Woman who vanished from Hyde Park four months ago 'found safe and well'
Woman who vanished from Hyde Park four months ago is found
Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has posted a touching farewell message to Ange Postecoglou less than an hour after Thomas Frank was confirmed as his replacement.
Postecoglou was relieved of his duties last week despite delivering Spurs’ first trophy since 2008, pipping Manchester United to the Europa League. In contrast, he also suffered a historically poor domestic campaign, winning just 11 matches and finishing 17th.
Most squad members wasted little time in saying their goodbyes as messages of gratitude poured in for the beloved manager.
Micky van de Ven described the move as ‘strange’ in an interview with Dutch television, while Pedro Porro wrote: “Above everything, you gave us one of the greatest moments in the club’s history and for that, you’ll always be celebrated. Wishing you all the very best, boss.”
Many echoed the sentiment, though Romero waited to post his tribute until Frank, formerly of Brentford, had been confirmed as Postecoglou’s successor in a thinly veiled protest against the decision to remove the Australian.
He wrote on Instagram: “Ange, thank you for these two incredible seasons. You’re a fantastic coach, but above all, a great person who deserves the best.
“From day one you paved the way despite the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist.
“Beyond everything, we won a trophy and went down in the history of this beautiful club, which is the only thing that matters.
“I wish you the best because you deserve the best, and thank you for everything.”
Woman who vanished from Hyde Park four months ago 'found safe and well'
Woman who vanished from Hyde Park four months ago is found
New Spurs head coach is tactical flexible and likes to use different formations
Adaptable: New Spurs head coach Thomas Frank
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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick
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While Ange Postecoglou did eventually adapt his style at Tottenham in their run to Europa League glory, his lack of tactical flexibility was a major issue behind the decline in Premier League form that led to his downfall. But that won’t be the case with Thomas Frank.
“Adaptability or tactical flexibility is something I believe a lot in,” said Frank during his seven successful years in charge of Brentford.
Frank favours a possession-based style of football but the Dane is willing to switch his tactical approach in different scenarios and against different opponents.
Brentford played expansive, front-foot football in the Championship but went with a more pragmatic approach after they were promoted to the Premier League.
Frank has used a number of different formations at Brentford. Here, Standard Sport looks at how Spurs could line up under their new head coach.
Frank’s Brentford switched systems fluently
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This was a formation Brentford used frequently as they secured a top-half finish last season.
Right winger Bryan Mbeumo and striker Yoanna Wissa excelled in the system, scoring 39 Premier League goals between them.
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But Mikkel Damsgaard was the real star as the No10 and was voted the Supporters’ Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year at Brentford’s end-of-season awards.
If Frank is to use such a formation at Spurs then it could play into the hands of James Maddison, who would surely relish a role like Damsgaard’s.
James Maddison will hope to have a key role under Frank
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Maddison has shown flashes of brilliance during his time at Spurs, but he has failed to consistently recreate the form he showed at Leicester.
A creative No10 could also help bring the best out of Dominic Solanke upfront and Heung-min Son on the flanks.
Possible line-up: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke
Frank was more than happy to use a back-three at Brentford, especially when he wanted to frustrate teams.
The Bees would play direct and hit teams on the counter, utilising the pace offered by the likes of Kevin Schade and Mbeumo.
Tottenham have the personnel in their squad to play with a back-three and it could also allow help Frank get Archie Gray into the team.
Brentford tried to sign Gray before he joined Spurs last summer and the teenager, or more likely Kevin Danso, could line up in a back-three alongside Cristian Romero (if he is still around) and Micky Van de Ven.
Switching to a back-three would be good news for Archie Gray and Kevin Danso
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Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro are both suited to playing as wing-backs, which is another plus of Frank using a 3-5-2 formation.
The biggest question would be who partners Solanke upfront, but Son has played through the middle before and a change in position could help him after a mixed season.
Possible line-up: Vicario; Gray, Romero, Van de Ven; Porro, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Bergvall, Udogie; Solanke, Son
Brentford shifted from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-3-3 system at times last season, and to good effect.
When playing with three forwards, Frank often fielded the pacy trio of Mbeumo, Schade and Wissa.
A similar set up with Spurs would suit someone like Brennan Johnson, another player Frank tried to sign for Brentford.
Johnson is an ideal fit for a wide spot in Frank’s counter-attacking 4-3-3 system because of his pace.
Frank’s plans for Brennan Johnson will be fascinating
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It would also play into the hands of Wilson Odobert, who has only shown glimpses of his potential so far since moving to Spurs.
The biggest debate in such a system would be who lines up in midfield for Tottenham if they are not playing with a conventional No10.
Dejan Kulusevski may find himself as one of two No8s given his athleticism, while Lucas Bergvall could thrive in a similar role after a strong first season.
Possible line-up: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Odobert.
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As Thomas Frank gets to work at Tottenham, neither party will need reminding of the risks.
Daniel Levy’s decision to sack Ange Postecoglou after leading the club to a first trophy in 17 years was a bold one, for all Spurs’ dismal Premier League form made it almost inevitable.
Postecoglou was hugely popular among the players and the Europa League triumph remains fresh in the minds of supporters.
Frank’s likeable personality should ensure similar dressing-room support and the opinion of fans will be shaped by matters on the pitch come August, but there are further questions for the 51-year-old to answer.
He has done a remarkable job across seven years in the Brentford dugout, operating with a wage bill that in most cases would have resulted in Premier League relegation.
At Spurs, Frank will have greater resources and a crack at the Champions League, but so too increased expectations and an immediate demand for results.
Frank enjoyed his best days at Brentford but now faces a new test
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Most crucial, perhaps, will be adapting to life outside the well-oiled Brentford machine.
