Thomas Frank had to face plenty of questions at his press conference on Friday afternoon ahead of Tottenham's match at Manchester City in the Premier League.
Spurs make their way to the Etihad Stadium for their match against Pep Guardiola's side on Saturday after an opening game win against Burnley. The City match has taken a back seat this week though in the news to the failed transfer for Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.
Tottenham eventually managed to agree a deal with the Eagles for the 27-year-old only for Arsenal to make a late move and sign him. The failed move comes a month after Spurs thought they had a deal done for Morgan Gibbs-White only for that to get complicated and then the midfielder signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest.
At his press conference Frank was asked about the Eze situation as well as the transfer business he wants in the remaining days of the window and also the latest injury news.
Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Frank. Here's a full transcript containing every word said during the press conference at Hotspur Way.
What's the latest team news and when can you expect Dejan Kulusevski back?
Destiny is better. He's trained with the team twice, full trainings, and also other trainings. Just too short to be involved for City. We want him to train tomorrow and have another good week next week as well, but he's in a good place. Looks very positive about him. Biss will miss this game as well. Kulusevski's out. I think that's a longer one. I don't want to put a timeframe on it.
You've had some public transfer misses with Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, how frustrating is it to miss out on just getting them over the line?
In general, of course, you know I don't speak about specific players unless they are at our fantastic club, and I'm more than happy to speak about all our players. So that's one thing. Secondly, and there's been a lot of rumours linking us with a lot of players. Also players where I think 'Oh, he's been linked with us? Interesting'. But a lot of times where it's definitely nothing in it, that's part of the business we talked about before.
There must be someone out there that thinks it's good fun to put the rumours out there. But anyway, there'll be a lot of links. There has been a lot of links. There'll a lot of links in the future.
And just to generalise that, to make it very, very clear, I don't want any players that don't want to come to the club. Who don't want to come to the club and wear this fantastic badge -- we don't want them here. I think that's very clear, and also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same if they don't want to put the fantastic shirt over their head. Play for the badge, play for the club. Really enjoy it. No problem, then we don't them there. I think that's a key message.
What would be your message to the Tottenham fans?
I think, as I said, there's a couple of things. I said it many times. I'll say it again. The club is working very hard to see if we can strengthen the squad, and we only want to strengthen the squad with players that we think are good enough, who can improve the squad. So that's what they've done from the beginning, and they will continue doing to the end of the window.
What can you say about Richarlison's future?
Right now he's my starting nine. Scored two fantastic goals, he had two top games, he's the Brazilian No9. He is a very good player so I'm very happy with him. Richy wants to stay, I want to keep him, there's been no talks about anything else. He's done well for us.
How do you view the number of creative players in your squad and are club actively looking in that area?
We just played the first game and scored three goals so I think that was pretty promising. I know it's a long season and we need enough players and players with different abilities. I think in some of the players we have, Kudus has got that spark and creativity. Wilson does very well, I think Mathys Tel can play different positions. We've got two good strikers in Dom and Richy and then Brennan the deep runner. I think we've got variation up the pitch. But again we look out there and if there is anything that can strengthen it and that is in all areas then we are open for it.
What's the best approach to getting a result away at City?
I don't think there's a go-to system or go-to approach. There is something we're working hard on with our principles. The main thing is we need to go there and be brave. We need to have enough spells on the ball where we can control phase one and two. That will be a big area. I think it's a team that has been except for last year I think the four or five years before that probably the best team in the world. There is no doubt that they want to bounce back.
They've definitely been active in the transfer window. If I know Pep well enough, he'll do everything to have demands but also to push the players and want to bounce back, and they will come flying out. We definitely need to be good on the defensive side of the game but that is not only low. It is also hopefully being brave on the high pressure. I think it's about brave and aggressive are two key words.
What kind of message would a positive result at Etihad send?
The next game is the most important game and that is against City. One of the three big contenders for the title. We know they are a fantastic team, fantastic manager. To get a result there but also with a good performance, that would just build a bit on the momentum and the bits we have here. We're fully confident, we believe we can get a result there. That's what we're playing for, to be brave but also extremely respectful about Manchester City.
You say you only want players who want to play for the club, so is it a positive then that the player you were chasing, an Arsenal supporter who wanted to go to Arsenal, has gone to Arsenal?
