Who is the director? Frank or Cochrane?
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Manager Thomas Frank
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Who is the director? Frank or Cochrane?
Okay...director and assistant director. Both shite anyway.
Matt Law article in Telegraph
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood this week described the London derby between his old club and West Ham United as “El Sackico” in reference to the pressure on both head coaches.
But while some on the outside, such as Sherwood, believe that Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank must be on the brink of the sack, the Lewis family and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham have remained supportive of the Dane.
A defeat to relegation-threatened West Ham on Saturday afternoon is unthinkable to supporters, particularly those who have booed Frank and his team. But while it would undoubtedly place him under pressure, the Spurs head coach has been given no reason to think that only a win will see him keep his job.
Here, Telegraph Sport examines why Frank has not been sacked by Tottenham already, the reasons why the West Ham game may not be make or break for him and the caveat that could yet place him in danger.
Just as Tottenham are going through a period of huge change, there was massive upheaval at Woolwich during the post-Arsene Wenger era and after the dismissal of Unai Emery. But Venkatesham and the Gunners held their nerve over Arteta and the decision proved to be correct. Sources close to Venkatesham believe that experience has been helpful to him in terms of the job he faces at Tottenham, where there has been a mass overhaul of staff over the past six months and since the departure of former chairman Daniel Levy.
Just this week, Spurs confirmed the exit of co-sporting director Fabio Paratici at the end of this month’s transfer window and announced the appointment of Carlos Raphael Moerson as director of football operations.
It may be the Lewis family who are in ultimate control at Tottenham, but it is Venkatesham who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the club and, for now at least, he has been trusted to shape the football operation which has included supporting Frank.
Winning the Europa League meant Spurs are in this season’s Champions League, but they are not currently a Champions League-ready club or squad. There has also been a sense that the club’s £1billion stadium and state-of-the-art training facilities should somehow guarantee Tottenham a level of success.
In fact, Tottenham’s home form has been terrible for more than a year now and there are those at the club who believe the stadium and training facilities are all a bit “too shiny” and contribute to players perhaps feeling a little too comfortable in their surroundings.
The Lodge, where Spurs players can stay after games and where Frank and Co can hold meetings, is like a high-end luxury spa retreat while the surroundings have been compared to an idyllic Japanese garden that would provide a perfect couples getaway. Whether that translates to keeping players focussed, hungry and motivated is questionable.
Fortunately for Frank, those above him also know the reality which is that he inherited a squad that is a long way from being Champions League-ready and that the club has a number of internal issues to solve – particularly culturally.
Frank arrived at Tottenham with a “no d---heads” policy he cultivated at Brentford, but that is taking longer to implement at Spurs than he may have anticipated.
When Levy quickly had enough of Nuno Espirito Santo, who is in charge of Saturday’s opponents West Ham, Antonio Conte was kicking his heels and ready to accept a challenge he later regretted ever considering. Anybody who believes Xabi Alonso may be attainable for Tottenham right now needs a reality check.
Tottenham got stuck in a vicious circle of sacking managers and head coaches at the drop of a hat under Levy and turning back to the likes of Mason and Sherwood as a sticking plaster to place over much bigger issues.
Sherwood was the man who warmed the hotseat for Pochettino and many Tottenham fans would like the Argentine back after the World Cup. Some of those who have knowledge of the inner workings of Spurs, however, do not believe that would be a wise move for either party.
The younger generation of the Lewis family have made it clear they want to do things differently than Levy and this is the chance for them to mark out exactly what type of owners they want to be. Time will tell whether or not they get it right, but trying to break a familiar cycle seems preferable to making the same mistakes over and over again.
Now it is the Lewis family, Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange and Frank in charge, and January has been seen internally as the chance to start afresh in terms of rebuilding the squad.
It is significant that, despite the team’s poor run and his own struggles, Frank was trusted to convince Conor Gallagher to join the club this week and the speed at which that deal was completed showed that all parties have been working closely together.
Frank would also like an attacking player who can play off the left if possible this month or in the summer, while the club had been looking at ball-playing midfielders before completing the signing of Gallagher.
There has also been a backroom staff arrival this month, with John Heitinga replacing Matt Wells in Frank’s set-up. The pair were pictured together in the club’s official announcement, which was another nod to Tottenham planning with Frank, rather than without him.
Conspiracy theorists have pointed to the fact Heitinga was head coach at Ajax as supposed evidence he could act as an interim manager at Spurs if Frank is sacked. But the appointment was actually driven by Frank, who interviewed Heitinga for the post himself before Christmas.
