Thomas Frank has just revealed that he is promoting Micky van de Ven at Tottenham Hotspur, having been so impressed by one key attribute the Dutch defender has shown.
Van de Ven scored and captained as Tottenham Hotspur had to come from 2-0 down to rescue a point away at Bodo/Glimt.
Thomas Frank’s team struggled on the artificial surface in the Arctic Circle and ended up being rather fortunate not to have been beaten during their trip to Norway.
Speaking after the game, Frank was full of praise for his acting captain and revealed the Dutch defender has just earned a promotion at the North London club.
Thomas Frank adds Micky van de Ven to Tottenham’s leadership group
Frank revealed that he has added Micky van de Ven to Tottenham’s leadership group after he captained the team against Bodo/Glimt.
During the absence of club captain Cristian Romero, who was missing due to a precaution, the 24-year-old stepped up to take the armband.
Van de Ven wore it with great responsibility as he started Spurs’ fightback with an impressive header to pull a goal back for the Lilywhites.
Explaining why Van de Ven was made captain against Bodo, Frank told the media: “Thank you for that. Yes, I have made a decision. I haven’t told the players yet, and that will be on Thursday.
“So I made the decision, but it’s probably pretty obvious he will be. He has impressed me a lot as a player, but also as a communicator on the pitch. And a little bit of show of character. I think he was good today.”
Tottenham are highly reliant on Van de Ven, given his speed and superb defending, but now, it’s clear his leadership skills are another key factor.
Kevin Danso did a great job replacing Cristian Romero
Another player who impressed against Bodo was Van de Ven’s partner on the night, Kevin Danso, who did a great job filling in for Romero.
For £21m, Danso has been a bargain signing for Tottenham, and his ability to seamlessly slot into the team was highlighted away at Bodo.
The defender managed four clearances, one blocked shot and won four of his five aerial duels against the Norwegian team.
Frank will hope to have his captain back for Spurs’ trip to Leeds on the weekend, but if not, Danso has proved to be a more than adequate replacement.