[디 애슬레틱] 토트넘 수뇌부 논의 결과, 프랭크 감독 재신임 결정

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Thomas Frank has been given a renewed vote of confidence by the Tottenham Hotspur leadership following high-level discussions within the club.

Spurs suffered a painful sixth league defeat of the season last Sunday, losing 0-3 away to Nottingham Forest. After the game, Frank drew a line in the sand regarding the Tottenham manager role, stating that “this is not the kind of thing that can be fixed in the short term,” and emphasized, “If no one is given time, no one will be able to turn the situation around.”

While discussions about Frank’s position did occur internally, sources suggest this was part of the usual consultations every club holds regarding personnel and operational direction, rather than a direct reaction to a specific event. A source familiar with the matter stated, “The firm stance of the majority owner, the Lewis family, is to continue backing Frank and give him the time he needs.”

This decision to retain him is the first major test for the new Tottenham hierarchy. The current management has effectively been running the club since Daniel Levy was removed as chairman last September. Vivian Lewis, alongside her brother Charles Lewis and son-in-law Nick Butcher, have been regular attendees at games.

Frank was the last managerial appointment of the Levy era, signing a three-year contract last June after replacing Ange Postecoglou. He was tasked with rebuilding a squad that finished 17th last season, alongside the major goal of winning the Europa League.

In contrast to their early season surge, Spurs’ recent league performance has been volatile. They currently sit 11th with 22 points from 16 matches, and their position could slip further depending on the outcome of Bournemouth’s game against Manchester United on Monday. In the Champions League, however, they are on the verge of cracking the top eight, securing 11 points in six matches.

However, some fans are vocalizing frustration with the subpar performances. Spurs have struggled offensively this season, recording an expected goals (xG) figure below 0.2 in three league matches. Tensions are also noticeable between the squad and the fans. During the loss to Fulham last month, Guglielmo Vicario was booed by the home crowd.

Nevertheless, the club internally acknowledges that Frank is working to rebuild the overall team culture and accepts that he needs time to reverse the situation. Frank had a slow start during his tenure at Brentford but later saw great success.

In a post-match interview after the dismal performance on Sunday, Frank admitted he was trying to maintain his composure. He revealed, “There is a storm raging inside me, but I am doing my best to control my emotions,” adding, “It is very disappointing that we could not perform better following three good performances.”

Prior to this, Tottenham had drawn 2-2 with Newcastle United, followed by back-to-back home victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague.

This week marks Tottenham’s first rest week since August. After that, they host Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday, followed by an away trip to Crystal Palace on December 28th.

Source: The Athletic