Thomas Frank has offered a first real glimpse into his managerial approach at Tottenham, lifting the lid on his old-school coaching style and explaining what pre-season at Hotspur Way has looked like so far.
Thomas Frank’s first pre-season game is only just nine days away, as Tottenham Hotspur are set to face Reading on 19 July 2025 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, Reading.
While it was reported a few days ago that 19 players had returned to first-team training, several others have since begun to link up with the squad and their new manager.
Preparations for the upcoming campaign appear to be going smoothly for Spurs, as Frank has now finalised his new-look coaching staff.
Transfer business is also well underway, with Mohammed Kudus, Takai and Mathys Tel the latest additions under the Danish coach.
Thomas Frank reveals pre-season details at Tottenham
Thomas Frank has opened up on what pre-season preparations at Hotspur Way have involved, and in doing so, he has revealed the type of manager he is, describing himself as somewhat old school in his methods.
The new Tottenham boss explained that his players have begun running drills on the grass before they even get a feel for the ball, adding that more physical work is still to come as he looks to instil a strong mentality within the group.
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He said, as relayed by Football.london: “I do not know if I am a modern coach or not sometimes, but we started running today. I think old school is still good school, I think that is still important to have a bit of that.
“Now we had a running test today and we will have that again when the internationals are back and probably also a little bit later down the season.
“But, in general, that was just a short test, basically a 1km test. So if they did it well enough, they are below three minutes 15 seconds. So that sounds easier, with turns by the way.
“So that is one thing that is done and then it is football. Everything with the ball, everything is on that, and then we will top up with some runs because I believe there is a big bit in that mental part of pushing.”
Thomas Frank eager to unite with every Tottenham player
For the first bit of running training that was done, a surprise Spurs player came out on top in that aspect of the session.
Frank has also made it clear that he is eager to get as many players back as quickly as possible, to properly assess the squad and get familiar with his new group.
He stated that he wants to observe the dynamics between his players, particularly how they relate with one another on and off the pitch, as he looks to find what combinations work best for the team.
He continued: “That is what I want. I want everyone in, really compare them against each other, see how they make themselves a relationship.
“Of course, I know the group in terms of looking from the outside, but it is different when you are on the inside and you work with them, you feel them, you understand them better and we all have our own views on certain players or relationship and it is up to me to find that perfect combination that makes the team perform on the highest possible level.”