When all around you appears to be crumbling and signs of improvement are in short supply, what do you cling to? Vinai Venkatesham, if you are Thomas Frank.
“He knows how unfortunately it can take time to get up to where good should look like,” Frank said. “That’s definitely beneficial because also he understands the journey we’re on.”
Nor, from memory, did Venkatesham, below, have to ponder why exactly Arteta strolled onto the pitch before a match drinking an espresso from a cup emblazoned with Tottenham branding.
Barely six months on from the euphoria of the Europa League success, Tottenham have descended into toxic turmoil. Supporters will protest against the board on Saturday, the first such action taken since Daniel Levy’s exit.
Venkatesham’s boardroom role in helping transform the culture at Arsenal on and off the pitch was incredibly impressive. Doing something similar on the other side of north London would undoubtedly be his greatest achievement yet.
The pair have a close relationship, speaking at least every other day, and Venkatesham was key to the recruitment process that looked at more than 30 candidates before deciding on Frank.
Despite the rising temperature in the stands, Spurs’ owners, the Lewis family, have no plans to become more vocal or hands-on. The day-to-day running of the club will be left to the boardroom structure led by Venkatesham, who will have the decisive say on Frank.
Venkatesham remains keen to take a long-term view on the club’s progress and Frank will be given every chance to succeed. The club believe this job would be tough for anyone and did not expect deep-rooted issues to be fixed overnight. All the noise coming out of Spurs is that Frank, left, is not in immediate jeopardy.
The squad are not responding to his tactics for sustained periods. If they are, and Frank’s tactics are successfully being implemented, that is even more concerning.
Part of the problem is also Frank struggling to sell his vision. The charismatic figure seen at Brentford now resembles someone operating with the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Postecoglou was the master of talking up Spurs with the media. Frank, on the other hand, said in December: “No problem with big expectation if you have also earned the right to really compete for those big expectations, which I think it’s fair to say we haven’t done.”
Frank has regularly pointed to the “reality” of the club finishing 17th last season and warned there is no “quick fix”. The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) last week accused him of overseeing a “dramatic fall in ambition”.
When Aston Villa fans chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” towards Frank on Saturday, pockets of the South Stand joined in. For much of the season, Spurs have been waiting for a result that gives the Frank era its lift-off. Now the sense is more of waiting for a result that finishes it off.
There is sympathy towards Frank behind the scenes at Spurs. It is accepted that the squad is not ready to match the club’s ambitions, even if it was hoped results would be better.
Too much emphasis has been placed on signings with potential and the result has been a squad ill-equipped for the present. This is a brittle team who lose their way when faced with setbacks. The squad have felt the need to huddle and walk off together at half-time in matches, often to a chorus of boos, but that has only added to an “us against them” mentality with the fans.
Frank is keen to bring in more experience and leadership. Romero was deemed the best of the captaincy options available but his impetuous streak remains. The centre-back has picked up seven bookings and a red card this season.
“They only show up when things are going well to tell a few lies,” he initially said, before editing those final five words out. Romero was not fined and instead had a “good conversation” with Frank and sporting director Johan Lange. This seemed like Spurs not feeling in a strong enough position to take on Romero.
However, Van de Ven and Djed Spence both blanked Frank on the pitch this season and there were no consequences. It is one thing to leave out a midfielder you want to sell. It is another to make a stand against star players, including your captain.
Venkatesham was at Arsenal when Arteta stripped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the captaincy. That set the standards and sent a clear message. A similar statement is difficult at Spurs with so much doubt over Frank’s position, but a better culture rests on the head coach being the dominant figure in the dressing room.
For all the fan frustration towards Frank, Saturday’s protest is focused primarily on the board. Supporters’ group Change for Tottenham have called for “serious investment” and insisted that “promises are kept” on the club’s strategy.
After last season’s Europa League win, Levy said that was not enough and Spurs should be pushing for the Premier League title. His removal in September was due to a desire for “more wins, more often”, a source close to the Lewis family told Standard Sport.
A £13million move for Souza, a 19-year-old left back from Santos, will be completed and Spurs have signed Conor Gallagher for around £35m, but he is not the creative passer the midfield needs.
Club insiders speak of the difficulty of January moves. While a winger remains on the wishlist, sources suggest it would be more realistic to judge the owners’ ambitions in terms of transfer business after the summer window.
That is a long way off. This season is close to a write-off, even if the squad is significantly strengthened. Frank has described Venkatesham as “one of the best communicators I have ever met” and that is required more than ever.
Frank is not proving to be the right fit for the club; supporters are losing patience with the head coach and the hierarchy; and the Lewis family have a long way to go to show this is the new era promised. How much longer this is Frank’s mess to help solve is uncertain but it will remain Venkatesham’s. Disconnect at almost every level of the club persists and answers are his to find.