Thomas Frank spoke to the media at Hotspur Way on Friday, ahead of our Premier League clash against Manchester United on Saturday (12.30pm UK).
Here’s what he had to say...
Did everyone come through Tuesday night (vs Copenhagen) unscathed? What’s the latest on Mohammed Kudus?
Thomas: “Yes, everyone came through well, so it's good. Cuti and Dest responded well, fit and available. Kudus is a touch and go for tomorrow, we'll see.”
What gives you confidence that tomorrow we'll see a performance more like Tuesday night's than last Saturday's?
Thomas: “I always believe when going to every game that we will put a good performance out there and do well. I think what gives me some confidence that we'll put a good performance out there is that I think most of the performances we've put out this year have been good. In general, over the season, I'm not talking about at home, there's been some that have not been top. Two of them, I don’t to run away from that is Bournemouth and Chelsea at home, where the two teams did very well and we on the day didn't find the right solutions to match them. But I'm very confident, because I think I see the right layers, the attitude of the players, the ability to want to improve. It's another big game coming up that we're ready for, that we're looking forward to, get the fans behind us and we're ready to do everything we can to win the game.”
Xavi – do you think he is a confidence player and do you think the burden of being the main creative output in the absence Kulusevski and Maddison is something that he is taking on and comfortable with?
Thomas: “I think every player needs confidence. Every player does that. The best in the world, everyone. Some, when you go to a new club, I think it's a little bit more evident that it's not that easy just to hit the ground running, but the more confidence you get, the better you play, the more you play, the more relationship you find out to get with your team-mates step by step. I agree, I think Xavi had a good performance. I think it was positive with a lot of bits. I still think it was a good step. I still think there's a lot of layers to be added to his game, but I was happy with his performance.”
Destiny – given everything that's been happening off the pitch for him, how much have you been having to support him one-to-one? Has he come to you for support? Has he seemed different, more subdued?
Thomas: “It’s a terrible situation to have been in. I can't speak too much about his legal case, as we know. The club and we have done everything we can to support him and we'll do that. He's clearly doing well on the pitch, which is good. We'll keep supporting him.”
Are the players feeling a weight on their shoulders when they play at home?
Thomas: “It’s a big shirt to wear in many ways. It should be proud. It should be something you're really excited about, wearing this beautiful shirt, playing home and away. It shouldn't matter to play home. It should be a massive boost when we play at home. We should feel even more confident, even more aligned, even more willing to do everything. I understand that the stats are not too good over a long time. For me, now there's a new opportunity and a new opportunity we need to embrace in the best possible way - coming out there against a great Man Utd team that's in great form, it'll be a great game, and we'll do everything we can to get out on top.”
What do expect from Man United?
Thomas: “I think, first and foremost, you can see it's a Man Utd team that got more confidence, definitely. I think Ruben and his coaching staff have done a very good job. It's clearly been a tough year for them and for him. I admire him a lot for that, to go through a very tricky spell with a lot of setbacks. To get through that with that focus is well done. You can see the bits he's been working on, it's more and more clear. I think it's also clear that he plays not only a system but a specific way, which they are very good at and they're getting better and better at. Right now, they are in a moment where they have more or less every key player available and found his team. They played more or less the same team in the last four or five games, so we know exactly what to expect from them. I think they have an incredibly dangerous front three. They're starting to get more up to pace and we need to close them down. On the flip side, make sure they run a little bit more backwards because we're attacking.”
How pleased are you to see how well Bryan Mbeumo is doing? I imagine you're not surprised at that
Thomas: “No, I'm not surprised. Of course, I'll step out of my role at Tottenham! When you work with a player for six years, you get a close relationship. To see him develop from being a young man, 19 years old when he moved to London and Brentford and left six years later, going into one of the biggest clubs in the world with all that focus and the way he stepped up. For me, looking from the outside, maybe a little bit biased, I think he's been their best offensive player. He can create, he can score, he works hard, he's a team player. He's the perfect example, in my opinion, for a player what I call about attitude, confident but humble. He's a top player. I think he will have fantastic success. I hope that for him, not tomorrow, but in general I hope and wish him all the best.”
You've been here three months - has it gone how you expected? Are we now seeing a Thomas Frank Spurs or is that still a work in progress?
Thomas: “That will be a work in progress, no doubt about that. I think the first three months have been super exciting, a big learning curve, you learn every single day. You walk into a new club, you learn the players, you learn the staff, you learn about the club, you learn about how it works, the fans, everything. But I think it's been overall, fine. I think we've been doing quite well to be able to get the amount of points we got in the Champions League and in the Premier League, competing in two fronts at the same time. I think that's been quite good. In terms of how we play, I think there's been some really positive bits, especially on the defensive side and the set-pieces, and we're clearly adding layers to the offensive part of the game. We're far from where I want us to be. I’ve no doubt we'll get there, but we're taking steps in the right direction.”
