Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has again risked infuriating fans by insisting the club have not earned the right to serious expectations.
Yet another home defeat, this time against Fulham on Saturday night, turned ugly when the crowd booed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for a massive mistake leading to the second goal.
Frank took on those supporters, calling the booing ‘unacceptable’, branding them ‘not true fans’ and he has risked his already strained relationship with them becoming even more tense.
And he has now compared Tottenham to his first managerial role in Denmark: ‘This is on another scale, of course, but more like my first job in Brondby if you compare some of it.
‘Brentford was in a different way, no doubt about that. You can say there is always a challenge when there are big expectations. No problem with big expectation if you have also earned the right to really compete for those big expectations, which I think it’s fair to say we haven’t done.
‘I said it near the start that we have not been able to compete in a cup tournament, Europe and the Premier League in the last six years.
Thomas Frank says the big expectations at Tottenham have not been earned
Spurs lost to Fulham on Saturday in another home defeat that ramped up the pressure
‘Now we are coming from a season where we finished 17th and did fantastically to win the Europa League.
‘Now we want to compete in both places, which is natural and will take a bit of time without the normal front players, the four front players who scored the only goals. No problem. We will get there. I am not in doubt, not in doubt.’
Tottenham are comfortably mid-table in the Champions League currently and reside in 12th in the Premier League.
Having lifted the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou and boasting the sixth highest wage bill in the English top flight, Franks comment about Tottenham’s expectations enraged plenty of fans.
One wrote: ‘He’s clearly out of his element. We won a European trophy last May. We’ll be fighting a relegation battle by the end of May with Frank if he’s still here.’
Another added: ‘Just a suggestion for Thomas Frank, Maybe stop telling us what we can’t do & start telling us what we can do! Sick of his inferiority complex & mentality on/off pitch.
‘The DNA of squad we have isn’t Cowardball. Frank’s fear has consumed the players/fans & it only MD12!’
And another raged: ‘One point in 4 league games including 2 performances beyond embarrassing in derbies. Needed a keeper howler to get the only CL win to date from a team in a proper league. Out of the league cup in the first real game. Competing in one would be a start.’
Patience is wearing thin among some Spurs fans frustrated with the manager
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Frank’s Tottenham have not won a Premier League game since the October 26 victory over Everton.
The north London derby hammering by Arsenal was a bleak watch for supporters and that was backed up by a creditable 5-3 away defeat by PSG.
Losing 2-1 to Fulham, who have struggled this season was a fresh low and it appears patience among some is already wearing thin.
But Frank is confident the Spurs hierarchy will keep their faith in him.
He stressed the need for harmony despite a poor run of only three wins in 13 games and is certain the Lewis family, who have taken responsibility for running the club since Daniel Levy was ousted as chairman in September, will be patient as he searches for improvements.
‘I’m very confident,’ said Frank ahead of Tuesday night’s game at Newcastle. ‘I think the ownership – of course I’m just starting to know them – but it seems like they’re good guys, intelligent people. They know how to run businesses and are learning more about football, now they’ve become owners.
‘When we’re dealing with intelligent people they can see every successful dynasty, every successful club has taken time.
‘Yes, you can have one where you maybe win one year or the second year, but you can’t sustain it if you don’t build something sustainable. Impossible.’
Frank said the jeering of Vicario against Fulham was ‘unacceptable’ and claimed those responsible could not be ‘true Tottenham supporters’.
‘What I meant by that, just to make it clear was the mocking of one of their own players,’ said Frank. ‘He makes a mistake and there is a little bit of booing after that, as I remember it. The next ball, he clears and there is like a cheering. You can’t do that.
‘The opponent can do that. You can’t do that as a fan. That’s where I would stand by what I said. The booing during the game I don’t think is helpful.
‘During matches that’s where we need each other. Afterwards, it’s fair with the booing but during, that is when I want to create a fortress.’