Despite the support and backing he has been receiving, it’s hard to imagine Tottenham being able to maintain their stance on Frank if his team were to lose their next two Premier League games to West Ham and Burnley.
It is not viewed as being the case that Frank has two games to save his job or is two games from the sack, but losing back-to-back matches to teams in the relegation zone would make life very uncomfortable indeed and potentially create an untenable situation.
Spurs have a very difficult four-game run in which they face Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and north London rivals Woolwich, directly after the West Ham and Burnley matches, which means Frank could do with some points on the board.
Nothing ground breaking here
- Vinai wants to stick with him because it worked with Arteta. Completley flawed, IMO, but we've all seen it
- Club are still actively supporting Frank
- The stuff about being too comfortable because luxury is nonsense, but being to comfortable is definitely a thing (I think its cultural from the top)
- I am worried about our squad building, ESPECIALLY if its with Frank in mind
- Of course things can become untenable. Part of me thinks the club is waiting for that, so they can react to it - rather than make an actual decision.
Why Thomas Frank has not been sacked by Tottenham
Danish head coach does not have two games to save his job but defeats could potentially create an untenable situationFormer Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood this week described the London derby between his old club and West Ham United as “El Sackico” in reference to the pressure on both head coaches.
But while some on the outside, such as Sherwood, believe that Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank must be on the brink of the sack, the Lewis family and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham have remained supportive of the Dane.
A defeat to relegation-threatened West Ham on Saturday afternoon is unthinkable to supporters, particularly those who have booed Frank and his team. But while it would undoubtedly place him under pressure, the Spurs head coach has been given no reason to think that only a win will see him keep his job.
Here, Telegraph Sport examines why Frank has not been sacked by Tottenham already, the reasons why the West Ham game may not be make or break for him and the caveat that could yet place him in danger.
Vinai’s Woolwich roots
Venkatesham’s Woolwich past may be something Tottenham prefer to sweep under the carpet, but it has certainly come in handy for Frank. Venkatesham spent almost 15 years at Spurs’ North London rivals in a variety of jobs. He was managing director at Woolwich when the club appointed Mikel Arteta as manager and had moved to chief executive by the time the Spaniard was under pressure from a section of the club’s own fans.Just as Tottenham are going through a period of huge change, there was massive upheaval at Woolwich during the post-Arsene Wenger era and after the dismissal of Unai Emery. But Venkatesham and the Gunners held their nerve over Arteta and the decision proved to be correct. Sources close to Venkatesham believe that experience has been helpful to him in terms of the job he faces at Tottenham, where there has been a mass overhaul of staff over the past six months and since the departure of former chairman Daniel Levy.
Just this week, Spurs confirmed the exit of co-sporting director Fabio Paratici at the end of this month’s transfer window and announced the appointment of Carlos Raphael Moerson as director of football operations.
It may be the Lewis family who are in ultimate control at Tottenham, but it is Venkatesham who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the club and, for now at least, he has been trusted to shape the football operation which has included supporting Frank.
Perception versus reality
Former head coach Mauricio Pochettino would often highlight the differences between perception, expectation and reality during his time at Tottenham and it is relevant again for Frank.Winning the Europa League meant Spurs are in this season’s Champions League, but they are not currently a Champions League-ready club or squad. There has also been a sense that the club’s £1billion stadium and state-of-the-art training facilities should somehow guarantee Tottenham a level of success.
In fact, Tottenham’s home form has been terrible for more than a year now and there are those at the club who believe the stadium and training facilities are all a bit “too shiny” and contribute to players perhaps feeling a little too comfortable in their surroundings.
The Lodge, where Spurs players can stay after games and where Frank and Co can hold meetings, is like a high-end luxury spa retreat while the surroundings have been compared to an idyllic Japanese garden that would provide a perfect couples getaway. Whether that translates to keeping players focussed, hungry and motivated is questionable.
Fortunately for Frank, those above him also know the reality which is that he inherited a squad that is a long way from being Champions League-ready and that the club has a number of internal issues to solve – particularly culturally.
Frank arrived at Tottenham with a “no d---heads” policy he cultivated at Brentford, but that is taking longer to implement at Spurs than he may have anticipated.
