Thomas Frank - Head Coach

[Yiddo]

Where is the interview?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Good luck to him! Let’s hope we back him sufficiently in this window and in the future.

 

[braineclipse]

Me too, he sounds good. The problem is I've been reading these 'After reading up more on this guy I'm confident he's the man' comments for almost every managerial appointment I've seen for years. They always seem great, until they aren't.

Cautiously optimistic, I don't doubt we will have a decent enough first season. The problem always seems to arrive in the second season, so lets see. Fingers crossed....

So far I think this is the most unified positive reaction to a managerial hire I can remember in a long time. Or somewhere between moderately to highly positive about him. Very few real negative reactions.

Perhaps says a bit about Frank, but I also think it's partially because we just won the EL as well.

Bit early to say much about expectations for this season for me.

 

[braineclipse]

Transfers/wages both come from the same pot - if we spend more on one the available money for the other reduces (lots of other expendenditure, but more consistent/known?) We've had a lot of player turnover the last few years trying to rebuild, more transfers = higher transfer spend - there could have easily been a decision made to buy young (less in wages) in order to maximise the available transfer spend during this period to turnaround the squad with lots of incoming players. As with anything it'll take a while before we find out whether or not things return to mean - I'd expect our wage bill to rise, but its unlikely to be a steady upward curve as a % due to our revenue jumping up and down as year to year we could be in Europe/CL vs out of Europe which all has an effect on the wage to turnover ratio regardless of whether your total wage spend increases

Fully agree.

A fair bit of the criticism of our wage budget and wages to turnover ratio doesn't accept your premise that the money comes from the same pot. It's a "spend more money" / "spend more of your own money" argument.

 

[tw12yid]

Very un-spurs to have no prepared media stuff with the new appointment ready at announcement.

 

[Silly McSilly Face]

Welcome to Thomas Frank
Please get us to be better than the sum of our parts and to be defensively solid.

I hope he gets properly backed this window, we have some clear holes in the squad that need filling

Do we? Really depends on Frank's POV, but:

Solanke
Richarlison
Veliz
Lankshear

Son Maddison Johnson
Tel Kulusevski Odobert
Solomon Donley Yang
Moore Devine

Bentancur Bissouma
Sarr Bergvall
Gray

Udogie VDV Romero Porro
Davies Dragusin Danso Spence
Phillips Vuskovic

Vicario
Kinsky

a few of those likely to depart but no obvious "holes". I think its got to the stage where we dont need any gaps plugging what we need is to invest in your Bale, Modric, Van der Vaart, Son, Kane level sprinkling of star dust

 

[billyiddo]

Not true. You've literally replied to my posts about this over the years. You're getting old and forgetting.

And this is just me, I'm sure others have also said the same over the years.












And this one was from 2019

Come on mate, surely you know it's been weaponised more recently since the net spend argument has been rendered obsolete. Fair play on highlighting that it has indeed come up in discussion previously but briefly reading through the discussions those quotes lead to it's not the focal point - overall wage budget/transfer spend is what's driving discussion there.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Do we? Really depends on Frank's POV, but:

Solanke
Richarlison
Veliz
Lankshear

Son Maddison Johnson
Tel Kulusevski Odobert
Solomon Donley Yang
Moore Devine

Bentancur Bissouma
Sarr Bergvall
Gray

Udogie VDV Romero Porro
Davies Dragusin Danso Spence
Phillips Vuskovic

Vicario
Kinsky

a few of those likely to depart but no obvious "holes". I think its got to the stage where we dont need any gaps plugging what we need is to invest in your Bale, Modric, Van der Vaart, Son, Kane level sprinkling of star dust

Starting RW and backup LB are our only holes (Odobert is LW and I'm not sure Davies is anything other than a CB these days from your presentation).

It's quite unusual to have such a shipshape squad

 

[glorygloryeze]

Do we? Really depends on Frank's POV, but:

Solanke
Richarlison
Veliz
Lankshear

Son Maddison Johnson
Tel Kulusevski Odobert
Solomon Donley Yang
Moore Devine

Bentancur Bissouma
Sarr Bergvall
Gray

Udogie VDV Romero Porro
Davies Dragusin Danso Spence
Phillips Vuskovic

Vicario
Kinsky

a few of those likely to depart but no obvious "holes". I think its got to the stage where we dont need any gaps plugging what we need is to invest in your Bale, Modric, Van der Vaart, Son, Kane level sprinkling of star dust

Well, do we realy ahve a CF who could walk into oher teams who'd challenge for top 4? Solanke atm, no, but i'd certainly hope Frank can improve him. If he's out, who plays CF? Doesn't look great after that imo
EDIT - TBF, i can see Johnson getting some more chances here under Frank, so that might help.

A centre midfielder that can create chances through the middle and not just from wide; Maddison on his day. But again, how do we compare to our top 4 challengers in this regard? Not great imo

Then a bonafide number 6 to compete with the likes of Caicedo, Rice/Partey etc. Yes, Ange's tactics made such a position poison, but we do need a good number 6.

Then left-back, nothing more to be said (apart from the fact that Spence does an admirable job there but he isn't left-footed and we can't get the best of him there).
Left-footed centre back to rotate with MVDV.

EDIT - I've even forgotten the Wing forward positions, especially on the right. More goals and dribbling ability needed on both sides (only Odobert can constantly take a man on and with pace)

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Now that they can't complain about transfer spend they've moved on to wages as a % of turnover, something that has never once previously been a point of reference in all my years discussing Spurs online.

