The Herald

Wilson, who also attracted interest from Arsenal, has scored eight goals in 45 appearances since making his breakthrough last season, but he has struggled for game time this term as the Jambos have surged to the top of the William Hill Premiership.

“James wanted to go, so you don’t want to keep a player who then becomes unhappy,” said manager McInnes, addressing the striker’s move for the first time. “I couldn’t guarantee him minutes, such is the way it’s been.

“I told him and his agent that they knew that our preference was to stay, fight for your place, be part of something, we’ll get you a loan in Scotland if need be, if you need to top up your minutes, and we can maybe recall you, so you still get the best of both worlds.

“But his head was turned with the Tottenham thing. First of all, it was Arsenal, then Arsenal went quiet, and then all of a sudden, Tottenham came to the table on Monday afternoon.

“I don’t think it’s the right move for him. Ultimately, it’s academy football, and I think he’s better than that. But it was something James wanted to do.

“So, as I say, we made it clear that our preference was for him to stay and be part of something here. But he made the decision, and I hope it goes well for him because he’s a great kid, and we’ll see how it plays out.

“But for us, I just need to concentrate on the players who are here and who want to be here and who want to play their part.”

Hearts will be missing Craig Halkett for next Tuesday’s Edinburgh derby at home to Hibernian after the influential centre-back was red-carded in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at St Mirren.

It was the third time in five league games that the Jambos have had a man sent off in the first half. While McInnes was heartened by the spirit his league leaders showed with 10 men for over an hour, he was frustrated by their reluctance to play the ball forward when they had a full quota in the early stages.

“There’s no criticising my players once we’ve got 10 men, we were terrific in terms of what I expect from them,” said the manager.

“But we got top of the league by being something, and teams need to know that if they want to come after us, we’re going to put it in behind you, we’re going to run, we’re going to test you and try to put stress on your back line.

“St Mirren’s back line needed to know that if you want to play a high line, then you’ve got to be prepared to run towards your own goal a few times. We didn’t do it enough.”

Frank on brink after Hammer blow

Frank said he had no problem with Tottenham fans chanting he will be sacked following the damaging 2-1 home loss to West Ham.

The Spurs faithful turned on the Dane after Callum Wilson bundled home a stoppage-time winner to earn the Hammers a first Premier League victory in 11 matches.

Frank’s future had already been in the spotlight after an FA Cup exit to Aston Villa and even though Cristian Romero’s header cancelled out Crysencio Summerville’s early opener, Tottenham slipped to an eighth defeat in 14 matches and have won only two of their last 13 league fixtures.

The former Brentford boss said: “Of course, I’ve probably had better times. It’s probably not the best time of course, but I understand, I’m the man in charge, so the blame will go to me. That’s fair.

“No problem in that sense. As long as they are backing the players, doing everything they can to support them and drive them forward, that’s what we do and we will keep going forward.”

Carrick enjoys dream derby

Carrick hailed a superb start as United interim boss after a stunning derby victory over Manchester City.

Second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu capped a brilliant performance as the rejuvenated Red Devils inflicted further damage on City’s title chances with a deserved 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

It was Carrick’s first game since he was appointed head coach for the remainder of the season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim last week.

The former United midfielder said: “It is a great start, there is no getting away from that.

“Before the game, we coaches spoke and said the boys were in a good place. We were quite happy with how we prepared for it and emotionally where the boys were at.

“But City are an unbelievable team with talent and they change it, so you have to go to plan B and C and work around it.

“You never really know how the game is going to go but for it to pan out like that, the boys were fantastic in so many ways. To manage it emotionally and pull it together, yes, it was pretty good.”

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Arteta unhappy with penalty call

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta felt his side were denied a “very clear” penalty as they missed the chance to strengthen their grip on the Premier League title race after a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners enjoyed the perfect pre-match entertainment by watching rivals Manchester City lose their derby to United, which presented the chance to go nine points clear at the summit.

But, nine days after drawing 0-0 with Liverpool after City had again slipped up, Arteta’s men could not take advantage after failing to get past Forest.

They missed some big chances and were denied a penalty in the second half when the ball appeared hit the arm of Forest defender Ola Aina, with VAR ruling it first struck his shoulder and his arm was then in a natural position.

But Arteta did not accept the decision.

“It hits the shoulder and then he takes the ball with the hand,” he said. “The explanation is not right, but then the rest, it’s OK.

“The order is OK, but the timing and the intention is very clear. If not, I wouldn’t be sitting here saying, in my opinion, it’s a very clear penalty.”

Glasner goes on warpath

Oliver Glasner rounded off a nightmare week for Crystal Palace by hitting out at the club’s board, claiming his players are being “abandoned” with “no support”.

