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Newly appointed Vejle Boldklub manager Claus Norgaard has defended his decision not to follow Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur, to instead take up the manager’s role at the relegation-threatened Danish Superliga team.
The 46-year-old, who has previous experience as a full-time manager, had been working as Frank’s assistant at Brentford before Frank was roped in by Tottenham last summer to succeed Ange Postecoglou.
Norgaard was given the chance to follow his manager through the doors of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but he had other ideas in his mind.
He took time off and has now taken the job of boss of Danish Superliga outfit Vejle.
It is not going to be an easy job for Norgaard, who has to pick the team up from the bottom of the Danish top-flight table following a poor first half of the season.
Explaining his decision not to follow Frank to Tottenham, Norgaard insists that he felt the best thing to do was to travel and believes that it did prove to be the best call.
Asked about potentially heading with Frank to Tottenham, Norgaard told Viaplay (via Tipsbladet): “That was the case, and it still is, but given the situation, it was best for me to take the opportunity to travel.
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“It will always require making choices and compromises, so I think it was the best solution.
“I have come to the conclusion that I think it was the right thing for me and my family.”
Norgaard’s Brentford boss Frank has been under pressure at Tottenham of late, with one former top flight star insisting that he is struggling with the gigantic stature of the club.
Frank also has a number of Spurs fans who are far from convinced by his appointment, but he recently stressed the side are in a transition period and he can win over disgruntled supporters by winning games.
He will have to do that without Norgaard at his side however.
The new Vejle boss will face his first Danish Superliga game in charge against Fredericia in early February and Frank will surely hope to see him succeed, even if it would make the chance of an early reunion more remote.