Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has suggested that Fulham's Marco Silva could be a perfect fit for Tottenham Hotspur amid the ongoing speculation surrounding Thomas Frank's future. The Danish manager took over from Ange Postecoglou earlier this season, but his team has been underperforming of late.
The recent 2-1 loss to Fulham at home means that only Wolverhampton Wanderers have a poorer home record than Frank's Spurs in the Premier League this season. The north London side found themselves two goals down within just six minutes, with Kenny Tete opening the scoring and Harry Wilson adding a second, capitalising on an error from goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Vicario, the Italian shot-stopper, lost possession near his goal area, allowing Wilson to curl the ball into the net. The subsequent touches by the Spurs keeper were met with jeers from the home crowd, much to the dismay of Frank and defender Pedro Porro.
Frank expressed his disappointment in the post-match press conference, saying: "I didn't like that our fans booed at him [Vicario] straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch. And we do everything we can to perform. After, fair enough, boo, no problem. But not during. That's unacceptable in my opinion."
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
According to The Telegraph, an emergency meeting was held by Spurs last month to address the growing disconnect with their supporters. Ahead of their match against Newcastle, Frank acknowledged the fans' frustration, stating: "I completely understand the frustration.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
"If we don't win there will always be a frustration. We have not won much at home this season - and also last -so the frustration can grow. It's my job to do what we can to have calm.
"We are nothing without fans. Tottenham Hotspur is nothing without the fans. My point was that during matches we need each other. Afterwards the booing can be fair. During, then we need to make it a fortress and, to do that, we all need to be together."
According to a recent report from The Sun, several Spurs players have grown increasingly exasperated with Frank's approach, with squad members left bewildered about their positions due to last-minute tactical alterations. Nevertheless, Frank maintains he enjoys unwavering support from the Tottenham board, though mounting questions surround his long-term prospects.
During an appearance on The Overlap, Carragher said: "I've always been a fan of Marco Silva, even when he first came to the Premier League with Hull. I think he's the one manager Everton should've stuck with, when they kept changing manager under [Farhad] Moshiri and the owner, he was the one I liked.
"I've always seen Marco Silva [as the level of] Tottenham – not quite to go from a [club like] Fulham to Liverpool or Manchester City, or a team that can compete for the league, but a level just below where they are trying for Champions League - maybe a club like Aston Villa.
"That will be the next step for him in the Premier League, and I think he deserves one of those jobs when they next come up."