Thomas Frank and Guglielmo Vicario spoke to the media at Hotspur Way on Monday afternoon, ahead of our UEFA Champions League MD5 against FC Copenhagen at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night (8pm UK).
Here’s what they had to say…
Have you spoken to Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven after what happened at full-time against Chelsea on Saturday?
Thomas: “Yes, Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday unprompted. They just wanted to say sorry for the situation. They didn't want it to look bad or disrespectful or all kind of perception you can get in this beautiful media world. That was not their intention at all towards me or the team or the club. They were just frustrated with the performance, the loss and the booing during the game.”
Vic, what were your thoughts, and have you spoken collectively as a group of players after that defeat?
Guglielmo: “Yes, of course we've spoken. I think probably in some moments during the game when we are chasing, we need to be a little bit more cool heads and if we have a little bit more help from some situation coming from the stands it could be better. But we cannot control it. At the end of course everyone was disappointed because we lost a London derby, so everyone was really frustrated. We got the reaction of the fans at the end of the game. They can express their pain and we were of course in a big pain situation. That's across every stadium in the world, in Europe, in the UK. We get the point. We were just disappointed for the result.”
In terms of team news – we couldn’t see Mo, Djed or Lucas out training...
Thomas: “Lucas got a concussion, which was probably pretty obvious from the footage. Big praise to the medical team, because it's a tricky situation to be in when it's two minutes into a game and everything is on it. So, well done to them because it's the player’s health that's the most important thing. Djed and Mo got a knock. They could and should be available for tomorrow.”
Vic, were you protecting Lucas after the final whistle?
Guglielmo: “Yeah, I think in every environment there are very good people and some are bad people. Probably he got in contact with one bad people. That doesn't necessarily say that everyone is bad people, but there are some bad people in every environment. I had to protect him because he was a little bit emotional in that time. I think it's part of my experience to do it and we can discuss inside the dressing room and not do it outside. So, that's it.”
Do you have any theories why it’s so difficult for the team to play at home?
Thomas: “Of course, it's a relatively small sample for me to look into, if I'm honest. So, I think first and foremost, we need to work very hard on keep adding performances, keep adding layers, keep improving, work very hard on the training pitch, in meeting rooms and one-to-one actions. I see a good improvement in the team in general. Of course, we're coming off the back of a bad performance. That’s a big flashing light right now. So, everyone has a little bit of a struggle to look past that and look at some of the very good performances we've had this year as well. I also think it's fair to say that we're coming off the back of, in many ways, a fantastic season, but also a tough season. If anyone had said that we now have been 17 points after 10 games unbeaten in the Champions League, I don't know what we are – fifth? It doesn't matter where we are now. It's where we are at the end of the season. Everything is definitely not perfect, but there is a decent foundation. Then it's up to us to add layers. I think everyone would have taken that situation where we are now in terms of 22 defeats last year and finished 17th. The Europa League is fantastic, wow, but the Champions League is different. I just want to get the point across. I think the fans were fantastic the first 30 minutes of the game on Saturday night. I think the noise was incredible and that carried us forward. It seems there was a little bit of a turning point when we conceded the goal. We all get a little bit frustrated, which is natural. I think it's more than fair because we are in the performance business and if we can't deal with the pressure, deal with the negativity and the criticism, we shouldn't sit here. Probably Vic and I, you play a little bit more football than me, but we're in the football world because we love the game. We love to be part of something. We love to be part of the team. It's nice with the big occasions. It's not that, but we play because we love football. We've been growing and then we have the big crowds. I think the fans were fantastic in the first 30 minutes. After the game, if we performed badly and on top of that lost the game, it's more than fair enough to boo us. During the game, we need a little bit of help, especially when it's not going our way. They can be the turning point. We were down 1-0 in the last 15 minutes. They could carry us over the line (if) we got a little bit of an unfair 1-1. What a feeling! That point could be the difference in the long season.”
Guglielmo: “To be fair, I don't know which is the difference. Probably in football, everything is related to a game. Of course, we didn't perform at our best and we lost against a London team. It's probably seen in a different perspective. I think we can change things quickly, starting from tomorrow. Also, our record in European competition playing at home is a big one. I don't remember how many – fingers crossed – games we didn’t lose at home (last home defeat in Europe was 2020). We have a big opportunity to turn this track in another way. Tomorrow is the best chance to try to do it.”
If the home form continues to be an issue, would you consider training at the stadium?
Thomas: “Maybe. I haven't thought about it. I'm always listening to good suggestions.”
On Lucas, is there a protocol that means he has to miss a certain number of games?
Thomas: “Yes, he's out for the next two games.”
On home form, do you feel there is a weight of pressure from a crowd that demands a certain style, or is it more about teams that come set up to frustrate?
Thomas: “I think there are different types of games. Sometimes, also because everything is accumulating or adding a little bit up, so the number you gain is not a fantastic number. We haven't won at home the last whatever games in the Premier League. Not too many. Completely different games. Some teams are very difficult to play against in that environment. Others are a little bit easier. Everything is difficult but, for example, Villa, I think very good competitive performance. Unfortunately, we lost. It just went the wrong way. We could easily have won 1-0. I think Saturday night is an accumulation of a lot of things - a big London derby, always hope we can beat them, we haven't won against them for a long time and that's just added a bit.”
Is it case closed in terms of Spence and van de Var, or will there be further repercussions?
Thomas: “100% (closed). I hope it's very clear what I said before.”
There is a narrative that you're a defensive coach, a pragmatist - are you surprised by that given your record with Brentford?