Breaking the vicious circle
Let’s say Tottenham did sack Frank after the derby against West Ham. What then? Supporters may joke that Ryan Mason, who was put in interim charge on two occasions by Levy, is free after being sacked by West Bromwich Albion. But bringing Mason back in for a third spell in temporary charge would be embarrassing and pointless.When Levy quickly had enough of Nuno Espirito Santo, who is in charge of Saturday’s opponents West Ham, Antonio Conte was kicking his heels and ready to accept a challenge he later regretted ever considering. Anybody who believes Xabi Alonso may be attainable for Tottenham right now needs a reality check.
Tottenham got stuck in a vicious circle of sacking managers and head coaches at the drop of a hat under Levy and turning back to the likes of Mason and Sherwood as a sticking plaster to place over much bigger issues.
Sherwood was the man who warmed the hotseat for Pochettino and many Tottenham fans would like the Argentine back after the World Cup. Some of those who have knowledge of the inner workings of Spurs, however, do not believe that would be a wise move for either party.
The younger generation of the Lewis family have made it clear they want to do things differently than Levy and this is the chance for them to mark out exactly what type of owners they want to be. Time will tell whether or not they get it right, but trying to break a familiar cycle seems preferable to making the same mistakes over and over again.
Window dressing
Despite Frank arriving in time for last summer’s transfer window, the Lewis family are treating January as their first with him. Levy may have left the club as soon as the last window shut, but he was still heavily involved in the summer transfers, doing much of the negotiating and driving deals.Now it is the Lewis family, Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange and Frank in charge, and January has been seen internally as the chance to start afresh in terms of rebuilding the squad.
It is significant that, despite the team’s poor run and his own struggles, Frank was trusted to convince Conor Gallagher to join the club this week and the speed at which that deal was completed showed that all parties have been working closely together.
Frank would also like an attacking player who can play off the left if possible this month or in the summer, while the club had been looking at ball-playing midfielders before completing the signing of Gallagher.
There has also been a backroom staff arrival this month, with John Heitinga replacing Matt Wells in Frank’s set-up. The pair were pictured together in the club’s official announcement, which was another nod to Tottenham planning with Frank, rather than without him.
Conspiracy theorists have pointed to the fact Heitinga was head coach at Ajax as supposed evidence he could act as an interim manager at Spurs if Frank is sacked. But the appointment was actually driven by Frank, who interviewed Heitinga for the post himself before Christmas.
The caveat
Of course, there is always a caveat in football and Frank will be well aware that these are an important few weeks coming up for him – whether or not his job is on the line.Despite the support and backing he has been receiving, it’s hard to imagine Tottenham being able to maintain their stance on Frank if his team were to lose their next two Premier League games to West Ham and Burnley.
It is not viewed as being the case that Frank has two games to save his job or is two games from the sack, but losing back-to-back matches to teams in the relegation zone would make life very uncomfortable indeed and potentially create an untenable situation.
Spurs have a very difficult four-game run in which they face Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and north London rivals Woolwich, directly after the West Ham and Burnley matches, which means Frank could do with some points on the board.
Nothing ground breaking here
- Vinai wants to stick with him because it worked with Arteta. Completley flawed, IMO, but we've all seen it
- Club are still actively supporting Frank
- The stuff about being too comfortable because luxury is nonsense, but being to comfortable is definitely a thing (I think its cultural from the top)
- I am worried about our squad building, ESPECIALLY if its with Frank in mind
- Of course things can become untenable. Part of me thinks the club is waiting for that, so they can react to it - rather than make an actual decision.
I said that Vinai will stick with him because of the Arteta thing but I also believe that Frank needs to show something in the 2nd part of the season for the club to keep him on, it's much easier to replace him in the Summer then it is now even if he loses against West Ham and Burnley.
The Arteta thing is bollocks though.
At the point Arteta was struggling he had already shown there was good work happening, had already got results and so there was something to actually back.
Frank has not done this.
It was also easy to back Arteta because the stadium was empty - it will be infinitely harder to do so here. There is already noise, and a disappointing result/performance Saturday will see that escalate several levels.
Im coming round to the idea the club are doing all they can to hang out till the summer, I dont like it - but its certainly looking that way. That doesnt mean theyve any faith in Frank whatsoever though, and to be honest they shouldnt have.
Levy would have sacked him by now, and rightly so
He's still here then?
Twice he says the squad isn’t champions league ready but right now we’re 1 win behind Liverpool and sit above Newcastle and Chelsea in the Champions League table. If we beat Dortmund and Frankfurt we most likely qualify directly to the next round.
That kind of suggests the squad IS Champions League ready.
The truth is that the squad isn’t ready to win the Champions League and is underperforming in the league and domestic cups.
Exactly. If Vinai can't see the difference between Arteta and Frank he needs removing himself.
