Many an eyebrow was raised at Thomas Frank’s decision to move from Brentford, a club where he was idolised, to Tottenham Hotspur, floundering down at 17th place in the Premier League table last time around.
Millions more in the paycheck, plus the allure of Champions League football, were cited as major reasons surrounding the move (despite their dismal showing in the league, Tottenham managed to see off Manchester United in the Europa League final, earning their spot in the most prestigious club event in the world).
Frank has often been a manager who has earned plaudits for his fluid tactics, in-game nous, and willingness to think outside the box.
But Spurs’ results haven’t reflected a definitive turnaround so far, which all begs the question: are his tactics going to work out at the club? Let’s take a look.
Bigger Egos
At Brentford, a club he oversaw rise from the doldrums of the Championship to the cusp of European football, Frank had a squad of hungry players who were prepared to run, battle, and work as hard as possible for 100 of 90 minutes.
At Tottenham, he has bigger egos to deal with, with higher-profile players who perhaps don’t want to put in the time and work rate that Premiership newcomers do.
Perhaps this is making the transition less smooth, as the dressing room is made up of stars not used to being relegated to the bench, or pushed harder than they were under Ange Postecoglou.
Having high-octane, high-pressure tactics, therefore, may not have the effectiveness that they did at the Bees, despite Frank recently breaking his home duck against his former club in the shape of a dominant 2-0 victory.
As ever, fans will be following progress closely.
Interest in the sport is at an all-time high, with football transcending popular culture in the form of video and casino games such as Football Cashpots and Football Roulette.
These games are all available alongside online bingo UK, a game making a resurgence in recent years.
Frank’s future might not be down to the spin of a slot wheel, but it certainly is in the balance, much more so than at Brentford.
The Longer Term
Being a Premier League manager is a prestigious position, but notably at a club like Tottenham, the tightrope seems tighter and more precarious than at some other clubs willing to give managers more time to settle and build their teams at a slower pace.
Daniel Levy, longtime chairman, may have stepped down recently, but he still remains a considerable influence with stakes in the club, and he is notorious for his ruthlessness with managers, with Spurs changing head coaches more often than any other side in the top flight in recent years.
So maybe the question is, will Frank have enough time to make his tactics work, and turn around the poor home form Tottenham have shown this season?
Frank, however, is a pragmatist and has already begun to shore up Spurs’ defence, which is an area the team has been lacking in since the end of the Pochettino era.
At Tottenham, he’s been forced to make the team solid and sturdy, compared with the excitement and all-out attack he fostered at Brentford.
There’s no doubt that Thomas Frank is one of the most exciting and charismatic figures in the Premier League, and that, if given time, could carry Tottenham to glory both in the domestic league and at the European level.
Whether or not he’s given the chance to do that, however, remains to be seen.
