Tottenham Hotspur

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at Hotspur Way on Friday, ahead of our Premier League clash against Sunderland at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (3pm UK).

Here's what he had to say...

Can you go ahead now and announce the Brennan Johnson to Palace news to us exclusively?

Thomas: “Nice opening, that's probably something about the rumours but that's the only thing I can say right now.”

The feeling seems to be that it’s a deal that suits both clubs, suits the player and if it’s going to get done for him to be involved against Newcastle, it pretty much needs to be done…

Thomas: “That I know nothing about and basically don't care about. So, like with everything, I'm very happy to speak about everything when everything is announced or published. If that is, we sign a player, we sell a player or a staff member in or out, whatever it is, but for now, yeah, it is what it is.”

Is he in your squad for the Sunderland game?

Thomas: “He was not in the squad yesterday and you will see that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

So, let’s assume we hear later he’s gone to Palace, when you were at Brentford, you tried to sign him, so what's changed?

Thomas: “I'll say, I'll repeat my answer as I just said. If that's the case, I would love to answer that question when and if it happens.”

The away fans were suggesting last night that Spurs are boring, how did that make you feel?

Thomas: “I definitely got some reminders about it, including one today. So, thank you for that. I think it's not perfect. We want us to be free-floating. I think a couple of things I want to reinforce positively is the last two away performances. To stand on the foundation we're building was very strong against Palace and Brentford. I think they were very good defensively, in fact fantastic defensively last night, gave them more or less nothing. I think that's hugely important. I think we understood how to close down their transitions. Then we're working very hard and understand the frustrations and share them too. Very hard on the offensive part of the game. There's a few things in that we need to do our best to improve. One of them is, for example, yesterday we lost the ball, unforced errors, 25 times. I showed those 25 clips to the players today. A reminder that's focus, that's concentration, all that. Of course, football is a game of mistakes. You lose the ball, that can happen because of bad decisions, bad touch, whatever, or concentration. So, could just half of them be better? That would provide us more attacks than those definitely maybe five, at least, good counter-attacks where a better touch and we’re suddenly 3v3. Then it looks a little bit more lively, a little bit more open, a little bit better. So, that's the one level we need to do. Then the next bit is the patterns and the structure and getting in the right positions. We didn't get that right last night. I showed that again to the players today. That is my responsibility together with the coaches. I always take that. Then the third thing, I think it's also okay to mention that we still lack some very important offensive players. That been for a while, I don't want to mention it again. We'll get a little bit bored, on top of that, we didn’t have Xavi Simons and Lucas Bergvall. So, the ones on the pitch, always trust them, always believe in them. Wilson is a very promising player I believe a lot in, so lovely against Palace, but it’s natural, a young player, he was a little bit up and down yesterday. I’m convinced he’ll be very good for us. On top of that, you play every third and fourth day. When you do that, the ability, the concentration level and the physical level to be at the top, to keep producing, is what, how can you say, splits the good players from the very best to do that. And sometimes you can be a good player to go to the very best, but you also learn along the way. So, that's where we are right now. It's unfortunately very boring, but that's the facts. We need to do everything we can to put an attacking, intense, front-footed performance out against Sunderland in two days' time. I'll do everything I can to make sure we do that. If we do that and get three points, it’s seven from three, which would be a very good output. So that's the aim. By the way, against the Sunderland team that’s done unbelievably well. And I know for a fact, because, when I say attitude, I'm confident in my own skillset, but also very humble about who I am, where we are and what we need to do. I know what we're facing tomorrow against Sunderland, because I've been there myself. That's going to be tough, I need to be on it. It was a long answer, actually.”

It's a long answer, but a determined answer – is it also a long answer because you felt hurt?

Thomas: “No, it's a long answer because I explained the situation of where we are.”

To dare is to do – do you need to be more daring?

Thomas: “I think I'm very daring. I'm sitting here!”

Enzo Maresca is the latest managerial casualty – we know you went for an interview – was that a lucky escape?

Thomas: “I think we don't know what happened behind the scenes at Chelsea, it's you guys' job to be clever there and then come with your suggestion as to why he's not there anymore. So, yeah, we don't know that. I think that could be a very good reason for it, it could be a bad reason, who knows? And basically I don't care, I have other things to worry about. The one thing I would say is it's difficult to build something sustainable, successful, if you don't keep people in the job for a long time. I've said that many times. All the top examples of clubs being successful year in, year out, they have the head coach, the CEO, the sports directors, the key members, coaching staff and the club for a long time.”

How do you continue with the defensive solidity that we have seen in the last few games, but then not being afraid, not being hesitant to take the game to some of them?

Thomas: “Keep reinforcing the messages, keep trying to do the right thing, keep trying to be brave, try to go forward. I think that's the key thing. And then understand that this Premier League is unbelievably tight. And when it's tight, it's not like it's that easy. But the main thing is that we keep being brave.”

