BBC

Thomas Frank has a reputation within football as a manager who detects problems and finds solutions. Now he must solve the seemingly never-ending puzzle that is Tottenham Hotspur.

The dysfunctional nature of Spurs was graphically illustrated by chairman Daniel Levy's decision to follow his long-term habit of sacking managers who do not win trophies by sacking the one who finally did.

Ange Postecoglou may have ended the club's 17-year wait for success by winning the Europa League, but that was still not enough for Levy after a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

Into this conundrum walks 51-year-old Frank - the charismatic and warm Dane who will swap the structure and stability of Brentford for the precarious, unwieldy beast that is Spurs.

It is a move laced with risk for Frank, because this is Spurs and his chairman will be Levy, but it is one his naturally confident nature will embrace and is a step up in profile his impressive work at Brentford has earned.

Frank has been hugely successful in establishing the Bees in the Premier League while playing high-intensity, entertaining football - catching the eye of hard-to-please Levy.

Other managers regularly speak in admiring tones about Frank's work, with the belief being that eventually he would leave Brentford to take on a high-pressure, high-profile job. Even six-time Premier League winner Pep Guardiola said it was "just a question of time".

The time is now.

The Champions League awaits, and so does a mission to revive Spurs as a Premier League force.

What is clear is they have turned to a man whose career remains on an upwards curve.

Frank's playing career may have only taken in the Danish amateur game - he even spent time working in a kindergarten - but he progressed successfully as a coach through the Denmark national youth teams to Brondby, before joining Brentford as an assistant in 2016, then succeeding Dean Smith as head coach two years later when Smith moved to Aston Villa.

That enabled Frank to build the body of work that attracted admiring glances before Spurs and Levy were finally in the position to lure him from Brentford, where he was such a beloved figure and where supporters will be heartbroken, even if they had guessed this day would eventually come.

In each of Frank's four seasons leading Brentford in the Premier League, doubts were expressed about their ability to survive. They have not only defied those grim predictions, but have nearly always done it with comfort.

In 2021-22 Brentford finished 13th, before climbing to ninth the following year.

The season that brought most concern was 2023-24, when the Bees finished 16th. In mitigation, that was the campaign during which main striker Ivan Toney served an eight-month ban for breaching Football Association betting rules, not returning to action until late January.

In a further demonstration of Frank's talents, even when Toney signed for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League after playing for England at Euro 2024, Brentford were able to regroup and finish 10th with a progressive attacking style centred on attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.

Frank's Brentford hit a rich attacking seam as Mbeumo, who looks set to follow the coach out of the exit door, scored 20 goals and had seven assists in the Premier League, and Wissa had 19 goals and four assists.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby knows his countryman well, watching Brentford regularly in his role as a main Premier League football analyst in Denmark.

Molby told BBC Sport: "He sees problems and solves problems. It's a great strength for any manager to have.

"There have been a couple of seasons when people have thought Brentford would struggle that year, but they didn't. He kept finding new solutions.

"Who would have thought after losing Ivan Toney he would be able to produce a pair like he has done this season, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa?

"Thomas has earned the right and he's got what it takes. I think it's a really exciting appointment for Spurs."

Molby also believes Frank's character and man-management style will help him overcome any early obstacles with players hurt by Postecoglou's sacking, and with fans looking for signs of how he measures up to the task.

"I just have this feeling that for all those things people might be worried about - his career in Denmark, never having managed a club like this - the players will like him," Molby said.

"They will like the clarity. They will like his personality, his honesty. He is a very good man-manager. I think he'll be absolutely fine. In the end, it boils down to what he does on the pitch, but I think he's got all the tools to do the job.

"His big strength is he's very clear with the players. He will say: 'This is what I expect and if we all get that we'll be OK.'

"Thomas is very open. He's a great communicator, which is very important. He's got time for everybody. He doesn't feel the need to pull the wool over anyone's eyes. He's clear in what he wants."

There is a particular reason Molby believes Frank will be the ideal fit for Spurs.

"I see a squad ready to play Thomas Frank football," Molby said.

