Thomas Frank may not even make it one full season as Tottenham Hotspur manager. Six months in and this just isn’t working out, at all. Losing a London derby at home is never good. However, losing a London derby 2-1 at home to a side that’s likely getting relegated (West Ham United), as they did yesterday, is nothing short of disastrous.
After Callum Wilson slotted home the game winner, Spurs fans chanted “sacked in the morning” at Frank.
UEFA Champions League Matchday 7
Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund
Kickoff: Tue Jan 20, 8pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Tottenham Team News: go here
UCL Standings, Tottenham 11th, 11 pts Borussia Dortmund 10th, 11 pts
Google Result Probability: Tottenham Win 37% Draw 27% Borussia Dortmund Win 36%
For what it’s worth, the Tottenham board has publicly supported Frank, and we mean that literally. Not in a “dreaded vote of confidence” kind of way. However, a home loss to the lowly Irons may have changed that. Frank has now seen his seat warm significantly.
Tuesday night brings a massive UCL clash against Borussia Dortmund, and their chances of winning it do not look good. Team captain Cristian Romero did not hold back when assessing the situation.
“At this moment this is a disaster for us,” he said after losing to the Hammers on Saturday.
“We played sometimes good, sometimes bad. We must work hard and go again. It’s a difficult moment for us. We are not the best on the pitch.”
Thomas Frank meanwhile stayed positive, as he has to do. He used some of the tried and true embattled head coach cliches, but at the same time also emploed a clever analogy.
“It’s a supertanker we’re turning in the right direction and there are a lot of good signs behind the scenes and also in some of the performances,” Thomas Frank said.
“But, of course, when you lose last-minute to one of your rivals, it is very emotional and there will be noise. That noise we need to keep out there and get our head down and keep walking, keep doing the right thing.”
That’s true, giant oil tankers due to a long time to get turned around. However, it still looks like a sinking ship right now.
“Of course, I’ve probably had better times,” Frank added.
“But I understand [the chant]. I’m the man in charge. So the blame will go to me. That’s fair, no problem in that sense. If you’re not winning enough, we know you will not get enough support from the fans. But when we’re winning, it will change … when we start winning again. Which we will do. I’m not in doubt of that.”
Frank then mixed metaphors in describing the situation.
“It seems to be the perfect storm at the moment in many ways,” he said.
“We have a last-minute defeat when everyone feels that everyone has given everything, including the fans, to back the team. You get a sucker punch in injury time and it’s unbelievably tough to take.
“You have to keep going. You can’t feel sorry for yourself.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.