The last seven days have seen the Eagles crash out of the FA Cup to non-league Macclesfield, boss Glasner confirm he is leaving at the end of the season and captain Marc Guehi close in on a move to Manchester City.

Palace then slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light – their 10th successive game in all competitions without a win.

Glasner, who made no substitutions during the game, said: “I couldn’t support them from the bench. That’s how it feels now, I think the players left their hearts on the pitch.

“It’s tough to say why, but that’s how it feels right now. We feel that we are being abandoned, no support, playing with 12-13 players for weeks now and (on) the bench just kids.”

What’s on today?

A Premier League double-header sees Newcastle travel to rock-bottom Wolves before Aston Villa host Everton.

It has raised eyebrows, given Johnson’s finishing ability and Tottenham’s lack of goals in recent months, which again hampered them on Sunday when they let a lead slip to drop more points at home in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland.

To compound matters for under-fire Spurs head coach Thomas Frank, his favoured right forward Mohammed Kudus was withdrawn due to injury after only 19 minutes, and, coupled with Johnson’s departure, it left the north London outfit short of firepower.

Amid a busy spell and a run of two wins in 11 Premier League matches before this Wednesday’s trip to Bournemouth, Davies called for the Tottenham squad to dig deep.

Davies said: “I think it’s sod’s law that when one guy leaves, Mo picks up something.

“Brennan is a great player. I’m lucky that I get to play with him on the national team as well as here.

“I think he’s going to be missed here, but this is the business of football. When players aren’t playing, other suitors will come along, and that’s what’s happened.

“That’s the positive to look at (unbeaten in three), but we’ve got a stretch now, I think it’s five games in 15 days where it’s intense.

“You can see at the end of that game that both sides were pretty flat out; it’s not really an excuse, and we’ve got to go again in the next three days. It’s part and parcel of what we do.”

Davies was handed a surprise first start of the season against Sunderland and marked it with an even more unexpected tap-in from a corner in the 30th minute.

It was only his 10th Spurs goal in 361 appearances, and while Tottenham failed to hold on for a much-craved home victory, the 32-year-old was encouraged by aspects of their display.

“It was good, we’ve been working on set-pieces a lot, and everyone has to kind of do their job, and I feel like I did mine today,” Davies reflected.

“First half, we were really good. Then in the second half, they came out a lot more aggressively, and they caused us a few more problems.

“We could have been a bit more clinical, I think, on the counter-attack when we had the opportunities.

“(Home form) hasn’t been the one and only thing that we’ve looked at, but we want to be better, and we want to be winning games.

“Ultimately, it will only get better if we play better.”

The 19-year-old has since retained his spot in Spurs’ midfield and rewarded that faith at Selhurst Park with a close-range header to score for the first time on his 112th professional appearance.

“It was a difficult game for me at Forest,” Gray reflected, after he helped Tottenham to only a second win in their last nine Premier League matches.

“The mistake was obviously my fault, but in that game, I just tried to get on the ball as much as I could, tried to be positive and forget about the mistake.

“Obviously, (this) still wasn’t the best game; it was a scrappy game, but to get a goal is something every child dreams of.

“We knew if we could keep a clean sheet, we would get the chances to try and get a goal. Our back four was amazing, and everyone, to be fair, with the mentality.

“I just found myself in the right place at the right time, and it was probably Richy’s (Richarlison’s) flick which did all the work. I was stood what two-yards out from goal?

“I didn’t really have much to do, but it’s an incredible feeling.”

Gray comes from a family with a rich football tradition and leaned on the advice of his father and ex-Forest forward Andy Gray in the aftermath of his error at the City Ground.

After Gray spent the majority of his debut campaign at Tottenham as a makeshift centre-back, the highly-rated youngster has relished his recent run in midfield and is eager to keep developing.

He told SpursPlay: “My Dad has always said to me, after you make a mistake, just go get on the ball and don’t be scared.

“That is something that stuck with me, and I will never go hiding for the ball or anything like that.

“It is not something I have ever done or will do. If I make a mistake, that is football sometimes, and I have just got to learn from that. I have, and I’ve been working on training every day to put it right.”

On Monday, it was confirmed via the London Stock Exchange that Earick had pulled out of the running, which was welcomed by the Lewis family Trust, who again reiterated a long-term commitment to Spurs. This news follows Asia-based consortium Firehawk Holdings Limited also ruling out a bid.

“The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Limited (the “club”) notes the recent announcements from the Firehawk and Mr Earick’s consortiums that they do not intend to make an offer for the club,” a statement on London Stock Exchange read.

“The Board thanks them for the constructive approach taken in the discussions with the club’s and the Lewis family’s representatives and respecting the clear position of the Lewis family that the club is not for sale.

“Following the announcements made by the consortiums, the club is no longer in an offer period under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.”

