Thomas Frank - Head Coach

[thfcsteff]

I’ve supported him all the way so far, not because I think he’s definitely right for us, but because I think our issues are deeper than the manager. He’s not totally to blame for this, but I can accept that this group of players, even though I don’t think the quality is as high as some state, should still be higher than we are, and dropping points to the teams we are.

I think it’s untenable from here, enough of the fan base have turned and I’ll be honest, I can’t really see the shoots of where we are headed. The club is in a dire state, and as I say, it’s not all on the manager whatsoever, our mentality is severely lacking, and the technical skills of the players is, higher than we’ve shown, but lesser than some think.

I think we start the carnival again, and I’ve no idea where we realistically turn to turn this around without wholesale change to various aspects of the club. I think we’re a long, long way off though, and if he was to be sacked, I can’t have too many complaints right now, because despite all I’ve said in mitigation, I’m not seeing the green shoots of even a minor revival. We needs someone to get us the points we need to get clear of the bottom three by a genuinely safe distance because I can see us losing every game in February.

I still think he’s a good manager, I just don’t think he’s going to make it as a good manager for our club.

This is the vital point IMO. Well stated.

 

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

I really think this recent run has shown Frank’s personality and style to be something where there’s a question as to whether it suits the club. The talk of us being 17th, turning around an oil tanker, he is reminding me of Moyes at United where the job just seems too big for him.

And for sure it’s results colouring my opinion there. And I also think to be fair to Frank he puts a lot of stock in balance. Never too high or too low. Stick with the plan…we will lose games. And if results and performances were better he’d be getting praise for always being calm and wise in the crazy storm of the Premier League.

So much of what we’re seeing though is so bad that it goes beyond tactics and coaching. I think he clearly has a perception of football that interprets data in a really specific way. And so I think we’re seeing some really basic stuff in possession. But even accepting that, it shouldn’t be this bad. I think confidence is completely on the floor and something weird is going on with the squad. And I genuinely think part of it is that for all the squad may like Frank, it must be weird having gone from someone who for whatever faults you want to give him was an inspirational speaker, and someone who would talk the club up to the level he felt it deserved, and then to Frank’s style. The players need to believe in something, and they just look like shells of themselves right now.

 

[totalspurs]

The position we are currently in, no cup competition, just above the relegation zone and it's halfway through the season.... it's nothing to do with the quality of the squad, this is all to do with the strategy and management.

All this talk about this one's not a top six player and that one's not a top six player is all irrelevant and balderdash. I don't really care about top 6 right now, I just want a manager who has the capability to make us look competitive and who clearly has a system which has foundations of an attacking set-up.

Player quality can be improved over time, but not before we have a strategy. And at the moment we have no clear strategy or direction from the manager...or if we do it's not one which aligns with the organisation's culture.

What I liked about Ang was that he had a clear strategy about what he wanted and his culture was always to think big ... Bigger than what we can realistically achieve with players he had availabile. And try to win right now, with what we have, even if what we have isn't good enough to win, but at least try to be brave. Act like you are a big club. That's all he kept driving at all the time.

Frank is the anti-Ang, a pragmatist, try not to lose, and just work with what we have, and over time we may get better, take stock, and see if we can improve little bits, with conditioning. A slow road to somewhere, or no where. All he keeps driving on about is "small details".

Frank is a good Manager, Ang was a good Leader...a club the size of Spurs always needs a Leader, preferably a great Leader with great management skills too (Poch had that).

 

[SpurMeUp]

Funny how those who dislike Frank most correlate with those who didn’t want Ange sacked. It is so black and white.

We’ll never know if Frank might have done better with a unified fanbase actually supporting him and the side. Injuries are undoubtedly the biggest thorn in the side. But maybe the negativity from those who didn’t want Ange sacked had an impact? If placebos and double blinds are proven to have an effect, maybe the negativity from these supporters has also had an effect? Who knows.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Imagine going to work and a quarter of the customers dont want to buy from you, instead they want to buy from your predecessor

It probably would have some effect on your performance. Even if it didn’t effect you directly, coworkers would pick up on it and the negativity would spiral.

 

[tommysvr]

Funny how those who dislike Frank most correlate with those who didn’t want Ange sacked. It is so black and white.

I don't think it's a stretch to say that the majority of Spurs fans want Frank out. I also don't think it's a stretch to say that the minority wanted Ange to stay.

 

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

Funny how those who dislike Frank most correlate with those who didn’t want Ange sacked. It is so black and white.

