Thomas Frank looks set to get the Tottenham job as Spurs move quickly to replace Ange Postecoglou.
Frank was adamant he’d stay at Brentford at one point, but when a team as big as Tottenham come calling, it’s hard to say no.
Spurs will be moving onto their sixth permanent manager in six years, and Thomas Frank will be hoping to do a better job than many of his predecessors.
Luckily, Frank has the chance to get off to a great start at Tottenham as his first competitive game will be in the UEFA Super Cup.
Of course, this isn’t the most high-profile competition in world football, but Frank could, theoretically, win a trophy in his first ever game as Tottenham manager – a feat that only three other gaffers in Premier League history have achieved.
Thomas Frank could win a trophy in his first Tottenham game
Thomas Frank could win a trophy in his first game for Tottenham as he’s set to face off against PSG on August 13th in the UEFA Super Cup.
Of course, a UEFA Super Cup isn’t a season-defining piece of silverware, but it is a trophy nonetheless, and Frank would love to get his hands on a bit of silverware to kickstart his Spurs career.
Inevitably, there’d be a huge morale lift that would come with beating an all-conquering PSG side too.
Interestingly, three managers in Premier League history have managed to achieve this feat of winning a trophy in their very first game at a club – David Moyes, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
Unfortunately, an early trophy win doesn’t necessarily guarantee you success at your new club, as these three managers can attest to.
How managers fared after winning trophy in their first game
Winning a trophy in your very first match, in theory, should be a great way to start your managerial career at a new club.
However, as Moyes, Mourinho and Ancelotti have all shown, it doesn’t quite work out that way.
Indeed, all three managers were sacked within three years of getting their respective jobs.
David Moyes lasted less than one season at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho would win two further trophies before being dumped mid-way through his third season in charge at United, while Carlo Ancelotti was sacked after two years, despite the fact he won the Premier League and the FA Cup in his first season.
Ancelotti was brilliant at Chelsea, but even that couldn’t save him.
Football can be a fickle game, and as Frank steps up into a job at one of the ‘Big Six’, he must be cautious about how quickly things can turn at this level.