What kind of results will the appointment of a new manager leave for Tottenham?
Major media outlets, including ESPN, reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "Tottenham is close to signing Thomas Frank as their new manager. Frank is very inclined to sign with Tottenham. Details remain, such as paying a compensation fee to Brentford and bringing in all of Frank's coaching staff." It is known that a personal agreement has been reached.
Tottenham dismissed manager Ange Postecoglou after the 2024-2025 season. Postecoglou led the team to victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final and lifted the trophy, but the team's 17th place finish with 22 losses in the league, the worst in history, held him back significantly.
Frank has been appointed as his successor. A national of Denmark, he joined Brentford as the head coach in 2016 and received positive evaluations. After becoming the official head coach in October 2018, he achieved promotion to the Premier League in the 2020-2021 season, which is regarded as one of his major accomplishments.
Since the 2021-2022 season, he has competed in the Premier League and created an uproar against strong teams with bold tactics, even with limited resources. In particular, he showcased the strength of a promoted team with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in August 2021, and in the 2022-2023 season, he proved his leadership by achieving the club's best result of 9th in the league.
Daniel Levy, the chairman of Tottenham, and the board are said to have already discussed summer transfer market plans with Frank. Frank is evaluated as a manager who uses various tactics and training systems. He is noted for his ability to effectively manage games through tailored tactics suited to the opposing team. He is also highly regarded for his youth development and player scouting abilities.
Meanwhile, there is much speculation that Son Heung-min's future will depend on Frank's plans. If Frank wants to keep 'Captain' Son Heung-min, it is expected that the club will follow his intentions. British media 'Give Me Sport' predicted that Son Heung-min will be a key figure in the attack under Frank's management.
The media reported, "It is possible for Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Dominic Solanke, and Son Heung-min to play in a 4-3-3 formation, as Tottenham's scoring department ranked 6th in the Premier League last season with 64 goals. This is because the club has significantly talented attackers."
"Although Dominic Solanke had a long adaptation period, this striker formerly of Bournemouth is likely to retain his starting position next season," it was projected.
There were also expectations regarding Son Heung-min. Give Me Sport emphasized that "Son Heung-min is the first player to lift a trophy as captain of Tottenham since 2008, and he is going through an uncertain period before the start of the new season. He is clearly a club legend, but recently declining performance has become a problem."
The media also reported rumors that Saudi Pro League teams are keeping a close eye on his situation. If Son Heung-min remains in North London, he is expected to start as a left winger as captain," adding that "Dejan Kulusevski is also a strong candidate for the right winger position, but Frank could bring in a player he knows well (Mbeumo)."
Meanwhile, despite everything, Son Heung-min's team, Tottenham Hotspur, focused on Son Heung-min's appearance and victory against Kuwait. The club reported on its official website on the 11th that "Son Heung-min returned from injury to play, and Korea wrapped up its unbeaten qualifying streak for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 4-0 victory over Kuwait."
It was further reported that "Son Heung-min's last start was in May against Aston Villa, after which he played as a substitute in the UEFA Europa League final held in Bilbao. He then rested again for the final match of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion for injury management. He was included in the substitute list for the match against Iraq but watched the team's 2-0 victory and qualification from the stands without playing."
The club noted that "Son Heung-min, who is both the captain of the club and the national team, was substituted in the 15th minute of the second half during the match against Kuwait at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. At that time, Korea was already ahead 4-0, and the game ended as it was."
It was highlighted that "With this victory, Korea has qualified for the World Cup finals once again. Since the 1986 tournament, Korea has qualified for the finals of each tournament, achieving the semi-finals during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. This marks the 11th consecutive qualification for the finals, which is a consistent achievement held by only five countries in the world."
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