We’ll never know if Frank might have done better with a unified fanbase actually supporting him and the side. Injuries are undoubtedly the biggest thorn in the side. But maybe the negativity from those who didn’t want Ange sacked had an impact? If placebos and double blinds are proven to have an effect, maybe the negativity from these supporters has also had an effect? Who knows.

It has to be a bit you’re doing at this point right? If Frank continued getting results even to the level he was doing up to the start of November, he’d probably be fine right now. The fans have justifiably grown frustrated at the really bad results and performances, it’s no more complicated than that. Frank like any other manager knows the game.

 

[Mrs Vert]

As much as I want him gone, I do find it laughable how some say Ange had us scoring more. I think its obvious if you swap out 60 G/A from grown ups and replace with kids who are being out scored by our CBs and a loan who seems so uninterested. I dont know any passage of play can help. (I mean it would but still)
We now have stopped doing what worked in the first 6 matches......we are probably fooked
We are now in spiral of low confidence and a fanbase who angry and have tapped out.

Seriously the next step the board make needs to be great one

 

[harr1984]

As much as I want him gone, I do find it laughable how some say Ange had us scoring more. I think its obvious if you swap out 60 G/A from grown ups and replace with kids who are being out scored by our CBs and a loan who seems so uninterested. I dont know any passage of play can help. (I mean it would but still)
We now have stopped doing what worked in the first 6 matches......we are probably fooked
We are now in spiral of low confidence and a fanbase who angry and have tapped out.

Seriously the next step the board make needs to be great one

Well considering we was told last season Ange had to adapt to all the injuries and come up with a plan, you can't then come up excuses for Frank and say 'Yeah but if he had x,y and z' it would be better. You're dealt with the hand you're dealt with, Ange was missing plenty of players throughout the season.

What I do know is for all the teams faults under Ange, I would much rather watch his side over what has been served up this season. And if he had the opportunity to work with Kudus, Simons and Muani it would have been a far more enjoyable experience than this utter mess. Yesterday morning I said Frank still should be given at least the season if not longer barring an absolute disaster. Well yesterday was an absolute disaster.....

 

[DeanoAustin]

To be fair to Frank, we lost home games to Ipswich Town plus Leicester City last season and our form at White Hart Three Point Lane has been consistently abysmal in the 15 months since that Ipswich humiliation.

Played: 25 Won: 4 Drawn: 6 Lost: 15 For: 33 Against: 45

Ipswich 1-2
Fulham 1-1
Chavski 3-4
Liverpool 3-6
Wolves 2-2
Saudi Sportswashing Machine 1-2
Leicester 1-2
ManUre 1-0
Emirates Marketing Project 0-1
Bournemouth 2-2
Southampton 3-1
Forest 1-2
Palace 0-2
Brighton 1-4
Burnley 3-0
Bournemouth 0-1
Wolves 1-1
Villa 1-2
Chavski 0-1
Manure 2-2
Fulham 1-2
Brentford 2-0
Liverpool 1-2
Sunderland 1-1
Wet Spam 1-2

It’s pretty hard to find the words to describe what a blight this is on our club. fudging disgusting record.

 

[DeanoAustin]

This is the vital point IMO. Well stated.

I believe Frank is an excellent coach to a level. We should be above that level and our expectations certainly are.

I also think the environment does not suit his style of man management. I’ve seen limited clips of him in the dressing room and he was very good at getting people, who were already pulling in the same direction, feeling good about things.

We’re too fractured a club for that to work right now. That’s why the intention behind getting the players to applaud the crowd was laudable but he didn’t read that some of the players aren’t and weren’t feeling that. He needs to get the players’ respect before getting them to follow his lead on that stuff and, to me, I don’t see that the players have bought into him at all.

Maybe I’m wrong, the above is very much supposition based on the limited evidence we see, but that’s my read of things.

 

[thfcsteff]

Funny how those who dislike Frank most correlate with those who didn’t want Ange sacked. It is so black and white.

We’ll never know if Frank might have done better with a unified fanbase actually supporting him and the side. Injuries are undoubtedly the biggest thorn in the side. But maybe the negativity from those who didn’t want Ange sacked had an impact? If placebos and double blinds are proven to have an effect, maybe the negativity from these supporters has also had an effect? Who knows.

Why bother asking a hypothetical question based on your own personal assumptions?
I mean, if we all answer you, will it make our club's season better?