He voiced exactly what I was going to say and something I've noticed since the preseason.
Aside from his tactical astuteness a manager needs to realise how to cajole and get players onside.
He very quickly realised that Ange built a togetherness and strong team spirit. He should be credited for that despite his tactical failures. Frank comes in and instantly recognises that as a strength of the team. There is a unity there and he has only fostered it further.
It shows on the pitch too.
I was at the ground in Udine, before the game Matt Wells part of the previous management team gave a very passionate speech to the starting 11 players in the pre match warmup. The players clearly responded.
Then something we've done since Ange, before each game especially away we have the players huddle right in front of our fans. Romero and Son brought them right over to the other end of the pitch in the EL final. A small psychological win.
Something I've noticed in the EL final and now this season. Half time whistle blows, normally everyone runs down the tunnel. Not us, our players gather on the pitch, have a word with each other then go down the tunnel together for the half time break. They re-emerge together for the 2nd half.
Another huddle before the second half starts.
All this brings a sense of togetherness, unity and fight for each. Today a player misses a tackle or header, there's somebody on the cover to help. You can get past 1 player but then defenders 2 and 3 come up to support. The steel and determination of this group is not something we associate with our club that much. We've arguably lost the flair of a spurs side but become a much more stubborn, organised and down right bastard of a team to play against.
It's very much a next man up mentality. This is the kind of side you'd associate with a top old school Italian catenacchio team. Getting joy from defending together, leave no one behind.
I'm loving the attitude shown by the team.
It then matches what Ange and now Frank have said, if a player doesn't want to play for us then fuck em. We have a group of players that will run through brick walls and die for each other.
We'll do it our way and the rest of the teams and media can go fuck themselves.
COYS!
