"If he cuts, he cuts; he is not someone who will talk behind your back."
The British tabloid 'The Sun' reported on the 8th (Korean time) that "Thomas Frank, who is likely to take over Tottenham, would align well with chairman Daniel Levy's cautious attitude," adding, "Considering that Frank faced all sorts of sabotage during his time at Brøndby, he would match perfectly with someone as cautious as Chairman Levy."
Tottenham announced the following day that "after considerable deliberation, the club can confirm that Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties." The original contract, including options, was supposed to last until the summer of 2027, but they decided to part ways two years early. Coach Postecoglou is leaving just two years after joining Tottenham from Celtic in the summer of 2023.
Tottenham stated that "Postecoglou led changes on the pitch after joining the club from Celtic in the summer of 2023, returning to the club’s tradition of attacking football. Last month, he led the team to victory in the Europa League, writing a new chapter in history. He has left us with an achievement that will remain with us forever. We are very grateful for the dedication and contributions he showed over the last two years. Postecoglou will always be remembered as the third manager in history to lift a European trophy alongside legends Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw."
Despite the worst slump this season, Coach Postecoglou kept his promise, stating that he would win in the second year. Tottenham topped the chart after defeating Manchester United 1-0 in last month’s UEFA Europa League final. This marked their first title in 17 years since the League Cup win in the 2007-2008 season and their first European trophy in 41 years. Son Heung-min finally obtained his first career title.
Then, the sentiments of Tottenham fans, who had been consistently chanting 'Postecoglou OUT' for months, began to change. Local British media also argued that he should be given a chance on the UEFA Champions League stage. Nevertheless, Chairman Daniel Levy remained steadfast and wielded the axe. Coach Postecoglou was set to step down from his managerial role just 16 days after lifting the trophy in the UEL final.
Tottenham said, "The board concluded unanimously that change is in the best interests. We only managed to earn 78 points over the last 66 Premier League matches. This reached a peak of the worst league record last season. Sometimes, it was unavoidable due to injuries and European competition priorities, and winning the Europa League is considered one of the club's great moments. However, we cannot make decisions based on emotions due to a victory."
The performance in the Premier League was indeed at a low ebb. Tottenham's final record was 11 wins, 5 draws, 22 losses, for a total of 38 points. They ranked 17th—the worst performance in Premier League history. The previous worst record was 15th in the 1993-1994 season. They also set a new record for most losses in a single season.
Now, Chairman Levy and the Tottenham board are searching for a new head coach. The most likely candidate is Frank, a Danish manager. Since 2018, he has been steadily guiding Brentford, turning a struggling team into a mid-table contender in the Premier League and has become a hero.
Frank's secret to success lies in his excellent recruitment skills and great tactics. Even with a limited budget, he reformed the squad by recruiting top-notch players and demonstrated tactical flexibility by changing formations during matches. Emphasizing strong pressing and quick counterattacks based on formations like 3-5-2 or 4-3-3, his style aligns with Tottenham's desired attacking football.
Tottenham is pursuing Frank as he is the most realistic option. Silva is also being courted by Saudi Arabia, making the recruitment competition fierce, and their initial target, Andoni Iraola, is likely to re-sign with Bournemouth. In contrast, Frank has a buyout clause in his contract, making it likely that Tottenham can bring him on board.
Tottenham has reportedly already discussed future projects and the summer transfer market with Frank. However, there is concern that he has no experience managing a big club. The 'Telegraph' noted, "Levy is under tremendous pressure to appoint a successor superior to Postecoglou. Frank has no experience winning major tournaments and lacks experience in European competitions."
Frank reconstructed his team at Brøndby in Denmark in 2013 and managed to last nearly three years. However, he suddenly resigned in 2016 due to the 'Oscar Gate' that shook Danish football. At that time, Oscar, who was a known anti-Frank figure in Danish football circles, turned out to be Janus Bech Andersen, the chairman of Brøndby.
At that time, Oscar relentlessly targeted Coach Frank, criticizing him as "an incompetent coach who clings only to systems." As the gate grew larger, Coach Frank resigned, stating that "trust in the club's leadership had collapsed." After that, Coach Frank sought to play abroad, hoping to join a big club like Tottenham.
Unlike Andersen, the chairman from 'Oscar Gate' who got under Frank's skin, Tottenham's Levy is known for keeping steady communication with managers. The Sun emphasized that "at least Frank does not have to worry about Levy talking behind his back on an anonymous account on social media" once he takes charge at Tottenham.
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