Thomas: “I think it all depends on the narrative. So, whose narrative is that? Is that a journalist or is it a few fans? I guess we have quite a few fans out there. So, I guess the one who writes on social media. I'm not on social media. I'm very aware that we haven't been free floating in some games. I think there's been definitely moments where it's been quite good. So, something we work very hard on every single day. I think it's fair to say that every team I've managed, we've been able to score a lot of goals. Also a Brentford team with, how can you say, less on the paper, lesser players. Creating a lot of top goalscorers. I'm convinced we'll do the same again here. I also think it's fair to say that we are working very hard on it. We are having players that do everything they can. It's my job together with the coaches to make sure they get good relations and good structure and be confident.”
Clubs will lose players to the African Cup of Nations – is that fair?
Thomas: “I think it is what it is. It was the Club World Cup in the summer. It was the Africa Cup of Nations. Most of the time it has been in December, January. We need to deal with it and we will. That's my take on it.”
How are you finding the spotlight at Tottenham and the extreme nature of the reactions to performances?
Thomas: “Of course, I sense there is a tiny bit more attention to everything, but that was the one thing I was 1,000% sure of that would happen. That would be different. Everything else has been the same - 20 fantastic players and people that want to work in the same direction. A little bit tactical, technical, coaching, all that. This (media) is the biggest difference. I'm very, very happy I'm not on social media. The only reason I sense there can be something with fans or creativity, it's a lot of questions from the press conferences. It is what it is. It's part of it. No problem.”
To follow up, do you have to protect your players, especially the younger ones, from getting their heads buried in their phones and social media?
Thomas: “I think that's a big... sometimes I like to speak more about how much they do it. I think some of the players are very good at it, some of them probably could be a little bit better. I think it's a bit down to individual. I also think some of it also... I like to say I'm still young, but it's another generation. They deal with it in another way than us. If I should start dealing with it, I think I'll deal with it less good than them.”
Back to Djed and Micky, you said that it was unprompted - how important was that for you?
Thomas: “I think if they didn't come in, of course I had to ask them about the situation they were walking in, what they were feeling, why they were doing it, because we all have a perception and we were very, very good to have that strongly, ‘that's because they... whatever… because their mum wasn't well, or they didn't like the head coach, or they were irritated with the performance, or it was because they lost’ or whatever. We're very, very good at that. None of us knows. So, that would be my first question to them. How were they and why? Of course I'm happy, because I knew the question would come today. That they were coming in. That means they care. I think that's very good. They care about the team, the club. In this case, me. I'm happy with that. So, that was very good. Then we just had a good talk about a lot of things and, like with everything, we'll keep it internally. Like I said to the players when I said that before, it will be very, very, very unusual if I ever throw a player under the bus. We're all humans, but I'll always protect them. Always.”
Vic, at the end of the game against Chelsea there is a free-kick where you give it to Djed, there was frustration – have you experienced that before? How important is it that you win tomorrow?
Guglielmo: “You know, you take some decisions on the pitch and sometimes it’s not the best and probably would have decided in a different way to probably put the ball forward in that occasion instead of trying to play short. It was just the wrong decision. Football is about trying to make the right ones, but sometimes you cannot do it 100% of the time. About the situation on the stadium, I think, yeah, it's normal. I was a fan when I was a kid and was going to the stadium (Udinese) and I saw many of these things. Probably in Italy it's also a little bit worse when you go, so I have big shoulders about that. So, it's not a big problem, you know? It's like when you go to the theatre and you see a show and you don't like it and you express your reactions, your feelings. It's just about that. The main thing is for us to concentrate on what we have to do on the pitch, trying to be as much as focused on our game plan and what we have to do, because it's just on us how we can turn the situation, how we can win a game or draw a game like the other night. The other night we probably made some more mistakes that normally we don't do, and probably this was the reason why we couldn't overturn the result.”
How much do you follow games in the Superliga (Denmark)? How much have you seen of FC Copenhagen?
Thomas: “Of course I follow the results and the league, so I know how the results are every week. I still have good colleagues, friends working in different clubs, knowing obviously also a lot of people in Copenhagen. So, I know of course Copenhagen is not in the best place, but it's a very good team. They have very good European experience. I expect it to be a difficult game, and always that's my little bit go-to, no matter a team, if they're in form or they are out of form, the next game is the one that everything can change in. So, we prepare like normal, very aware of the strength of Copenhagen and of course some areas we like to exploit. So that's how I take it. I know Jacob Neestrup very well. He's a very good coach. He knows what he's doing with his coaching staff, so I expect a tough challenge and a tough tactical challenge.”
How would you describe your relationship with the Copenhagen fans? They probably remember your time in Brøndby as well!
Thomas: “Yeah, I think they would be pleased to meet me again. Of course, there's a relationship because I was head coach of Brøndby. Obviously, not the biggest fan of me, but that's fair, that's part of it.”
Do you still feel like you still have some Brøndby genes in you and do you feel like an extra rival with Copenhagen - or is it in the past?
Thomas: “Of course, I was almost three years in Brøndby. If you are that, the fans get under your skin, and the club does as well. So, of course, it's Brøndby that got my support. Tomorrow, in some ways, it's a little bit special against the Danish team. I know quite a few who work in the backroom staff and in the club. Of course, I know some of the Danish players from different, whether it be a national team or whatever, how I came across them. That's why it's a little more special. Tomorrow, I just want to win, we play in the Champions League, play at home and Vic said it perfectly - the best way to get a little bit back on track is a good performance and win at home. So, that's the main bit.”