How difficult is it to do as well as Sunderland have?

Thomas: “I think they’ve done fantastically, very, very impressive, the first season in the Premier League. And also, as you say, we're changing a lot of players. They're very clear what they want to do. They understand that when you go out in the Premier League, you need to defend very well. They're very good on set pieces. They fight, they run and now they've got the confidence and done very well against a lot of teams, but also away from home. So, it's going to be a tough test.”

In terms of team news – with Dominic Solanke, are we looking mid-January, late January?

Thomas: “The thing I need to worry about, of course, is when he's out there on the pitch with pictures, that's positive, of course. But to say mid-Jan or end of Jan or 25th of Jan, I will not do that. I will very much look forward to naming the dates when he's involved with the squad. Lucas Bergvall is a doubt, we hope he’ll be ready.”

How difficult is it for a manager to tell a player that he has to go to a new club – if they don’t want to, different circumstances…

Thomas: “There are different scenarios. There are players that want to leave. There are players that are a little bit do they want to stay, do they want to leave, and then there are players that don't want to leave. That's the three different cases you need to solve between sports directors, head coach and player, agent. Hopefully in the most cases everyone is happy in the end of the situation.”

We spoke a little bit about bench last night - two goalkeepers, not a lot of options. Does that show how difficult it is for you right now and how important this transfer window is?

Thomas: “It's my job, my responsibility is to find a solution when there are some tough times. I'll never run away from that. But of course it's easier to have a fully fit squad and you just know you have these five tools. I can do this in the midfield. I can do that on the wing. I can do that on the striker. I can maybe change the full-back or whatever it is. Yes, we were limited last night, but that's part of it, there are some games you will have like that in a season. You need to do those spells, and I think that's another thing, those spells, I know it's not popular to talk about, but those spells, if you then don't lose and you get a point and you're very solid defensively, that's a good thing. That could be a very good point in the end of the season. Do you want to play better? Yes. But that's the unfortunate situation right now.”

What made you pick two goalkeepers rather than another youngster?

Thomas: “That could also have been the case, but it wasn’t last night. “

On Wilson, so much raw potential, what does he have to work on?

Thomas: “I think take the positive away from the Crystal Palace substitution role, where he was so lively and they couldn't catch him. He should have scored. Last night, I think there were still some very positive glimpses. I think he's in the situation where he can make a little bit better decisions, let's say three times a touch, that will just get him in a top position, turns and we’re three-on-three. Instead of, it's a bad touch and then we go the other way, for example. So just keep learning that. That's just a normal part of football. Unfortunately, there's a little bit of extra focus in the Premier League, but hey, that's part of it.”

Can you be successful at Tottenham without the fans behind you?

Thomas: “I will try to maybe turn that question around and say, ‘if you are successful, the Tottenham fans will be behind you’. The fans will get behind us and I'm pretty sure that. Yes, some boos last night, I'm still pretty sure there's a lot of fans behind us.”

You’ve four points from two away derbies, four points, clean sheets – at the end, they’re booing, chanting ‘boring, boring Tottenham’. Is there a misalignment here with what you see as success in terms of results and the sort of style of football that they need to see but they're not seeing yet?

Thomas: “Yeah, I think the expectation is good. I also think we are probably in a bit of a transition. Not that we don't want to play a lot better, but the club, the squad, the injuries, all that, taking into consideration is part of that. In a transition period when not everything is perfect and you don't get the win or we don't play as good as we want or I want, I'm very aware that Palace, I’m happy with that because it's very important to have the ability to do that, but also very aware that we didn't play as good as I want in that aspect, but also I acknowledge where we are, so it's just that understanding of that and that's fair that I understand it a little bit better and the fans want more.”

I think the fans are struggling with what the plan is for this season and yourself long-term. I know you're talking about competing in all competitions, but what for you would be success this season and what would be success in season two and so on?

Thomas: “I think what we are 100% sure will happen is that although we will be able to score a lot of goals, I know we will be much more dominant in a lot of games, but with the current situation with too many of the top players out, playing a lot of games that just make it more tricky, also with no time to train, it's just reality. I think there's not one coach that will not say that. Then we need to manage everything between that, and that's just small steps in the right direction every day. Keep walking forward, keep improving, and then things will take care of itself. Probably answer a few more questions in press conferences like this, improve a little bit, get the wins, and then it will be forgotten because it goes like this. Right now, it's the talk of the town, fair enough. Tomorrow it will be forgotten for a new thing. We just behind the scenes need to be calm, work on the things very hard, and keep improving.”

Would a top-half finish be success? 12th? Does it have to be Europe?