I don't know about whoever the players, whoever they support, I do not actually care too much about it. We all have a past. The main thing is if the player wants to come or doesn't want to come. So if they are from Spain, Denmark, Brazil, it doesn't matter if they want to come. Perfect.
To that end, this summer Spurs, in a high profile manner, were chasing two players, one at Forest and one at Palace, presumably that money is still there for you to spend in the next 10 days in whatever position on the pitch you feel you need to spend it on?
The correct is that we are in the market and we will look to see if we can strengthen the team. That's the main bit and that's what we are focusing on. We need to have some good processes really to work hard to see if we can strengthen it. But again, I've said it before, I think we got a good squad, we've got good players. I just saw 23 committed players working very hard, working very hard on the game plan for Man City tomorrow, and that's what I'm excited about.
So despite the long term injuries you have with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min having left the club, you're confident off the back of that, that if you don't sign anybody between now and the closing of the transfer window, this club is well equipped to be very competitive in the Premier League and the Champions League?
I think it's a good question. Of course we need to do everything we can to make sure we are as competitive as possible. I think we've got six good front players that I think is very competitive, across all the competition we're going into, and then Kulusevski, he will come back in this season. I think that's a big thing. It's probably longer term with Maddison unfortunately, but I am also pretty confident that we will sign a player before the end of the window.
In terms of numbers, you've had two new faces in Kudus and Palhinha come in, but then Son has left and Maddison is out, is the squad really any stronger than the one you inherited when you first came in?
Erm, you can say that's two players in, two players out, so probably pretty similar I would say, but also, as I said, I think in my first press conference, was that I think it's a good squad. I think there's some talented players. I think there's some quality players in there as well so probably the same level, but I think that's good.
Then it's up to me together with the players and the staff to make sure we can compete, and then as I said, we do what we can to strengthen it.
Ideally, every manager would like players in early because you can work with them, but is there any fear that with 10 days left we're at the stage where the club is trying to sign players from clubs that at this point don't want to sell them because it's so late in the window?
I don't know, I think in general I think any club wants to sign as early as possible. I don't think anyone would want to do that differently. If it was that easy, then everyone could do it. I'm a positive guy. I'm not that fearful if that makes sense. I believe that something will happen.
On the tour you mentioned a natural process of the recruitment side getting to know you better and streamlining that process as Brentford's was, where are you with that?
No, I think that is an ongoing process. That is every day, every week and how we do things, how we understand each other, how we understand let’s say the type of football I play, how I see the game, so that will only grow over time. To expect it to be perfect in eight weeks' time is not realistic, but we are definitely getting closer.
On a similar subject, you also said that your Brentford coaching staff meetings were 15 minutes but here were an hour to begin with, have you brought that down yet?
Maybe 57 minutes, so slightly better! No, good processes and I also love to discuss football, love to develop and get better and that we only do by discussing things. We’ve had some fantastic discussions.
The week did start with Cristian Romero signing a new deal so no more questions about his contract situation, how pleased are you with his new deal?
I think very pleased. I think that was a fantastic signal from the club and of course from Cristian Romero as well that he believes in the club, the project and the journey we’re just starting. I was extremely happy with that and I also think I understand the exciting thing is to sign players, but I think it is as exciting or maybe more crucial to sign existing top players. And he is one of our top players and he is our captain, so even that was I think a big statement.
You've made a good start to life at Spurs, but it feels from the outside like you’ve been let down by the club's transfer window, do you feel like you’ve been let down?
No. I think I say to my players if they work very hard, do everything the can, I can’t ask for anymore. I know the club are working extremely hard and it’s unfortunate that you can’t go into Waitrose and buy two good players then walk away five minutes later. It is a little bit more complicated than that. I see the club working hard, I see Daniel working extremely hard, I see Johan, I see Vinai and we are all on board in terms of doing what we can do to improve.
The 3-5-2 worked vs PSG and you have used it in the past against Man City – when you have a system like that, do you go with it despite a lack of surprise element?
I treat every game a little bit different, but it’s definitely in my mind the 3-5-2, it’s definitely in my mind the 4-2-3-1 and I will take a decision on what we do and you’ll see that tomorrow. I am always thinking hmm how can we tweak a little bit inside our principles. Then of course system can give us something, but principles are the most important thing. So, yeah I will be pragmatic, I will use different systems and different ways to win football matches.
