Just over seven months after being named as Ange Postecoglou's successor at Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank could be about to share his fate.
After the glory of Bilbao and the Europa League final triumph in May, Frank's arrival was met with a mixed response from the Spurs fanbase. But after an impressive start to his tenure, a slide down the table prompted by a shocking home record has many predicting the end of the Dane's time in charge.
Frank's reign has been nothing if not uneventful. He came within minutes of lifting a trophy in his first match as head coach but on Saturday left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to the tune of "You're getting sacked in the morning" after a woeful home defeat to relegation-threatened West Ham.
Where has it all gone wrong?
Winless Wolves come within minutes of victory in north London
Sept. 27: Tottenham 1-1 Wolves
After an encouraging start to the season highlighted by a win over Manchester City, Frank's wings were clipped by a lacklustre draw with Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs would have gone second with a victory and yet struggled to create chances against a Wolves side that had lost their opening five Premier League matches.
Santiago Bueno's 54th-minute goal had the visitors on the brink of a shock away win that would have relieved some of the pressure on then-head coach Vitor Pereira, but summer recruit João Palhinha rescued a point for Spurs in stoppage time.
It was the first sign of two of the most prominent issues plaguing Frank's team: a woeful home record and an inability to implement the attractive style of play with which Spurs have long been associated. -- Tom Chambers
Blunt attacking display raises eyebrows
Nov. 1: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea
With fan opinion on Frank starting to sour, Spurs picked the worst time possible to put in one of their worst attacking displays in their modern history.
Against a Chelsea team considered to be their second biggest rivals, Spurs managed three shots during the match (one on target), amassing a pitiful xG of 0.1.
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, meanwhile, posted 3.68 xG with only Guglielmo Vicario's creditable display between the sticks saving Spurs from a thrashing.
"That hurts massively," Frank said after the game. "I have never been in charge of a team that has created that little in one game." -- Tom Chambers
Spurs no-show in north London derby
Nov. 23: Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
A positive north London derby result would have made Frank an instant hero in N17, but instead of an inspiring display, Spurs were thrashed 4-1 by their biggest rivals.
Even with numerous key players out injured, Arsenal proved far too strong for Spurs with Richarlison's audacious 40-yeard lob ending up as a footnote on a painful day for the Spurs faithful.
The fact that three of Arsenal's four goals were scored by Eberechi Eze -- he had dramatically opted to join the Gunners over Frank's side in the summer -- only served to rub more salt into the wound.
Spurs' domestic miseries in recent years have played out in the shadow of Arsenal's return to title-challenging form and the unfavourable comparisons with Arteta's team have not helped a succession of Spurs head coaches. -- Tom Chambers
Frank's Spurs outclassed by Forest
Dec. 14: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Tottenham
After saving Spurs against Chelsea one month earlier, Vicario had a game to forget as his side were outclassed at the City Ground.
Vicario was partly at fault for Callum Hudson-Odoi's opener and was later caught out by an overhit cross from the winger that put the game beyond Spurs' reach.
Ibrahim Sangaré's sumptuous strike later put some gloss on the scoreline for Sean Dyche's men.
Spurs' lacklustre performance came after confidence-building wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague but the manner of the defeat brought Frank under fresh scrutiny. -- Tom Chambers
- Tottenham chief: Team 'fallen short', more quality and leadership needed
- Cristian Romero calls for togetherness amid 'disaster' Spurs run
- Premier League table
Dr. Tottenham comes to Bournemouth's aid
Jan. 7: Bournemouth 3-2 Tottenham
Spurs headed to the Vitality Stadium with just one win in their last five, including two draws to start the new year against Brentford and Sunderland.
Their hosts, however, had not won in the league since the end of October -- and sat in 15th, having slumped from from their highest of second two months prior.
Trailing in the second half, João Palhinha's superb overhead kick seemed to have rescued Frank's side a point. Antoine Semenyo, however, was not closed down in the 95th minute, and his strike from outside the area condemned Spurs to another defeat.
As if Frank thought his day couldn't have been made any worse, a photo of him mistakenly sipping from an Arsenal-branded cup before kick-off spread like wildfire on social media.
Bournemouth's three points ended an 11-match winless run, adding further proof for the appropriateness of Spurs' 'Dr. Tottenham' moniker, such is their liking for treating their opponents' ailments. -- Shivam Pathak
West Ham put Frank on the brink
Jan. 17: Tottenham 1-2 West Ham
Ten days later, booing from the Spurs faithful reached its most deafening and calls for Frank's departure grew impossible to ignore.
This time, they faced 19th-placed West Ham who, similarly to Bournemouth, had not won in 10 Premier League matches. Earlier in the day, an open letter from Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham told fans that the "men's first team has fallen short of where we want to be so far this season." Their performance did little to disprove that.
Frank first felt the fans' displeasure when the half-time whistle blew. However, a second-half equaliser from Cristian Romero sparked belief that they could grab a winner but instead of a rousing comeback victory, the Spurs fans were treated to the sight of Callum Wilson bundling in from a corner in stoppage time.
If Frank thought he had been through the worst of it at half-time, the referee's final whistle brought a chorus of boos and chants of "You're getting sacked in the morning" echoing down from the south stand. -- Shivam Pathak
