As we move into the second half of the season, media outlets always have to take the temperature of the seat that coaches are in. Whatever you might think of Thomas Frank, you must admit that his seat is more than a little bit warm at Tottenham Hotspur right now.
Where December started with a creditable draw at Newcastle and wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague, Spursâ run since then has not been encouraging. The win over Crystal Palace four days before the new year has been the one bright spot, with draws against Brentford and Sunderland and losses to Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, and Bournemouth, plus an FA Cup exit at the hands of Aston Villa.Â
The rest of January could offer some respite, with winnable Premier League clashes against West Ham and Burnley. Spursâ remaining Champions League matches are against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, with the latter flailing in European competition. Win those games, and finishing in the top eight of the Champions League standings (and the bye that comes with it) is a real possibility.
Thomas Frank enters February on an awfully thin tightrope
Unfortunately, February's slate looks brutal for the North London outfit. The home match against Manchester United might conceivably offer three points, but that comes sandwiched between games against Manchester City, Newcastle, and Arsenal. As much as Spurs fans would love to dent the hated Gunnersâ title hopes, would anyone bet on Tottenham taking more than four points from that month, the way theyâre playing now?
The temptation to jettison Frank before that run might be too much to ignore, especially in light of the coaches who are currently on the market. Itâs likely too much for Spurs fans to hope that Xabi Alonso or Jürgen Klopp might hop aboard, but Enzo Maresca has just left Chelsea and might well jump at the chance to direct another Champions League squad.
Erik ten Hag has complained (with some justification) that he wasnât given a fair shake at Bayer Leverkusen, and the Spurs job would put him back out in the public eye. Xavi has expressed his desire to coach in the Premier League, and his record as a player would command instant respect in any dressing room.
If Daniel Levy still in charge here, we know what he would do. Heâd throw large amounts of money at the hottest name in the hopes that that would change the teamâs fortunes. With the new people in charge, it remains to be seen whether they stick with Frank and stability or plump for another coach. The decision they make and the results that come from it will tell us what to expect from Spurs.