"It is about putting the opposition under pressure at every given opportunity. The one thing you don't want to do as a team is defend. He likes to put the opposition under pressure.

"That is in open play, set-pieces. He makes no bones about his use of long throw-ins. Put teams under pressure. Play long. Play quick. He is adaptable tactically as well."

Frank has tailored Brentford's style so they are not quite as reliant on set-pieces. Excluding penalties, 33.3% of their goals came from set plays in 2021-22, followed by 31%, 19.6% and 21.2% in the subsequent three seasons.

Frank's lap of honour with his players around Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, often when one of the Premier League's elite names had been defeated, became a familiar sight - his common touch often leading him to acknowledge faces in the crowd with whom he became familiar.

He also strikes the balance between the pressures of the top flight and enjoying his victories, often talking about his "few glasses of red" when basking in the afterglow of a win.

It might be harder to employ the personal touch at one of the game's aspiring superpowers in a magnificent 60,000-capacity stadium, but anyone who has been in close proximity to Frank would see a genuine people person as well as a shrewd football strategist.

There is unquestionably an element of a gamble in leaving the comfort zone and sound structure of Brentford under owner Matthew Benham and director of football Phil Giles. Levy-led Spurs are a very different specimen.

When Postecoglou was sacked, the Australian left as the man who delivered long-awaited silverware, with many players upset and a large portion of support torn over whether he should have been given a third season.

"No doubt there is risk," said Molby. "As much as people look at the season Spurs have had, they have just picked up a trophy after 17 years. Players have come out and spoken about their respect for Ange Postecoglou.

"Often, you take over at a club where the previous manager has been run out of town, but that's not quite been the case at Spurs. Even though they had a poor Premier League season, it was still maybe 50/50 whether Spurs wanted to keep Ange, so he needs to hit the ground running.

"I think Thomas is pragmatic enough to do what he feels is needed, whereas Ange was maybe a little bit stubborn.

"The big question is whether that is enough. What is enough for Spurs? Ange won a European trophy but it didn't save him. I would suggest top five - but that is a big ask after where they finished last season."

Frank has, however, has served his apprenticeship, moving through the managerial gears in Denmark then England.

He has earned, and deserves, the elite stage Spurs will give him.

Tottenham have appointed Brentford boss Thomas Frank as their head coach on a deal until 2028.

The 51-year-old Dane replaces Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked earlier this month despite leading Spurs to victory in the Europa League final in May.

Frank spent seven years in charge of Brentford, guiding the club from the Championship to the Premier League in 2021.

He is Tottenham's fourth permanent manager since June 2021.

Spurs finished 17th in the top flight last season, losing 22 of their 38 matches and finishing seven places and 18 points below Brentford.

Thomas Frank appears destined to succeed Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, following in the footsteps of a coach who secured a first trophy in 17 years for the north London side.

Postecoglou's style of play proved divisive, with a notoriously high line featuring prominently before being ditched for the crucial Europa League final run-in.

But what changes might Frank bring? The Brentford boss is known for his use of data in the game, previously stating he is not a lover of shots from outside the box.

Last season, 23% of Brentford's efforts came from outside the area, compared to 28% of Spurs'. This, one would think, is an area where change is likely if Frank brings his desire to not waste good positions with pot-shots with him from the Gtech.

Brentford's mark was the lowest in the league, with champions Liverpool another side taking a lowly 26% of shots from outside the box. Strugglers Ipswich (39%), Wolves (38%) and Manchester United (36%) were at the other end of the spectrum.

There is also a perception Frank's teams are direct and 'put it in the mixer' in the modern game, but this may only be true up to a point.

Last season, Brentford attempted 675 crosses, while Spurs - often seen as easy on the eye - delivered 752 crosses. Again, much like with his focus on shot selection, Frank may bring with him the need to be more picky in wide areas, crossing only when there is merit.

Two statistics that stand out, though, are his side's willingness to compete in the air, with last season's 1,210 aerial duels the highest figure in the league and dwarfing Tottenham's 872. The 2023-24 campaign saw an even bigger gulf.