I'm curious about the learning curve. Is it just a little bit steeper because the size of the club is bigger?
Thomas: “I think I said it before, so learning. I think when I walked in here, it's different. No, it's not different. In some ways, it's exactly the same. It's coaching 11 players, put a game plan up, evaluate a little bit, nurturing their egos, say to them they're good enough, pick them up when it's not going too well, manage expectation from the outside, a little bit more questions, try to implement the culture. All that is exactly the same. It's just different people. The level of what you want to do in terms of tactical is a little bit because they came from another set-up, not worse, not better, just another set-up, so you try to implement your principles, the way you want to do it, with culture, with my fantastic staff around me. So, when I say the learning curve, it's to learn the people, how they function in good days and bad days, how the team reacts to a disappointing game against Chelsea. We love the response. So, all those bits, that's learning. How you find out what is the right players that play together, what is the relationship on and off the pitch. The staff, the board, all that, that's learning. The last days in Brentford I could walk in, not say anything, walk out, and I just knew it would be smooth, easy. Now it's a few more hard yards, but it's part of it.”
Is it good for players to have egos, and how difficult is that to control?
Thomas: “I think we all have egos, even you, even I. We all have it, because we don't have an ego, I don't think none of you would be in this room in your position. I would not be sitting here. Some are just a little bit better to manage it themselves. Others need a little bit of guidance. So, yeah, that's part of it.”
You said there’s more Randal Kolo Muani can reach – what is it? Fitness? Sharpness? Adapting to the Premier League? All of the above?
Thomas: “I think it's a little bit of both. I think sharpness, because fitness-wise, he's fit to start and play, and he played against Chelsea 70 minutes and then 75 against Copenhagen, so he is that. But to do it at the highest possible intensity throughout 90 minutes, I don't think he's there yet. Also to have that sharpness, where you don't think in your action, you just do it intuitively. I think that bit, he's getting there. It was a very promising game against Copenhagen, and I think he's on the right track.”
What does he bring that’s different to Richarlison or Dominic Solanke?
Thomas: “I think Solanke is also quite good to run behind, but I think maybe a little bit of that pace down the side, I think that's a bit of it. I think in general, just talking about him, I think I like his combination play, I like his link-up play. I just think he's a good player.”
How is Solanke doing? Is he on track to come back quickly after the international break?
Thomas: “I think the international break will be the big decider, because we have two weeks there to push him to the next steps. As you say, it's going forward. It was clear that he was not ready before the international break, it’s more if we look after the international break, that's what we're aiming for. I think you always want to get it right, but I think it's important to get it right so he's out there, can help the team, and we need him back.”
What does Dane Scarlett have to do to make an impact?
Thomas: “I think with Dane, first of all, I think he's a great player. I think he's a fantastic finisher. He finishes at a very, very high level, left and right foot. I think probably he needs the bits that every player needs. He needs to play minutes in games. That's the biggest thing and right now, the competition is tough here. To be able to give him, let's say, three, four, five games in a row is probably a little bit difficult. It's never impossible, but it's a little bit difficult. For me, he needs to play games.”
It feels like Xavi and Wilson Odobert have really good rapport - how quickly did you see that rapport, and how eager are you to build on that?
Thomas: “I agree. I think that little bit, let's say, between the two of them, you all know it when you see two players that get along well outside the pitch. They also tend to find each other on the pitch a little bit. They just know, I go, if you run there, I run there. If I play around the corner, he'll be in the set and now we runs deep or whatever it is. I think that helps definitely, because I also think they have more natural conversations about, okay, if I turn here, then you run down there or if you turn, I want the ball there, whatever it is. So, I think that's important. We've seen it plenty of times with players in the past in different clubs.”
How eager are you to build on that?
Thomas: “I think, as I said to Wilson before, I think it looks right when he's out there on the pitch. I'm happy that he got his goal against Copenhagen. I think he looks lively. He's always there. He wants the ball. He's not afraid to get it into feet, under pressure, he's good to arrive in the box. He's alert. The goal is actually a good example of that – an impossible ball that Kolo Muani is chasing down. Does he get that? He believes and is on the way quite early. That means he's in a perfect position to have a relatively easy goal. Others could maybe just leave it. So, he's constantly alive, he's aware.”
How much did you enjoy the atmosphere at the stadium on Tuesday?
“Yeah, the stadium was really rocking. It was great to see and experience, definitely. I said many times before, I think it needs to be a collaborative approach between fans and players together. I just want to do everything we can to get on the line and win a game and the more we can push each other to bring that positive energy in, the better. And that would be both ways. We will do everything we can to perform, to come flying out, to be on top of the game. Some part of the game we will not, because we face a good team. No team will have momentum in 90 minutes. But that positivity, we definitely need to build on that.”