“It’s in many ways the perfect job,” Frank said in January. “You can still be ambitious... you can build a club and have a chance to win something. And because the environment, the ownership and everything is so good, it means my day-to-day job is extremely good. That’s worth a lot.”
Recent Tottenham managers have not been queuing up to describe the Spurs job in the same way.
Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte did not make it beyond 18 months, while even a European trophy was not enough for Postecoglou to survive.
At Brentford, Frank has enjoyed a strong relationship with owner Matthew Benham and works closely with director of football Phil Giles and technical director Lee Dykes.
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The club are one of the best run in the country and have maximised every penny, with Frank developing the likes of Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo into key assets.
He was interviewed for the Chelsea job last summer and was also linked with Manchester United, but has been coy about taking the next step.
Frank pondered last summer: “Do I like to try something in the future? Maybe, but it’s not like I need to try something bigger or better because what is better? Who knows?”
He has earned the chance to find out, as Frank prepares to work outside the Brentford bubble for the first time since 2016.
Thomas Frank has reportedly requested the signing of Bryan Mbeumo
John Walton/PA Wire
The Bees provide the ideal structure, but Frank must now prove he can contend with increased responsibility and deliver away from that slick operation.
The scaffolding is very much up at Tottenham as the club undergoes a boardroom overhaul.
Levy’s closest ally Donna Cullen has departed after almost 20 years, while former Arsenal director Vinai Venkatesham is now in place as chief executive.
Chief football officer Scott Munn’s future is also in doubt, and there is talk of a return for Fabio Paratici when his ban for alleged financial irregularities is lifted this month.
The upheaval is significant and it will surely take some time for this new set-up to agree on a shared vision on recruitment, for example.
Technical director Johan Lange, though, is a keen admirer of Frank, having previously worked with him at Danish club Lyngby in 2013.
Frank will also bring some of his coaching staff with him to Spurs, along with set-piece expert Andreas Georgson, who was at Brentford in 2020.
Familiar faces will be crucial for a manager renowned for his tactical flexibility, particularly with training sessions minimised by a packed fixture list. Spurs played 17 more matches than Brentford last season.
It is a job that presents both an opportunity and a challenge for Frank, one that will elevate him as a manager or emphasise just how “perfect” the Brentford environment is.
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Charisma, communication skills and good record of developing players could be key to Brentford boss being a hit in north London
Thomas Frank is closing in on the Tottenham job
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Mauricio Pochettino has ruled himself out of a return to Tottenham for now, but if Thomas Frank becomes the next Spurs manager then they would be hiring a very similar profile of head coach to when they first took a chance on the Argentine more than a decade ago.
Spurs are closing in on the appointment of Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou.
Pochettino spent only 18 months at Southampton before being snapped up by Spurs, whereas Frank has been at Brentford since 2016 and manager since 2018.
But the principle is the same: a charismatic head coach who has overperformed on a tight budget at an upwardly-mobile Premier League club constantly pillaged for its best players. For Pochettino and Southampton then, read Frank and Brentford now.
Frank has done an impressive job in seven years in charge at Brentford
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Frank, 51, has produced a remarkable body of work at Brentford, who he has hauled to new heights in leading them to and then establishing them in the Premier League.
Replacing Postecoglou will not be easy.
The Australian led Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years and had a strong bond with the players, with many said to be unhappy about his brutal sacking two weeks after winning the Europa League.
Postecoglou’s successor will face a huge task to repair the dressing-room damage and Frank’s charisma could be key in getting the players onside early.
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His demeanour at Brentford has shown him to be relaxed and well-humoured under the pressures of being a Premier League manager.
He is one of most emotionally intelligent head coaches around and has a demonstrated a track record of developing players, as Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma, Ivan Toney and his two current stars Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa can attest.
Results will determine how quickly he wins over supporters but Frank has always got his message across well through the media at Brentford.
Frank’s track record at Brentford proves he deserves the chance to manage to a top club
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Frank, who was interviewed for the Chelsea job last summer, has previously worked with Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange.
He has shown he is tactically flexible, he is not wedded to one way of playing and takes a hands-on approach on the training pitch.
Brentford play high-energy, high-efficiency, data-driven football. In the metric of on-field performance relative to wages, Brentford have been top of the Premier League every single season since their 2021 promotion under Frank. He can turn little into a lot.
With more games per season and a new challenge of the Champions League to overcome, can Frank adapt to a grander stage? While he started slowly at both Brondby and Brentford, he has made a success of each and every career step so far.
The decision to make a fresh start under a new manager comes amid the biggest shake-up at Spurs in more than two decades under Enic ownership.
Major changes are being implemented behind the scenes, where a boardroom overhaul continued last week with the departure of Levy’s right-hand woman Donna Cullen.
Cullen had been on the Spurs board since 2006, had a prominent role at the stadium and at the training ground and was seen as Levy’s closest ally.
Yet she stepped down on Monday, the same day former Arsenal director Vinai Venkatesham started work as the club’s new chief executive.
Further changes are expected, with chief football officer Scott Munn’s future in doubt.
Former managing director of football Fabio Paratici has also been linked with a return to Spurs once his worldwide ban - for alleged financial irregularities dating back to his spell at Juventus - is lifted at the end of this month.
The boardroom shake-up is an attempt to place more football expertise closer to Levy, who has always been the club’s decision-maker on a day-to-day basis.
Levy will now have others alongside him with heavy involvement in football matters.
Such changes are with a view to greater success on the pitch amid the possibility of fresh investment, from Enic or elsewhere.
The most important determinant of which direction the club now heads in is who is appointed as head coach.
If hired and then properly backed, Frank could be a success story at Spurs.
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