Expect Tottenham, then, to contest things that bit more but, as with shots from long range or crosses, Frank seems to want to be smart when it comes to competing. His side have fouled far less than Spurs across the past two seasons and hence discipline may come to the fore if he takes charge.

Only Manchester City committed fewer fouls than Brentford last season.

One way to concede fewer goals from dead balls is to give fewer dead balls away. Frank's success has been built upon such logic all over the pitch and humble yet effective tweaks are seemingly on the way at Spurs.

Spurs close in on Frank appointment as new boss

After being sacked by Tottenham, Ange Postecoglou went on holiday where he happened to be staying at the same hotel as Spurs fan Jeremy Conrad who sent him a letter which has since gone viral.

Jeremy said the letter was to thank the former manager for helping to “rebuild the connection between the fan base and the club”.

“He wouldn’t sit there and take abuse aimed at the club, he stuck up for us and truly is one of our own.”

Postecoglou thanked Jeremy by taking a picture with him and giving him signed a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.

This clip is originally from the 8th June 2025.

"I probably won't be at Brentford forever," Thomas Frank told BBC Sport in January when asked about his ambitions. "I will maybe walk into another club."

That club could be Tottenham Hotspur, who finished 17th in the Premier League table - seven places below Brentford - but will play in the Champions League next season after winning the Europa League.

Spurs have closed the door on the Ange Postecoglou era and are bidding to replace him with the Dane who established Brentford in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship in 2021.

Frank, 51, is the second-longest-serving current manager in English football's top-flight behind Manchester City's Pep Guardiola.

"It is just a question of time," said six-time Premier League-winning boss Guardiola last September, when asked if he was surprised Frank, appointed by Brentford in 2018, had not been offered a bigger job.

Frank did not play football professionally, external but has overseen 152 Premier League games - winning 54, losing 60 and taking 200 points from a possible 456.

Of the 54 managers to take charge of 150-plus games in the Premier League era, Frank ranks 29th for points per game (1.32).

During his Brentford reign, Frank has spent £254m on players and received £183m in sales - a net spend of £71m. Tottenham have spent £961m on transfers since 2016-17, according to FootballTransfer.com data., external

Frank, who has been described as the opposite of Postecoglou for his adaptability, would be Tottenham's fourth permanent manager since 30 June 2021.

Nuno Espirito Santo lasted just four months, Antonio Conte 16 months and Postecoglou, despite ending the club's 17-year wait for a major trophy, has been sent packing after two years.

"There's much more pressure at Tottenham than there is at Brentford, because of the expectation - and the manager has to handle that expectation," Chris Sutton, a Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95, told BBC Sport.

Frank's boundless energy and motivational skills have got the very best out of Brentford, who are planning for a fifth consecutive season in the Premier League despite one of the smallest budgets.

He has built a reputation for producing teams full of strong characters with no egos, and has helped the likes of Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa become better players - as well as many others.

Often described as a 'great human', Frank built strong relationships and socialised with his players and staff - including his love of padel - and has been praised regularly for his motivational skills.

Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Thomas is very personal with the players.

"He cares a lot about how we are and how we feel. It's a very important quality for a manager to have.

"Not every manager has it, and the ones that do seem to have more success. He's definitely a leader and someone who guides us. He's done a fantastic job in the years that I've worked with him at Brentford."

Managing Brentford feels a very different proposition to managing Spurs though - moving from a club with consistently one of the lowest budgets in the division, to one full of high-paid, high-profile players.

Sutton described Tottenham's decision to part ways with Postecoglou as "madness", and added: "That is how things work at the club that Frank is walking into."

He also also believes Spurs are taking a gamble on a manager who has no experience in the Champions League.

"Thomas Frank has done a brilliant job at Brentford, but this is a whole different kettle of fish," said Sutton.

"Because of the expectation at Tottenham, Frank won't get time to get his feet under the table. He will be under pressure from the off.

"Postecoglou has just won them their first major European trophy for 41 years and has gone. So already you have to wonder what does Frank need to do this season to keep his job?

"The aim for Frank will be to keep them in the Champions League, and whether that is by making the top four or five, that is not going to be easy.

