Alan Shearer spot on as real reason behind Thomas Frank sack becomes clear
Tottenham are in desperate need of a manager before they take on Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 22 February.
Thomas Frank was sacked on Wednesday after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United saw all of the fans turn against him.
The Lilywhites sit just five points clear of the relegation zone, and they are in desperate need of an interim manager who can come and steady the ship.
According to reports, Igor Tudor has verbally agreed a deal with Spurs until June, but it’s imperative that they get him through the door quickly.
While Frank’s dismissal has not come as a shock, Alan Shearer believes that the timing of the Arsenal match made it impossible for the Dane’s tenure to continue.
Tottenham vs Arsenal on 22 February the real reason Frank was sacked
The North London derby has been a one-sided affair in recent seasons and the last time Tottenham beat the Gunners was back in May 2022 under Antonio Conte.
Mikel Arteta’s side have enjoyed a rapid rise to the top of the Premier League, and that has undoubtedly created more pressure on the managers who have taken charge in N17.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast on 13 February, Shearer believes that the upcoming Arsenal game was the last straw for Frank.
He said: “Tottenham’s next game is Arsenal, so that’s why they’ve acted on Frank.”
| Stat | Tottenham |
| Wins | 7 |
| Draws | 8 |
| Losses | 11 |
| Points | 29 |
| League position | 16th |
While there were many reasons for why Frank was dismissed, ultimately, it was the toxicity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that was the real problem.
Had Frank been in charge for the Arsenal game, a loss would have been very likely, and it would have been hard for him to face the wrath of the fans.
Spurs supporters wouldn’t have been able to handle another loss at home to their rivals, and for the Dane’s personal sake, being sacked now was the right call.
Of course, he should have been dismissed much, much earlier, but now that he’s finally gone, the fanbase can be united once more against Arsenal.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be a completely different atmosphere vs Arsenal
This is undoubtedly the biggest game of Tottenham’s season, and it’s imperative that they record their third home win of the campaign.
With the Gunners faltering in the title race, dropping points to a Spurs side in disarray would be truly catastrophic for them.
If Tudor can have a week to prepare his squad for the match, then Tottenham would give themselves the best chance of easing any relegation fears, whiile denting Arsenal’s title hopes in the process.
It’s clear that the board was waiting for the opportune moment to sack Frank, and if Tudor joins, hopefully he can secure a memorable win during his first game in charge.