Does seem that way doesn’t it? The last few years since the stadium opened we're in the top 5 spenders, so the goal posts have moved.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Welcome to Thomas Frank
Please get us to be better than the sum of our parts and to be defensively solid.

I hope he gets properly backed this window, we have some clear holes in the squad that need filling

Interesting, what holes do you see in the squad and what constitutes “properly backed” for you?

 

[Mcfee]

So far I think this is the most unified positive reaction to a managerial hire I can remember in a long time. Or somewhere between moderately to highly positive about him. Very few real negative reactions.

Perhaps says a bit about Frank, but I also think it's partially because we just won the EL as well.

Bit early to say much about expectations for this season for me.

It’s very striking, particularly considering he only got 1 vote in the long-running poll on next manager!

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

It’s very striking, particularly considering he only got 1 vote in the long-running poll on next manager!

Thought he had about 15% last time I looked a few days ago, but can’t find the thread now? Believe only Poch and AN Other had more if memory serves.

 

[Mcfee]

Thought he had about 15% last time I looked a few days ago, but can’t find the thread now? Believe only Poch and AN Other had more if memory serves.

People realised which way the wind was blowing!

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

Now that they can't complain about transfer spend they've moved on to wages as a % of turnover, something that has never once previously been a point of reference in all my years discussing Spurs online.

Wage to revenue ratio wasn't published in the Deloitte Money league reports until about 2021 or 22, go back to before then into older reports and it's not mentioned at all, you are correct it was never a discussion point.

 

[Bishop]

Come on mate, surely you know it's been weaponised more recently since the net spend argument has been rendered obsolete. Fair play on highlighting that it has indeed come up in discussion previously but briefly reading through the discussions those quotes lead to it's not the focal point - overall wage budget/transfer spend is what's driving discussion there.

Maybe some have weaponised it, I just know it's always been a key thing for me. Transfer fees have always just been a portion of the debate.

 

[glorygloryeze]

Interesting, what holes do you see in the squad and what constitutes “properly backed” for you?

At least 3 of the following:

Another CF who we can rely on when Solanke is out (admittedly this might be Johnson given that Frank might play him differently)
A proper top level number 6 (who can teach/allow Grey to grow into the role in time)
A creative CM who can bench/rotate with Maddison
Another option for the RW/RWF role who can take a man on like Odebert
A bonafide rotation option for Udogie who is actually left-sided

 

[Muttley]

Well, do we realy ahve a CF who could walk into oher teams who'd challenge for top 4? Solanke atm, no, but i'd certainly hope Frank can improve him. If he's out, who plays CF? Doesn't look great after that imo
EDIT - TBF, i can see Johnson getting some more chances here under Frank, so that might help.

A centre midfielder that can create chances through the middle and not just from wide; Maddison on his day. But again, how do we compare to our top 4 challengers in this regard? Not great imo

Then a bonafide number 6 to compete with the likes of Caicedo, Rice/Partey etc. Yes, Ange's tactics made such a position poison, but we do need a good number 6.

Then left-back, nothing more to be said (apart from the fact that Spence does an admirable job there but he isn't left-footed and we can't get the best of him there).
Left-footed centre back to rotate with MVDV.

EDIT - I've even forgotten the Wing forward positions, especially on the right. More goals and dribbling ability needed on both sides (only Odobert can constantly take a man on and with pace)

Ain't it nice to have a football conversation again?

It's gonna be so interesting to see Frank's take on this squad that we've been building for a fair few years. There has been heavy investment into it and will be more.

I'll be happy to see the double pivot midfield back again at Spurs. I still crave for that Big Vic / Mousa partnership that we briefly saw. I love the job that Joao Gomes does at Wolves. Him or someone like him would be a great addition.

If Romero goes, we should go all out for Branthwaite over Guehi. He's a Frank player, like Collins, but better in my opinion. Moyes has got him playing at peak levels in the PL in the second half of last season.

LB - I can't dance with you. I'm looking forward to google his name when we find out who joins Udogie in our squad. I don't think it will be any of the names discussed so far.

That leaves the forward line. I don't think Frank will fancy Sonny as a starter any more. We need that elite player in the forward area but may have to wait a year to get it. Frank will get a better tune out of our attackers.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

At least 3 of the following:

Another CF who we can rely on when Solanke is out (admittedly this might be Johnson given that Frank might play him differently)
A proper top level number 6 (who can teach/allow Grey to grow into the role in time)
A creative CM who can bench/rotate with Maddison
Another option for the RW/RWF role who can take a man on like Odebert
A bonafide rotation option for Udogie who is actually left-sided

We’re kind of on the same page here I think except maybe CF where I think Solanke and Richy is “ok”, if we cash in on Richy though then we defo should be in the market.

What’s the backing you had in mind?

 

[Gutter Boy]

At least 3 of the following:

Another CF who we can rely on when Solanke is out (admittedly this might be Johnson given that Frank might play him differently)
A proper top level number 6 (who can teach/allow Grey to grow into the role in time)
A creative CM who can bench/rotate with Maddison
Another option for the RW/RWF role who can take a man on like Odebert
A bonafide rotation option for Udogie who is actually left-sided

I think Bentancur and Kulu have starting dibs on #2 and #3.

And I think Frank might like Richy, especially as there's no obvious reasonably-priced alternative now Delap has gone.

I think we might only see 2, potentially 3 incomings.