Harry Redknapp believes Thomas Frank deserves more time to turn Tottenham’s fortunes around after a difficult period of results on the pitch
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Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has jumped to the defence of current first team manager Thomas Frank as the pressure surrounding the long-term future of the Danish coach continues to intensify.
The Lillywhites failed to secure a league victory in November and slipped from third position to 12th in the table after a series of substandard performances and disappointing results.
Defeats in particular to bitter North London rivals Arsenal and more recently against capital rivals Fulham have raised the level of discontent amongst Spurs supporters, leaving many questioning whether the former Brentford boss can lead the team forward in the foreseeable future.
Harry Redknapp calls for patience with Thomas Frank
Tottenham’s recent dip in form means that Frank is now one of the most under-pressure managers in the entire division alongside Leeds United boss Daniel Farke.
Frank only assumed the position as head coach over the summer after seven hugely impressive years at Brentford which saw him spearhead the club to the Premier League for the first time in 74 years, consolidate the Bees as a top-flight outfit after a series of high-profile sales, all while also guiding the capital club to their highest ever points tally and league position.
However, he’s now at a club that historically speaking haven’t been the most patient with managers, particularly during Daniel Levy’s tenure with the club, which saw the likes of Redknapp, Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and most recently Ange Postecoglou all get the axe after varying levels of success.
Speaking about Frank’s future, Redknapp said on talkSPORT: “He needs time, Tottenham can’t keep chopping managers every time they lose a few games. Last year, they finished 17th, or whatever it was. Apart from winning the European competition, it was a shocking season.
“He hasn’t got a magic wand, it takes time. What they are is a team I think will finish sixth, seventh or eighth, something like that this year. They’re going to have ups and downs, but right now, there are more downs than ups.
“Certainly, at home, it’s been disappointing. You need to give Thomas Frank time for sure. I didn’t see it coming that they would have such a bad run, the home form has really been disastrous.“
Why Tottenham should stick with Thomas Frank - opinion
Patience is a virtue that few football fans and particularly owners have in the modern game. The need for results is paramount from the moment a manager walks through the door, particularly at a club like Tottenham that have experienced a huge fall from grace in terms of league position over the last decade or so.
However, based on Frank’s record in English football so far, it’s fair to say that he should be given time to turn things around, particularly when there’s few names out of work that could feasibly be seen as an upgrade on the Dane.
Focusing specifically on league form, Frank inherited a team that finished 17th last term. Injuries were an issue for huge portions of that campaign, as was the emphasis on delivering a trophy. But nevertheless, it was a team that conceded a staggering 68 goals while finishing with 38 points - an amount which would have led to relegation in six of the seasons since the league changed to a 38-game format in 1995/96.
He’s proven he can manage a team that can play entertaining football - Brentford for example scored 66 last season, making them the joint fourth highest scorers in the division. While he’s also shown that he can work efficiently in the transfer market to bring players of high quality to a football club.
Frank is still very much in the process of making the team his own while trying to lead both a transition into a new brand of football that’s more pragmatic and defensively cautious, without completely ripping up the script that worked during Postecoglou’s first season.
Ultimately, if he’s given time, he should be able to get the team back on track. A top four finish was always an ambitious target based on what happened last season, but any form of European qualification in truth would represent a stark improvement on last term.