Thomas Frank faced the media for the first time as Tottenham Hotspur head coach on the eve of their opening pre-season friendly against Reading — and if his words are anything to go by, Spurs fans are in for an ambitious, fearless ride under their new Danish boss.
Addressing a packed press room at Hotspur Way, Frank opened with a heartfelt message: “First, one thing from me — on behalf of everyone at Tottenham Football Club, our condolences go to the families and the loved ones of Diego Sha and Andre Silva and everyone at Liverpool.”
From there, the former Brentford manager dived into the task ahead at Spurs, describing his first few weeks at the club as “the honeymoon.”
“Everyone is happy, the sun is shining, we haven’t played a game yet,” he said with a smile. “It’s super exciting. It’s a massive club, huge club in England and in the world. The best thing is — it feels natural.”
“I like to challenge myself”
Frank acknowledged the revolving door of coaches at Tottenham in recent years — five head coaches dismissed during his tenure at Brentford — but insisted the club’s history of upheaval didn’t deter him.
“I’ve never been sacked before,” he said matter-of-factly. “So, that’s one of the reasons I took the job — to get a little bit more risk into my daily life.”
But for all the humour, there was a steely focus underneath: “Everything I do, every decision I’ve made so far, is for the long term. It’s not about surviving one game or 18 months. It’s for the long run.”
A positive camp, a clear philosophy
Taking over from Ange Postecoglou — a manager who delivered Spurs’ first European trophy in 41 years — Frank paid immediate tribute to his predecessor: “Ange will forever be a legend here. He’s one of three to win a European trophy with Spurs. That’s unbelievable, a fantastic achievement.”
Despite the high bar, the early signs under Frank have been promising. “I see happy players — positive, smiling, training well. There’s a good vibe around the place,” he noted.
Asked about his footballing philosophy, Frank didn’t hesitate: “I want us to be brave, aggressive, and I want to attack. Brave is absolutely linked to ‘To Dare Is To Do’. If you’re not brave, it’s very difficult to achieve anything.”
While the catchphrases were clear, Frank made it known that this isn’t vague idealism. “I have very clear principles for every phase of the game — defending low, middle, high, defending the box. If you want to win football matches, we need to be a well-rounded team.”
“The next game is Reading. That’s the most important one.”
With pre-season kicking off at Reading, Frank stressed the importance of this period in building a competitive squad.
“We need to hit the physical targets. We need to make them strong and robust so we can go through a long season — hopefully competing in four tournaments. That’s the plan.”
Frank revealed that key players including Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero will feature in Saturday’s friendly. “They’ve trained well, set the standards out there, and both will play tomorrow,” he confirmed.
He also offered an update on the club’s injured players: “Madison is the closest one back — he’s part-training. Kulusevski and Dragusin are a little further behind.”
On Kudus: “Top signing. Unpredictable. Powerful.”
Spurs’ big summer signing, Mohammed Kudus, earned rave reviews from his new boss.
“He gives us that unpredictability. His one-v-one actions are top. His passing, his finishing — very good. He’s in almost a perfect age to perform but also take the next level,” Frank said. “It’s a top signing from Daniel, Vini, and Johan — great work getting him in early.”
Long-term goals, short-term focus
When asked if winning the Europa League last season raised expectations, Frank was honest but grounded: “That was extremely positive. It gave them a fantastic trophy. Now the aim is to compete on all four fronts. Premier League. Europe. Cups. That’s a highly demanding goal, but that’s got to be the ambition.”
Frank repeatedly returned to the theme of maximizing potential: “The biggest task is to get the most out of the players and team. If we do that, we give ourselves the opportunity to compete — and if we can compete, maybe we can win something.”
On Son, Romero, and the captaincy
While speculation continues around Son Heung-min’s contract and Cristian Romero’s future, Frank was clear about their status: “My expectation is that all the players are here. They’re training well. They’ll play tomorrow.”
As for whether Son will continue as captain, Frank hasn’t decided yet: “He was the captain last year. When we play two 45s tomorrow, Son and Romero will be the two captains. But I haven’t made a final decision — that’ll be my call.”
“Not marriage — but a relationship with Daniel”
Asked about working under Daniel Levy, Frank responded with trademark humour and diplomacy. “Marriage is a strong word. I’m only married to my wife, Nana,” he joked. “But I had a fantastic relationship with the Brentford owners, and I’m expecting to build that here too.”
“How did I get here? You need to ask them.”
Reflecting on his journey from “little Denmark” to a club once led by Mourinho, Conte and Pochettino, Frank was modest.
“Very good question — I think you need to ask the guys who hired me,” he said. “But I’m proud to sit in this chair. I’ll do everything every day to hopefully take this club to new heights.”
Final thoughts: honeymoon now, battles ahead
Thomas Frank knows the scrutiny is coming. “One thing I promised the staff on day one: we will lose football matches. It’s inevitable. But it’s how we respond, how we compete, that matters.”
His optimism is infectious, his philosophy clear. Now, as the first ball is kicked at Reading, the honeymoon ends — and the real business begins.
Up Next:
📅 Reading vs Tottenham – Pre-season Friendly
🕒 Saturday, 3pm BST
🗣️ Follow WeAreTottenhamTV and London Is Ours for full post-match coverage.