"That is a big ask for this squad, to compete on both fronts. We know this Tottenham team is better than 17th place, because they finished fifth in Postecoglou's first year, but other Premier League teams have improved since then."

Brentford finished 2024-25 with more points than Tottenham (56 compared with 38), more goals (66-64) and fewer goals conceded (57-65).

In addition, Mbeumo (20), Wissa (19) and Kevin Schade (11) scored 50 goals between them after Frank was forced to adapt following the departure of Toney - 36 goals in 83 top-flight appearances for the Bees - to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.

There have been many different versions of Brentford though since Frank first took charge. High-possession football, more counter-attacks, more percentage football - Frank has played them all, leading to many seeing him as one of the game's more adaptive coaches.

From attacking flair and bravery, to at times being more pragmatic, what will Spurs look like under Frank?

"It's a surprisingly difficult question to answer because he's a really flexible manager," said football tactics writer Alex Keble.

"He will automatically adapt his tactics to whoever the opposition is, a bit like Unai Emery at Aston Villa.

"In many ways he's the opposite of Ange Postecoglou, who is famously wedded to one idea.

"There's a statistic - what Opta call 10+ - referring to the number of passes and sequences [in one move]. In 2023-24 Brentford registered 245. In 2024-25 that figure was 325.

"That tells you as time has gone on, Frank has wanted to play a more possession-based game. There's certainly plenty of counter-attacks, fast transitions and plenty of highly choreographed long balls forward - direct football."

Who are the Tottenham players who could benefit from the arrival of Frank, a manager who pays great attention to stats?

"You can certainly imagine Dominic Solanke linking with Wilson Odobert in a way Wissa and Mbeumo interact," added Keble.

"Defensively, Tottenham are least like Brentford. Would Frank look at the Spurs squad and think 'I can't play Brentford football here?'"

Spurs fans struggled to buy into the brand of football under recent managers Jose Mourinho and Conte. Will they take to the Frank style?

"I think the way he played at Brentford was quite balanced - they had different ways of playing, depending on the opposition," added Sutton.

"His Brentford team played good football at a high intensity, but ultimately fans take to managers when they win games, and that is it.

"I do think he has got different strings to his bow, but it will be interesting to see what Tottenham do recruitment-wise this summer."

Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy is another to praise Frank's flexible approach.

"They had a great intensity and physicality about them," Murphy told BBC Sport about Brentford last season. "They vary their game as well as any other team in the Premier League."

Frank, praised for his methodical detail, has likened managing in the Premier League to being a head chef in a high-end restaurant.

"The chef needs to be able to cook the food himself," said Frank.

"He's got 20 other chefs doing all these things for him so he's leading all these many chefs through his vision, his recipes and they are maximising every little detail.

"But he knows how the perfect outcome should be."

His profile has rocketed since he arrived in England in 2016, being appointed Brentford's assistant head coach, external under Dean Smith.

Despite not playing professionally he has ended up in the Premier League after starting his coaching journey with the under-8s of his hometown club Frederiksvaerk.

He progressed to become coach of Denmark at various youth levels until 2013, when he was offered a first-team coaching role at Danish Superliga giants Brondby.

Former striker Lee Rochester Sorensen, who was part of the Denmark Under-17s side, said: "He was always looking to improve and had a plan for every step of the way.

"Thomas always had a plan A, B and C, making it clear what was needed through the four phases of play, from our goalkeeper to our attackers - he'd tell us how to press our opponents and the reasons why."

Ex-Brondby midfielder Martin Ornskov enjoyed Frank's collaborative approach during their time together at the club.

"There were times when he'd discuss solutions with us during games," he said. "Far from seeing it as a weakness, I saw that as a strength.

"I knew he'd be liked as a person and could evolve as a coach, but to work in the Premier League without having the experience or being a big name was a huge test.

"But the thing about Thomas was he was always so curious about football - he lived for the game. I saw a different coach at the end of my three years with him."

After Frank Lampard left his role as Chelsea boss in 2023, Frank invited the former England midfielder to watch Brentford train.

