Here's every single word the under-fire Tottenham Hotspur boss said ahead of the Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund
Thomas Frank faced the media on Monday amid uncertainty about his future at Tottenham ahead of the Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund.
The Spurs boss is under pressure with an angry fanbase calling for his sacking amid a run of eight defeats in 14 matches which culminated in more boos at home after Saturday's defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to 18th-placed West Ham. The club's hierarchy are believed to have been considering their options and now Frank must pick a starting XI from an injury-ravaged squad, with 13 players out injured or unregistered with centre-back Micky van de Ven also suspended.
Spurs will face a Dortmund side on Tuesday that have lost just once in the Bundesliga this season and Frank was quizzed on his future as well as the injury latest at the club.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Frank. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at Hotspur Way.
We're all reporting that discussions have taken place at board level about your future. Can you share what was communicated to you after that?
I’ve just been, how can you say, feeling the trust along the way. I’ve said that at every press meeting … that there is backing and support. I had lunch with Nick [Beucher - Vivienne Lewis' son-in-law] and Vinai [Venkatesham] and Johan [Lange] today, so all good. I know it’s part of the media circus and the only focus I have is to do everything I can for us to win tomorrow against Dortmund.
Your relationship with the fans is in a bad way. Do you ever think it is so broken, that you can’t win the fans back now and it's gone too far?
I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again – as long as we win football matches and make sure we do that, and win enough of them, then everyone will support us. It’s not about me. It’s about supporting Xavi, supporting the team, supporting the players. We are playing a game against a very good German side and we, how can I say, a little bit limited with the players available for the game. So we basically have 11 of our outfield players available, of our normal first-team players.
One of them is Xavi … [a guy] that was out there today that didn’t train today because that was a bad tackle from Bowen … not that Bowen is a bad guy and would do anything intentional. A bad tackle from behind that injured his ankle, he has a swollen ankle but because he’s so strong mentally, he will play through pain tomorrow. So that’s big credit of course to Xavi. And by the way, while we are there, I can’t understand why that isn’t a red card when a red card is when he accidentally put his foot on Van Dijk. Anyway that is a bigger discussion.
So, we have 11 [outfield] players available and we maybe have three players that need to push massively to get through 90 minutes physically. So that’s why we need everyone to support us. And we want them to support us from minute one. All of us. Especially the team. Especially the players. Especially if it’s not going too well. We need them to support us. Because if we do get that support everything can happen. And magic can happen. We have a good opportunity tomorrow. And we go all in for it.
But can you win the fans back around?
Yeah, I'm not in doubt of that. I think you can say in this game, you always need to show resilience. I listened to some interesting things the other day, where the three biggest things in showing resilience is one, you have good values. I see myself as a guy that has pretty good values. Two, you know reality. And reality is one in five (people) normally don't like you, no matter what you do. One in five love you, no matter what you do. Both of them probably biased either way too much.
Then there's the three in five, that if you behave well, respectful, show integrity, do your best, normally that's the way. So no matter what you do, reality is someone will not like you.
But I keep doing what I do, what I believe in. And then the last bit, by the way, have perspective in life, which I have in abundance. So, looking forward to the game tomorrow.
How do you cope with the constant media coverage on your job?
I think you're right. I think if your back is against the wall, you fight. And that's what I do. I'm energetic, I fight. And again, it's not about me. We need to win football matches. And we need to win football matches together. And that's what it's all about.
And we planned well. We are ready, we are focused for the game tomorrow and the players look good.
Have you made your decision yet over picking either Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel?
Yeah, I made the decision. It was not a nice decision to have to make. Unfortunately that’s football, you have to make a decision. With the way the rules are, the only option was it was either Dom or Mathys in the squad.
I chose Dom because… I think Mathys has done very well in the last couple of games and that’s the crazy thing, if I could pick from all the players that are fit, then he would start tomorrow. But I can only pick between the two of them and now he is out of the squad. That’s of course a tough one to take for Mathys.
Joao Palhinha, is he OK?
No. That’s why I said we only have 11 players. When it rains it pours. He’s not available.
There seems to be no quick fix - what are you saying to those above?
I think it’s always very simple in football but also very complex with many moving parts so the thing is we’ve lost four of the last seven by just one goal, all games where we could have got more out of it if the margins had gone our way. We’ve said it a few times, especially the Bournemouth and West Ham games, we could have won it and if we’d been the winning team then it would have been a different story sitting here today.