It was announced at the start of September that Spurs’ majority owners ENIC had “unequivocally rejected” two expressions of interest in acquiring the north London club, with one from a consortium of investors led by Dr Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk.

Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance immediately confirmed via the London Stock Exchange on September 8 that it did not intend to make an offer for Tottenham and Firehawk confirmed its intentions on October 3.

This left a consortium led by Earick as the only public interested party in Tottenham, but he has withdrawn his interest in the Premier League club.

ENIC, run by the Lewis family Trust, owns almost 87 per cent of Tottenham, but due to the remaining shares being publicly traded, the club is subject to the UK Takeover Code. This means any expression of interest or bid must be lodged with the Takeover Code panel and made public.

Since Daniel Levy was invited to step down after 24 years as chairman on September 4 by majority owners ENIC there have been three expressions of interest to buy Tottenham, but the Lewis family Trust insists the club are not for sale.

A source close to the Lewis family told the PA news agency on September 26: “This unsolicited and unnecessary interest does nothing to change the family’s resolve and commitment to do whatever it takes to drive success on the pitch. The club is not for sale.”

Spurs boss Frank has now broken his silence on the situation and admits it would be beneficial to get the winger out on loan and playing games, if they can find the right opportunity.

Speaking at a press conference during the pre-season trip to Hong Kong, the Dane was asked how important it is to get Moore playing games.

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"It is very important," he said. "Mikey is a big talent.

"I’m really excited about his future here at Tottenham.

"I think for all players but especially younger players they need consistent first-team football into their bodies.

"I think if we can find the right option we will do that."

He previously worked at Auchenhowie for over three years as Gers under-18s' Professional Phase Coach, responsible for professional development programme for young players.

He landed the job at the Light Blues after spells with Aberdeen and the Right to Dream Academy.

In February last year, Campbell took the decision to leave after the opportunity to work at RB Leipzig came up. In Germany, he has performed the role of Head of Player Development as he aided players with the transition of moving from youth level into first team football.

He will now work with the first team at Tottenham, who announced the full backroom staff of Frank this evening.

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He wrote on social media: "Privileged to have spent 3.5 years at RFC Youth working with some brilliant people on & off the pitch.

"An incredible opportunity that I never took for granted, from watching academy lads play for Rangers & forging careers in the game to winning the U18 League & Scottish Youth Cup.

"Overwhelmed by the messages I’ve received from players, parents and staff which have all been greatly appreciated."

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy at least waited until the glow of Ange Postecoglou's Europa League triumph had faded slightly before confirming the decision you suspected he was going to make all along anyway. Postecoglou's reward for delivering the North London club's first trophy since 2008 amounted to: “thanks very much, but it's time to go.”

Postecoglou's dismissal was, of course, far more about Tottenham's Premier League form than their victory over Manchester United in one of the poorest-quality European finals in modern history. Spurs finished 17th last season, an outcome that Postecoglou insisted was tied to his decision to put all his eggs in the Europa League basket. Key players were managed with midweek in mind, not the weekend, and form suffered to an extent that Levy could not see past it.

Only a few months ago, most Tottenham fans would have been in agreement. The initial romance between supporters and Postecoglou was turning toxic, and it seemed certain he would move on at season’s end. Football, though, is an inherently emotional pursuit for fans, and nothing rekindles the spark like a shiny new trophy in the cabinet. For those who have followed Tottenham through this barren spell, it was about more than that. They could finally mark the end of an arduously long period where their collective suffering had become a running joke.

‘Spursy’ had entered the football lexicon as a by-word for flakiness, for being weak, for lacking bottle. That Tottenham’s win over a hapless United in Bilbao was earned through guts and grit would have made it all the more satisfying. It also offered hope that maybe Postecoglou was adaptable after all, and supporters’ narrative around him seemed to suddenly shift.

Perhaps this one night would change everything. Perhaps ‘Spursy’ would come to represent something different—something to be proud of. And perhaps Postecoglou, having reset the trophy clock, was the man to lead this brave new era.

Levy, however, was not convinced. Men in his position are required to take the emotion out of these decisions, and he decided that Bilbao was a wonderful anomaly, not an indication of the new direction of travel. The direction had been generally downwards for some time.

On the one hand, a trophy-starved club like Tottenham giving the man who brought all that to a joyous conclusion his P45 seems utterly nauseating—an indictment of the warped priorities of modern football's powerbrokers. On the other hand, Tottenham did finish 17th, one place above relegation. Yes, there was an injury crisis—but one that was seemingly influenced by the demands of ‘Angeball’ catching up with his players.

All of this, though, puts Frank in a potentially awkward position.