"When you see someone like Thomas and how diligent he is and how well he speaks, you understand he has put thousands of hours into viewing, observing, working out his way, his approach to people," Lampard, now boss at Coventry City, told the Football Daily podcast.

BBC Radio London commentator Phil Parry added: "Thomas Frank as a manager is exceptionally gifted, as a person he's great - he's an exceptional coach and leader.

"He also accepts he is the head of something that is very important. He stands on the shoulders of other giants who make that thing tick."

Chris Sutton was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

Tottenham are moving towards appointing Brentford boss Thomas Frank as their new head coach following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou.

Brentford are expecting a formal approach from Tottenham in the coming days but there has been no confirmation so far of dialogue between the two clubs.

The Dane, 51, has emerged as a leading contender to replace Postecoglou.

Brentford would be entitled to compensation for Frank, with sources indicating it would cost Tottenham more than £10m to extract him from his contract which runs until 2027.

That figure could rise depending on how many members of staff Frank decides to bring with him if he is named Spurs boss.

Postecoglou was sacked on Friday, 16 days after leading them to victory in the Europa League final, their first major trophy for 17 years.

However, it came towards the end of their worst Premier League season, as they finished 17th after losing 22 of their 38 matches.

Frank took over at Brentford in 2018 and guided them into the Premier League, winning the Championship play-off final at Wembley in 2021 and establishing them as a top-flight club on a small budget.

Brentford finished 10th in the Premier League this season, seven places and 18 points above Spurs.

'Frank is the opposite of Postecoglou'

Alex Keble

Football tactics writer

Thomas Frank is a really flexible manager. He will automatically adapt his tactics to whoever the opposition is, a bit like Unai Emery at Aston Villa.

In many ways he's the opposite of Ange Postecoglou, who is famously wedded to one idea.

There's a statistic - what Opta call 10+ - referring to the number of passes and sequences [in one move]. In 2023-24 Brentford registered 245. In 2024-25 that figure was 325.

That tells you as time has gone on, Frank has wanted to play a more possession-based game. There's certainly plenty of counter-attacks, fast transitions and plenty of highly choreographed long balls forward, direct football.

You can certainly imagine Dominic Solanke linking with Wilson Odobert in a way Wissa and Mbeumo interact," added Keble.

Defensively, Tottenham are least-like Brentford. Would Frank look at the Spurs squad and think: 'I can't play Brentford football here?'

Why was Postecoglou sacked?

It's worth reminding ourselves: Why exactly was Ange Postecoglou sacked 16 days after leading Tottenham to a first piece of major silverware in 17 years?

The main factor behind club chairman Daniel Levy's decision to sack the manager was Tottenham's dismal league campaign.

Spurs lost 22 of their 38 Premier League games, resulting in a 17th place finish and their worst ever Premier League campaign.

Though many of Tottenham's players posted heart-felt farewell messages on social media following Postecoglou's dismisal, things weren't always rosey behind the scenes.

There were internal tensions regarding Spurs' awful injury record this term, no doubt a contributing factor to poor performances.

"It's been the blame game," one well-placed source told BBC Sport.

Postecoglou was left frustrated by Spurs' failure to sign his main targets last summer, including Desire Doue, now a Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain.

Postecoglou likely would have been sacked shortly after the Europa League final had Spurs lost to Manchester United, but Levy wanted to put time between the emotional outpouring that came after the victory in Bilbao and making his final decision.

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Would Frank be right appointment for Spurs?

We asked you early if you were in favour of Thomas Frank becoming the next Tottenham manager.

At the last count, thumbs down had it, with 1,408 compared to 1,271 thumbs up.

Maybe this was not the right question, though.

Rather than asking whether you are in favour of the move, maybe the question should be:

Do you believe Thomas Frank would be the right appointment for Tottenham?

Thumbs up for yes, down for no.

Post

Craig Nelson

BBC Sport reporter

We have already had plenty of people citing Nuno Espirito Santo's short tenure at Spurs as a template for how they believe things would pan out for Thomas Frank, should he be appointed manager.

Nuno arrived following a solid few seasons as Wolves boss in the Premier League and has since shown that was not a flash in the pan by helping to guide Nottingham Forest into Europe.

