Thomas Frank mentioned the “boring Tottenham” taunts from his personal membership’s followers had been comprehensible. Photograph: AFP
LONDON:
Thomas Frank mentioned the “boring Tottenham” taunts from his personal membership’s followers had been comprehensible after they had been held to a dour 0-0 draw by Brentford on Thursday.
Frank endured a bittersweet return to west London as he was granted a heat welcome by Brentford supporters earlier than Tottenham’s travelling followers turned the air blue with their criticism of the Dane.
After seven years with Brentford, guiding them to promotion to the Premier League in 2021, Frank was making his first return to the Gtech Group Stadium since becoming a member of Tottenham within the close-season.
Applauded earlier than kick-off, Frank was even offered with a present bag by one Brentford fan.
However that was about pretty much as good because it bought for the beleaguered 52-year-old as his troubled first season with Tottenham took one other flip for the more severe.
Frank’s aspect didn’t muster a single effort heading in the right direction till stoppage-time and their followers chanted “boring, boring Tottenham” within the second half, whereas singing the names of a number of of the membership’s gamers from their extra entertaining latest groups.
“It appears the followers usually are not too glad and that is truthful,” Frank mentioned.
“Not a high efficiency however general it is two-sided; acknowledge the defensive aspect of the sport, however in fact the offensive aspect must be higher.”
Tottenham are languishing in twelfth place on the midway level of the Premier League season as Frank struggles to make a constructive influence.
His conservative game-plan is a stark distinction to the membership’s ‘to dare is to do’ ethos and the attacking philosophy of his predecessor Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou was sacked to make approach for Frank regardless of ending the membership’s 17-year trophy drought by profitable the Europa League final season.
The Australian additionally struggled within the Premier League in his second season with Tottenham, however Frank is already testing the endurance of the north London membership’s demanding followers.
Tottenham’s one shot heading in the right direction got here within the closing moments, however Richarlison’s end was as limp as his group’s efficiency because it flew into the arms of Bees keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
The stalemate dropped at an finish Tottenham’s 137-game run within the Premier League with out a goalless draw.
His unconvincing defence of Tottenham’s spluttering show in opposition to Brentford will hardly win him many converts from the doubters.
“The constructive is we had been going right here in opposition to an excellent residence group who you should respect, and protecting them at a low quantity of possibilities. I believe that is a really sturdy defensive efficiency,” Frank mentioned.
“The quantity of unforced errors is the largest damaging. We made too many errors. After we had been up there we lacked the leading edge on the day.”