The affable Dane punched well above his weight as manager of Brentford, keeping them in the world’s richest league despite consistently operating with one of the smallest budgets. He has proved himself an excellent coach and an effective man-manager—in other words, deserving of an opportunity like the one that has now been given to him.

Usually, a new manager will be required to clean up the mess of the man who came before him. But Frank arrives at Tottenham off the back of their biggest achievement in 17 years. The last glimpse of Postecoglou as Spurs manager was as he hoisted the Europa League trophy into the air on an open-top bus parade, attended by thousands screaming in adulation for him. The players’ affection for the ex-Celtic manager—and, by extension, their thoughts on his exit—were made obvious in a not-so-subtly co-ordinated series of social media posts.

It’s a testing situation for a new figurehead to inherit, and one he will have to handle carefully. One thing Frank certainly has going for him is that he is very likeable. It will not take long for Tottenham fans to take to him. He does, though, need a strong start. If he doesn’t, the decision to dispense with Postecoglou will be dragged back onto the agenda.

How Frank will adapt to the pressure is also fascinating. There is certainly a jump in expectation from Brentford to Tottenham, and the 51-year-old will be that bit more exposed in his new surroundings. This is not to diminish Frank’s achievements with the Bees, but they boast an extremely well-run football operation within which he is one of many cogs—albeit the most important one. Can you really say the same about Tottenham?

There is, however, an adaptability about Frank that Postecoglou was accused of lacking. You don’t keep a club of Brentford’s size in the Premier League without being able to mix up your approach, and he heads across London at a time when his career is on the up. He surely cannot suffer the same volume of injuries that so badly hindered Postecoglou, so that, at least, should go in his favour in terms of being able to implement what he wants to do.

Keeping expectations realistic, too, will be of significant importance. Winning the Europa League does little to change the fact that Tottenham were, over the course of 38 league games, miles away from where they want to be. Frank will need time to change that.

He might well turn it around rapidly, but I don't think he should be harshly judged if that proves not to be the case. Tottenham are still marketed as one of the Premier League's 'big six', but as a host of clubs make rapid strides of improvement, that branding is becoming increasingly outdated.

Frank’s first objective should not be to chase down Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, but simply to be better than the likes of Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. That is where Tottenham are.

Above all, though, he deserves to work without the polarising Postecoglou drama hanging over him.

Speaking at his invitational charity golf event at the Centurion Club, Maddison told Sky Sports: “He’s a man who’s always had success and to be fair, his biggest strength is his self-belief in what he does and that feeds off on to us and that’s been installed into us in Europe this year.

“In all the away games and even in all the ones early in the group stages and the round of 16 – we had a really bad performance away at AZ Alkmaar, and he went heavy on us because you just know he’s a winner, and then we turned it around second leg and we’re in the quarters.

“Every step, we got closer and closer and we believed more and more and now we’re winners and no one can ever take that away from him.”

Maddison added: “He’s been brilliant. Even at the start of the season saying, ‘I don’t usually win things, I always win things’, it’s one of them.

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“We knew that would create a big uproar in the media with you lot never shutting up about it. To be fair, never once did I stop believing that he meant that.”

Postecoglou admitted he has found it “weird” that he was under pressure after ending the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy, although a 17th-placed league finish prompted questions, despite his admission that he turned his focus to Europe as the campaign progressed.

However, he also received support from midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray at the same event.

Asked if he wanted him to stay, Bergvall said: “A hundred per cent, I think he’s done a great job.

“It’s not been easy for any of us, especially because of all the injuries, but as he said, he always wins things in his second year and that’s true.”

Gray was equally unequivocal when asked if Postecoglou deserved another season at the helm.

He said: “Yes, definitely. It’s been a great season this year and it’s been a roller coaster of a season as well, not just at the end.

“We’ve obviously had some really tough times and we stuck together. He’s big on things like family and I think the main thing that helped us get to the final and win the final is our morals of what we’re like as a team.

“Like I said, family is our main thing. We believe in each other and it’s like brothers going out there on the pitch in the final and we just fought for each other.”

Postecoglou spoke to the media a short while ago to preview Spurs' Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao.

The all-England game will take place at the San Mames in the city on Wednesday night.

Postecoglou was answering a question from an Evening Standard reporter, Dan Hutchison, who wrote the article about his status 'teetering between hero and clown'.

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"That depends on your outlook, Dan," Postecoglou said in response to a question from the journalist. "But I'll tell you one thing, tomorrow, I'm not a clown, and I never will be, mate.

"You've really disappointed me that you've used such terminology about a person who, for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to a position where he's leading a club out in a final of a European major competition, for you to suggest that somehow, us not being successful means that I'm a clown, I'm not really sure how to answer that question."

It's been widely reported that Postecoglou could face the sack as Spurs boss after two years in charge should Ruben Amorim's side prevail as winners in Spain this midweek.