Liverpool, freak action, of course a red card and suddenly it’s a little bit uphill even though we did a lot of good things. It’s about keeping the noise out, staying calm and carry on. Look at the performances, look at the players, they are still running hard and the last three games - when we’ve been down at half time - and how they’ve come out for the second half and responded is a massive thing.
They responded fantastic and we should have got more out of it. Sometimes it’s just football. That happens when you are in that spell and you search for answers, you ask me for answers and it’s not why are we not scoring, why is it not dropping for us, why is it not going into the top corner. That spell when it’s not going your way is part of it.
But are you still working hard, are you trying hard, are you still believing which I see signs of - clearly - in every game. Then of course - and even the best coach in the world - you are nothing without your players, your best players and it’s fair to say they haven’t been available enough the whole season which makes it a little bit more tricky. But, hey, no problem because I’m happy to take the blame as long as everyone supports the players.
How important are the fans?
The fans are crucial of course. I don’t see any club performing well without the fans supporting, helping and doing everything they can. It’s fair that it’s not been smooth and it’s not been as fluid as we want to. A little bit too much up and down. Unfortunately it’s a results business and there’s a lot of emotions in this as well but there’s a lot of signs it’s going the right way. Then of course when it’s a little bit tricky to play every third or fourth day, that makes it more difficult. We still need to find a way to get over the line but we’re much closer than we think and we just need to keep going.
How close are you to getting regular performances?
I would actually refer to the last seven games. I think they have been quite regularly in the right direction and where it’s such a little thing that needs to drop for us before we win 2-1 against West Ham and 3-2 against Bournemouth and it’s completely different. Even the Villa game, that could also have been drawn. I think we performed, if you look at everything, (well enough) to not necessarily lose any of them and then it’s different. That’s why I think we’re not far away.
Since Tel came back into the side, he’s played well. How do you expect fans to take the news that Tel is out?
I don’t know. I hope people understand it’s not a straightforward decision, it’s him or Dom in the team tomorrow. And it is Mathys that has done well or it’s Dom that has been the main striker, experienced, a voice, that is also with his experience more likely to give a little bit more to everyone else if it’s a little bit tough. So, that’s the decision, I made a decision and I believe of course it’s the right decision and that’s what I went with.
You mentioned you are up for the fight, we don’t always see that side to you, can you tell us about that character and being nasty in the dressing room?
Yeah but how can you say? I think being up for the fight is to get up every morning very early, coming in, preparing and doing everything we can to turn every stone to make sure we are well prepared every single time we go on the pitch, push the staff, push the players, have demands, loads of small conversations, meetings, push everything. I think that is part of it and ready for the fight is also that you keep going. You don’t feel sorry for yourself when things are tough. You put things into a bigger perspective and you do everything you can.
I definitely know I can look at myself and know I am doing everything to make things right. Again, now it is me and we all know if we want success, it cannot only be about me and Xavi. It is about 25 players, me, the whole staff, ownership, leadership, so I know I am the man in the middle at the moment. Fair enough, I am more than happy to take all the blame as long as I protect the players and they back the players everyone, including fans and journalists. I just keep doing what I am doing. I am not in doubt that is the right thing, I am not in doubt that will turn but of course we need to win more football matches.
Going back to the fans tomorrow night. I mean, your place in the play-offs isn't yet secure, so how important against really dominant, experienced opposition tomorrow night is that support and not having a toxic atmosphere?
It is crucial. I completely understand the emotion in football and what it means for every fan that is involved. I completely, completely understand that. But also really, really understand how it is when people walk out on that pitch. The more they feel the energy and the support, no matter what, the better they perform. And we need that tomorrow. And I think the biggest thing, look at the players, are they running hard? Yes, they are. Then support them.
You said that you had lunch with Vinai, Nick and Johan today, did they give you any clarity or any assurances that if it doesn't go the way you want tomorrow night, about what the future holds?
I think it's a nice question. I haven't heard any situation like that in football where they say 'hey, mate, if you win tomorrow, no problem. If you lose tomorrow, no problem'.
We had a good conversation about life and football, the future of the club, everything normal, like you do. Of course, there's a little bit, how would we say, stormy weather out there. I just think it's an extremely good sign, because normally people are running away if there's bad news or bad weather coming, they're normally not coming in and being friendly for lunch.
