Frank sacked by Spurs after eight months in charge

Thomas Frank has been dismissed by Tottenham after just under eight months at the helm, following a disappointing 2-1 home loss to Newcastle on Tuesday.

Spurs are 16th in the Premier League and just five points above the relegation zone after a dreadful run of form. The north London side are winless in their past eight Premier League games – their longest run without a victory since October 2008.

They have won just two of their past 17 league matches and picked up only 12 points in that time.

Tottenham said they were committed to giving Frank the time and support to build for the future, but recent results have led them to decide that a change is needed now.

Frank became head coach in June after Ange Postecoglou was dismissed, signing a contract through 2028. While he delivered strong performances in European competition, he couldn’t make a significant impact on the club’s league form.

Against a mixed Premier League record of seven wins, eight draws and 11 defeats this season, the Dane led Spurs to automatic qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League by finishing fourth in the group stage.

They’re already out of both domestic cup competitions, losing to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup fourth round in October and to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round last month.

Tottenham praised Thomas for his time at the club, noting his unwavering commitment and wholehearted efforts to push the team forward.

“We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.”

The Spurs faced loud boos from their fans after recent home defeats to Newcastle and fellow strugglers West Ham in the past few weeks.

Frank faced taunts from his own fans, who chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” during the defeat to West Ham and again after the 2-2 draw at Burnley.

Booed off at half-time while trailing 2-0 to Manchester City, Frank’s team bounced back to secure a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Captain Cristian Romero didn’t hold back after the result, slamming Tottenham’s board and calling it “disgraceful” that the team had just 11 fit senior players available for the match against City.

The Argentine was shown a straight red card—his second of the season—during the match against Manchester United on February 7, who went on to win 2-0.

Spurs won five, drew two and lost just one of their eight Champions League group stage matches – that defeat coming away to holders Paris St-Germain.

However, their Premier League form has been mostly disappointing since November, featuring a heavy 4-1 loss to north London rivals Arsenal and a dismal 3-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

Last month, Frank said he felt the board trusted him, but BBC Sport reports he was already facing significant internal scrutiny, with at least one club executive suggesting it might be time to end his tenure.

Under Frank, Tottenham managed only 10 points at home in the league, but performed better away, picking up 19 points from 13 matches on the road.

Before taking over at Tottenham, Frank spent seven years managing Brentford, leading the Bees from the Championship to the Premier League in 2021.

The 52-year-old’s tenure at Spurs started with a Uefa Super Cup defeat on penalties to PSG, with Spurs having booked their place in the match courtesy of winning the Europa League under Australian Postecoglou last season.

Tottenham kicked off the season strong, defeating Burnley, Manchester City, and West Ham in their first four league matches, and also taking down Villarreal in the Champions League. However, they couldn’t keep the momentum going, and Frank’s style of play never managed to win over the fans.

He was however hampered by extensive injury issues this season.

They have several players absent through long-term injuries, including Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Spurs will also be without their suspended captain, Romero, for the next three Premier League games, including the north London derby against Arsenal on February 22.