By this point in Arteta's Woolwich tenure, his team started winning games fairly consistent. In fact by Xmas. We are now in mid January and we've got worse, not better.
There are no similarities. Just giving a manager time because "err Arteta" is moronic.
By this point in Arteta’s tenure he’d won the FA Cup.
But Woolich were prepared to spend big which we are not not ever have been the type of club to do so.
I don't think Vinai is going to admit a mistake after giving it the biggun about Frank in the Summer, he needs this to work for the sake of his own PR
i mean - i dont think most people who are actually involved in football look at things through the incredibly binary and somewhat ridiculous lens you do man,
by the 19th game of their 1st full season under Arteta they were only 1 point better off, in a substantially EASIER league with a bigger gulf in quality between the top teams and the rest of the league.
Even though, yes they went through a decent period in January they still then picked up just 15 points from their next 10 games and didnt look much like a cohesive team at all.
Ultimately, it is an opinion piece - I don't disagree we are yet to see the team look like they are going to click yet - but i do think that more than half a season to judge is warranted in a league during a season where 90% of the teams don't look like they are clicking.
He claims inside info, presents as telling us "whats really going on", Id hope to learn something new in all that waffle
100% - been saying it all season. The squad is better than the football it plays right now.
The Gaslighter has everyone believing their lies though
It is moronic, and to give them credit - lets assume they know that.
What else can be happening?
Ive been listening to a lot of podcasts etc on us recently, and one thing thats becoming clear is Levy leaving is a big issue.
While most celebrated him going - what is clear is he leaves a huge vacuum behind him. He ran the club as his own, and as we know was too involved in everything that happened.
He's gone now, and the club are now just finding everything they need in his absence.
I think its quite possible Vinai is being relied upon to just keep the show on the road, while they take the necessary time to organise the hierachy/structure to actually operate properly as a club.
Im beginning to think by the summer we'll have our board/directorship/structure sorted, and THEN we'll start our post Levy brave new world. Frank will go, new guy will come in, and we'll hopefully be settled/coherent/successful.
Makes sense to persist with Frank all the while we arent getting relegated. We dont have the tools to adequately replace him yet, we dont have the structure for a new manager to step into, any new manager we get now might not suit that new structure...
I hate the dissarray, I hate that Levys sacking seems spontaneous and the "plan" is only now being worked out, but I think there is something to this.
So unless Frank shits the bed entirely, I think he is here for the next 128 days. And if he really does shit the bed then Heitinga gets the shop window temp management role.
I believe in the summer that was just PR. A little puff piece with Levy.
I think its VERY easy to spin Frank as Levys legacy - and anything from here on is Vinai being the main man
I think the vast majority of managers have the boards complete backing... until the moment they don't.
Whenever we read stories about managers being told that they have x amount of games, to save their job. Or they need a result in so and so game or they're gone.. That always smacks of soap opera bullshit from football writers desperate to get clicks/sell papers.
I think all clubs want to back their manager. But the reality of a defeat is always worse than the thought of it. If we get beat by that shower of shit tomorrow in front of a crowd that's already vacillating between dejected and angry.. The board will need a strong stomach to keep things "business as usual".
Whenever we read stories about managers being told that they have x amount of games, to save their job. Or they need a result in so and so game or they're gone.. That always smacks of soap opera bullshit from football writers desperate to get clicks/sell papers.
I think all clubs want to back their manager. But the reality of a defeat is always worse than the thought of it. If we get beat by that shower of shit tomorrow in front of a crowd that's already vacillating between dejected and angry.. The board will need a strong stomach to keep things "business as usual".
They looked like they had an identity though.
that article pretty much word for word what some of us have been saying.
They can pretend its like Arteta all they want but as mentioned by this time (6 months) they had won the FA cup beating City and Chelsea. When he was really struggling it was Covid with no fans in the ground so he avoided stick and they probably couldnt afford to sack him at that time.
With us things like fan disconnect and dwindling ticket sales are not going to go unnoticed. If we dont pick up much, by which i mean mid table or lower then he wont survive with the choice of managers this summer. The interesting decision is if we do pick up, start playing a bit better and finish say 7th. That might be a tougher decision in sticking or twisting.
With us things like fan disconnect and dwindling ticket sales are not going to go unnoticed. If we dont pick up much, by which i mean mid table or lower then he wont survive with the choice of managers this summer. The interesting decision is if we do pick up, start playing a bit better and finish say 7th. That might be a tougher decision in sticking or twisting.