Thomas: “I think for me to name a position where we should end and want to end. I think there are so many things you don't control in that aspect. I promise that we are very ambitious, we know exactly where we want to go, but I think it's about improving next step in front of me, make sure that we come out flying Sunday against Sunderland, look more in sync. Can we see good glimpses of more offensive attacking threat, and get the win? That would be a step forward.”

We have reached agreement with Crystal Palace for the transfer of Brennan Johnson.

The 24-year-old Wales international's name will forever be etched into our history as the winning goalscorer in last season's UEFA Europa League Final, his close-range effort proving to be the only goal of the game as we defeated Manchester United in Bilbao.

Signed from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, Brennan notched up a century of appearances for us against Chelsea back on 1 November and departs having played 107 times for us in all competitions, scoring 27 goals.

Among his other highlights in our colours was a goal on his European debut against Qarabag in September, 2024, along with Premier League braces against Ipswich Town and Southampton during the second half of last season.

We thank Brennan for his contribution and wish him well for the future.

The date and kick-off time for our Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie with Leicester City have been confirmed.

Welcoming the Foxes to Brisbane Road in the new year, the fixture will be played on Sunday 18 January with kick-off at 12noon.

Ticketing information for the clash has already been confirmed and can be found below via the link.

Thomas Frank says Lucas Bergvall is doubtful for Sunday’s clash with Sunderland, although he remains hopeful that the midfielder will return imminently.

The Sweden international missed Thursday night’s goalless draw at Brentford after being forced off in the second half of the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on 28 December.

Asked at his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon whether the 19-year-old will be okay for this weekend’s match, the Head Coach said: “Lucas Bergvall is a doubt but we hope he’ll be ready.”

Xavi Simons won’t feature against Sunderland as he serves the last of his three-match ban, while Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain out.

Destiny Udogie is getting closer to a return after being sidelined since the beginning of December.

Kick-off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday is at 3pm.

Live Blog: Spurs vs Sunderland | Premier League | January, 2026  Tottenham Hotspur

Guglielmo Vicario became our latest player to reach 100 appearances for the Club.

Vic (Legacy Number 876) brought up his century at the exact same ground where he made his Spurs debut when he lined up at the Gtech Community Stadium in our goalless draw with Brentford in the Premier League on New Year's Day, 2026.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Thursday night's encounter in west London, he said: "It's a big privilege for me, 100 appearances, the first one in Brentford and the 100th in Brentford, so that's a bit of a coincidence.

"I'm happy. Thinking back to when I started, it gives me some goosebumps to reach 100 appearances for this club, winning a trophy, hopefully more to come."

A summer signing from Italian side Empoli in 2023, the 29-year-old made his competitive debut for the Club in our 2-2 draw at the Bees to start the 2023/24 campaign and went on to play every minute in the Premier League that term in a standout debut season in England.

Our number one, formerly number 13, went on to earn the first of his five Italy caps in March, 2024 before sustaining a serious ankle injury at Manchester City on 23 November the following campaign despite playing for an hour with a fracture to his right ankle to keep the clean sheet in the 4-0 win.

After undergoing surgery and working hard on his recovery, the goalkeeper returned 85 days later with a shutout in our 1-0 victory over Manchester United in February last year and played the entirety of the UEFA Europa League knockout stages on our way to lifting the trophy with another 1-0 win over United in Bilbao in the May.

Kota Takai has joined Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach on loan for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.

An arrival from J1 League outfit Kawasaki Frontale in July, the 21-year-old defender recently returned to fitness following injury and made his first appearance in a matchday squad in Sunday’s Premier League win at Crystal Palace.

A Japan international, the centre-back has four caps to his name for his country having made his debut in a 7-0 win over China in September, 2024.

Wheelchair and ambulant tickets are priced as above with a free of charge personal assistant.

Tickets are now on sale to 2025/26 Women’s Season Ticket Holders until 10am on Monday 5 January. Women’s Season Ticket Holders will be able to purchase up to two ticket per Client Reference Number.

Following the conclusion of this priority window, subject to availability, any remaining tickets will go on General Sale.

Tickets for this fixture will be digital and sent via email no later than 5pm on Thursday 29 January.

Wheelchair and ambulant adult tickets are priced at £4, with remaining wheelchair/ambulant tickets for Over 65, Young Adult and Juniors priced as above, including a free of charge personal assistant.

Tickets are now on sale to 2025/26 Women’s Season Ticket Holders until 10am on Monday 5 January. Women’s Season Ticket Holders will be able to purchase up to two ticket per Client Reference Number.

Following the conclusion of this priority window, subject to availability, any remaining tickets will go on General Sale.

Tickets for this fixture will be digital and sent via email no later than 5pm on Thursday 22 January.

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at the Gtech Community Stadium after our goalless draw against Brentford in the Premier League on New Year's Day.

Here's what he had to say...

