knockouts after finishing 4th in League Phase pic.twitter.com/MxuJYjFIczFebruary 11, 2026
The attention now turns to who his successor will be. The board may be tempted to see out the remainder of the season with a caretaker manager, which Manchester United have proven can be a successful short-term strategy, but with relegation a very real worst-case scenario, the Spurs board may not want to take that risk.
Instead, recently dismissed Marseille manager Roberto de Zerbi has proven Premier League experience with Brighton, while Xavi Hernandez has been patiently awaiting a call since departing Barcelona in 2024.
Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane scored 122 goals for the club across two spells, but may be unwilling to abandon the Hungarian side who sit top of the Hungarian NB I on goal difference. Perhaps the Spurs board pulled the trigger at this juncture because of De Zerbi’s sudden overnight availability.
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