Thomas Frank won’t stand for ‘exceptional’ thing Ange Postecoglou enacted at Tottenham before sacking
Thomas Frank has been crafting his own identity since becoming Tottenham manager.
Frank still has a long way to go in North London, but the foundations are beginning to set.
How the Lilywhites could line up was first seen during Spurs’ defeat to PSG in the UEFA Super Cup final on penalties. Aggression and calculated attacks gave his side the upper hand for 85 minutes.
While there have been and will be setbacks along the way, the Dane will be content with the progress he has made.
Thomas Frank more defensively disciplined than Ange Postecoglou
There was fierce backlash when Tottenham dismissed Ange Postecoglou weeks after he lifted the UEFA Europa League with Spurs.
Postecoglou was appointed Nottingham Forest manager soon after leaving Tottenham, but has yet to find his footing at his new club.
The Postecoglou era was characterised by its attacking intensity and defensive instability, which was at the heart of criticism for the former Tottenham coach.
After two inconsistent seasons, former Brentford manager and ex-Premier League midfielder Martin Allen – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Frank will not be inclined to take a page out of Postecoglou’s book.
“Tottenham’s attacking intensity was exceptional under Ange Postecoglou,” Allen said.
“Both full-backs were bombing forward all the time, leaving spaces down the outside for teams to counterattack. And there was no way that that could have continued. Absolutely no way.
“It was like suicide football. Every opportunity, both fullbacks were going down the wings, overlapping, getting in the box. Frank won’t stand for that.
“All top teams have a good, either have a back four or back five to make themselves solid to beat. You don’t want to be conceding goals. And that, for all coaches, is number one.”
Once Frank has established a solid defensive foundation, it will only be a matter of time before the goals start rolling in.
Tottenham were overrun with injuries under Ange Postecoglou
There were constant claims that Postecoglou’s approach partly resulted in Tottenham’s injury crisis during the 2024/25 season.
- Tottenham recorded 41 different injuries last season
- The Lilywhites lost 1,553 player-days to injury
- Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero missed a combined 59 matches
Frank’s approach is more calculated, focusing on building a tight defensive unit before adding purposeful attacking sequences.
Despite facing several injuries since arriving, including Randal Kolo Muani, who has been nursing a dead leg, a handful of these have carried over from the previous season.
Predicting the future is a gift most do not have, but it does seem that Frank’s approach will reap considerable rewards for Tottenham.
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