Readers are now holding up former Brighton manager Graham Potter's unsuccessful time at Chelsea as another cautionary tale...

Pochettino rules himself out

As mentioned, inevitably, Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with the vacant managerial position at Tottenham.

The former Spurs boss still holds a place in fans' hearts five-and-a-half years after he was sacked by Daniel Levy. After all, he did lead Spurs on a memorable run to the 2019 Champions League final.

However, Pochettino - who was appointed United States men's team manager in October 2024 - has ruled himself out of the running.

"Today it's not realistic," said Pochettino. "Look where I am. Look where we [his backroom staff] are. The answer is so clear.

"Since I left in 2019, my name has always been on the list [of rumours]. I've seen the rumours.

"If something happens [in the future], you for sure will see, but I am so happy in this moment and we cannot talk about this type of thing."

'Heat on Frank straight away'

Chris Sutton

Former Premier League striker for BBC Sport

Thomas Frank has done a brilliant job at Brentford but this is a whole different kettle of fish.

Because of the expectation at Tottenham, Frank won't get time to get his feet under the table. He won't have a chance to put his slippers on and work things out about his squad, because he will be under pressure from the off.

Ange Postecoglou has just won them their first major European trophy for 41 years and has gone. So already you have to wonder what does Frank need to do this season to keep his job?

The aim for Frank will be to keep them in the Champions League, and whether that is by making the top four or five, that is not going to be easy.

We've seen how the demands of Champions League football has affected the league form of teams like Newcastle and Aston Villa in the past couple of years, especially now there are so many group games.

That is a big ask for this squad, to compete on both fronts.

We know this Tottenham team is better than 17th place, because they finished fifth in Postecoglou's first year, but other Premier League teams have improved since then.

Managing the revolving door at Brentford

Alex Brotherton

BBC Sport journalist

Little has fazed Thomas Frank during his tenure at Brentford, especially not player sales.

The reality of being a small fish in a big pond is that Brentford have to sell their top talents when suitable offers come in - key players Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, David Raya, Said Benrahma and Neal Maupay fetched a combined fee of over £124 million.

This summer the Bees have already received an offer for striker Bryan Mbeumo worth £45m plus £10m in add-ons.

But Frank and the club's recruitment department have always found a way to replace top players with promising talents at cheaper prices.

That ability to cope with losing key players could come in handy at Spurs.

Frank starts fast

One noteable thing about Thomas Frank's Brentford this season was their appetite for scoring early goals.

The Bees scored inside 40 seconds in three successive Premier League games in September, a strategy devised by Frank and his coaching staff to catch opponents off guard.

"Of course there is planning that goes into it," Frank said. "We have a kick-off strategy and we tweak it from game to game. And as a mindset and philosophy, we like to get straight on the front foot and be positive.

"There are some margins going our way of course, but I want to give credit to the coaching staff and the players."

Tottenham have sacked head coach Robert Vilahamn after two years in charge.

The Swede led Spurs to their first Women's FA Cup final in May 2024 but his side finished second-bottom in this season's Women's Super League.

Relegated Crystal Palace were the only side to concede more goals than Tottenham and the club's points tally of 20 was 11 fewer than they recorded in the 2023-24 campaign.

"There have been some special moments during Robert's tenure," said women's managing director Andy Rogers.

"However, results and performances this season have not been to the level we would expect and now is the right time to make a change."

Tottenham Hotspur have exercised the option to extend Wales defender Ben Davies' contract, which will now run until the summer of 2026.

The 32-year-old is Spurs' longest-serving player, having joined from Swansea City in 2014.

Davies' current deal was due to expire this summer and Tottenham say they are "delighted" he will be staying for the 2025-26 season.

Capable of playing at left-back or centre-back, Davies has made 358 appearances in all competitions for Spurs, scoring nine goals and captaining the team 13 times.

He is currently with the Wales squad preparing for Monday's World Cup qualifier in Belgium.

Davies has regularly worn the captain's armband for his country in the absence of injured midfielder Aaron Ramsey and led Wales to a 3-0 win over Liechtenstein on Friday.