Thomas Frank is determined to maximise pre-season at Tottenham ahead of the UEFA Super Cup.
Frank will see his side play two separate friendly fixtures, against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town, on the same day (26 July) as he continues to ramp up Spurs’ pre-season preparations.
The Dane is eager to have his squad completely up to speed ahead of his first competitive fixture, where Spurs will take on Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup.
Frank will also hope to have finalised deals for his remaining transfer targets in time for the fixture, and has been handed a timely boost by the Ligue 1 giants.
Paris Saint-Germain delay return to pre-season training
Daniel Levy hired Frank with the task of ensuring Tottenham can compete across multiple fronts, and will expect the Dane to start his tenure by securing a piece of silverware.
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Facing the reigning European champions and Club World Cup finalists is the definition of trial by fire for the former Brentford manager, but it provides him with a platform to endear himself to the Lilywhites with a positive result.
Therefore, Frank will be pleased to find out that PSG have delayed their return to pre-season training by two days, with Luis Enrique’s men now set to return on 6 August, as reported by L’Equipe (25 July).
The change is designed to allow players more time to recover after their summer exploits, leaving them with just one week of training ahead of their clash with Tottenham.
This will give Frank a golden opportunity to find an edge over the French side, as his squad should be much sharper and in a far better physical condition ahead of the contest.
Tottenham must avoid a bruising loss to PSG
Everyone associated with Tottenham will naturally be hoping to beat the French side and claim another trophy. However, Frank’s priority will more likely be avoiding a heavy defeat.
There has been a lot of positivity among the fanbase for what the Dane will bring to Hotspur Way, while signings like Mohammed Kudus have heightened the anticipation for next season.
However, the Lilywhites’ patience in starting new projects all the time under Levy is wearing thin, and they will quickly revert to feelings of disgruntlement if Spurs get off to a bad start.
Therefore, Frank’s main aim will be to avoid a bruising defeat to PSG, who are capable of blowing teams away, to ensure his tenure does not start on a negative note.