Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank faced the fury of his own supporters on Saturday, with fans chanting for his dismissal following a dramatic late 2-1 home defeat to London rivals West Ham United.
Frank Barracked After Eighth Defeat in 14
The atmosphere turned toxic at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after substitute Callum Wilson struck a 90th-minute winner for West Ham in stoppage time. Supporters in the South Stand directed their anger at the dugout, loudly chanting 'you're getting sacked in the morning' at the beleaguered boss.
The result marked an eighth defeat in Tottenham's last 14 Premier League matches, leaving the club languishing in 14th place. Frank's team have managed just three victories in their previous 15 league outings, deepening the sense of crisis in N17.
'Supertanker' Belief Amidst Fan Anger
Despite the vociferous criticism, Frank remains convinced he retains the backing of the club's hierarchy and can steer what he called a 'supertanker' back on course. He pointed to a supportive open letter from chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, received on the morning of the match, which called for patience during a period of significant transition at the club.
'I have seen the letter and I took six to eight positive things out of it,' Frank stated in his post-match press conference. 'What I take out of that letter is that we are a club and an executive team... that are aligned and know this is a big transitional phase.'
He acknowledged the emotional toll of the last-gasp loss but urged for perspective. 'It's a supertanker we're turning in the right direction and there are a lot of good signs behind the scenes,' he argued, while admitting the current situation felt like 'the perfect storm'.
Lack of Cutting Edge Proves Costly
The match itself followed a familiar, frustrating pattern for Spurs. After falling behind, they equalised through captain Cristian Romero in the second half, raising hopes of a comeback. However, Frank was again left to bemoan his side's profligacy in front of goal.
'It's a sign that the goal is scored by Cuti, our captain and centre-back,' Frank noted, highlighting the lack of contribution from his forwards. 'We didn't have the cutting edge, the perfect weighted pass, the sharp finish. We need to keep working on that.'
The manager also faced boos from sections of the crowd for his decision to substitute winger Mathys Tel, compounding a difficult afternoon. Yet, he insisted the players' effort could not be faulted, pointing to their work rate in recent defeats to Bournemouth, Aston Villa, and now West Ham.
Frank concluded with a defiant, if optimistic, message: 'I still think, and I know it sounds a little bit crazy, that we are closer to something very good, than further away.' For the Tottenham fans who voiced their displeasure so loudly, that turning point cannot come soon enough.