Another clean sheet, but struggling to create tonight...

Thomas: "Yeah, bang on. I think the positive is that we're going here against a very good home team that you need to respect with the results they've done where they're beating Liverpool, United, Newcastle, Villa, drawing with Chelsea and keeping them on that low amount of chances. They had seven shots in total. I think that's a very, very strong defensive performance. I think the back four did excellent, the whole team did excellent, especially Micky and Romero did very well with Thiago and Kevin Schade up there. So that's a positive. I think the amount of unforced errors is the biggest negative, I would say. That's the bit where you can make too many mistakes on unforced technical errors that then take out eight, nine maybe good half-transitions where you're not getting into good positions and then when we were up there, lacked the cutting edge on the day."

The fans voiced their frustrations at you in particular when you went over at the end...

Thomas: "Yeah, I think it seemed like they were not too satisfied and it's fair when we don't hit that top performance overall, but I think it's double-sided because I think what we need to understand is the acknowledgement of the defensive side of the game, which we've done excellent today against a team that just scored three against Liverpool, three against Man United, so on and so on, but of course the offensive part needs to be better. There's no two ways about that."

Can I ask you about your bench? Two goalkeepers, no Brennan Johnson. It didn't feel like you had a lot of options to change?

Thomas: "That's true. Yeah, that's true."

Can I ask you about Brennan not being there?

Thomas: "Yeah, obviously there are some rumours out there and it's probably close to some of the rumours."

You said about having to respect Brentford, how conscious are you of wanting to be entertaining for the fans because you saw how frustrated they were and coupling that with trying to be defensively resilient?

Thomas: "Yeah, but I think there's two things in it. I think if you as a team are not strong defensively and that's not the same as you can't play offensive football, it's just impossible to compete over a long season, impossible. If you want to end in the nice, good position you'd like to end in. Then of course the offensive part of it, you need to open up enough and do that. I think we still do that. Then there's another element, no matter what shape, offensive or defensive you are, you can't make the amount of unforced errors we do today. For example, or our last game against Crystal Palace, that's the bit we need to definitely see if we can improve. Then the next bit is you need to work on the offensive patterns and the structure and keep working very hard on that. Then the final bit is probably a little bit some key offensive players out for a game like this, for example. The ones we talked about a lot and then on top of that Xavi and Lucas. So probably that didn't help as well."

Do you worry about losing the faith of the fans if you don't play a bit more attacking football?

Thomas: "Of course we need to play, it's not that we don't want to play offensive or attacking football. I just think when we're not, how can you say, on the top of the game we would like to be, we work very, very hard on that, but while you work hard on that you can't, if you struggle scoring goals, let's say that, or create enough chances, you can't open up too much because then you need to score too many goals. So, it's a fine balance."

Are you comfortable with Brennan leaving when you've got such limited attacking options?

Thomas: "I think it's fair to say that Lucas and Xavi are hopefully soon back with the team, that are attacking options. So, that's some element. Hopefully Solanke at one stage also will come back and help the team and then that should be fine. Then, as I said, we are in the market and we are looking for everything we can to see if we can improve the squad, but it's a difficult January window and we need to be calm and take the right decisions."

Can we ask about Dominic Solanke, there was the video released by Spurs where he was training, so that seems pretty optimistic?

Thomas: "That is positive, no doubt of that. He is out there on the pitch, and part of training with the group."

Does that feel like he could be back this month?

Thomas: "It feels that there could be a possibility for that, yes."

Respectfully, it must be difficult to hear the boos at the end when you're trying to win over the fans?

Thomas: "Yeah of course, you'd prefer everyone is happy and we're winning 3-0. I think the understanding of where we are right now, as a team, and as a club. That's the transparent view of it. I think we have to play with Archie as a 10 - or I decided to do that - we did a little bit different at the end of the game. That's just step by step, we do those things. I'm very confident we will make it fluent and better and scoring enough goals, but with the amount of games and limited training times and the right offensive players available, that's part of it, it's no problem."

Do you think the fans are understanding or need to be more understanding?

Thomas: "That question is very difficult for me to answer, going off a few boos after the game, and as I say, I'm not really reading anything on social media, or articles or all that. I watch the team. I'm very aware that we are not where I want us to be, very aware."

Two clean sheets in two London derbies away from home this week, four points out of six, are you surprised at the response after what hasn't been a fruitless week?

Thomas: "I agree. This league is so tight, just look at the results today and two days ago. So tight, so even, small margins that change games. So I think we put a lot of foundation work into those two performances and competitiveness that you need to have in the team. Then we need to add the next layers. It's not that we're not working on it. It is what it is. I know we'll get to where we want to go. Maybe not exactly where everyone wanted to be right now, but we'll get there."

Are you confident the club understands that?

Thomas: "Very confident."