The dismissal of Thomas Frank as manager of Tottenham Hotspur arrived mid-week, a stark consequence of the team’s precarious position just five points above the relegation zone.
Behind closed doors, a curious pattern emerged during Frank’s tenure – an almost obsessive focus on Arsenal. Players reportedly grew increasingly frustrated with his constant praise of their rivals.
Sources reveal Frank repeatedly highlighted Arsenal’s strengths, both before and after matches, particularly after their encounter at the Emirates Stadium. The message from within the squad became a resounding desire for him to simply stop mentioning the Gunners.
The situation reached a peculiar point in January when Frank was photographed drinking from a cup bearing the Arsenal logo during a match against Bournemouth. The image fueled speculation and raised eyebrows amongst supporters.
Frank’s fascination with Arsenal wasn’t a recent development. During his very first press conference as Spurs manager, he jokingly lamented Arsenal’s undefeated “Invincibles” season, quickly labeling it a “rookie mistake” to even mention them.
He continued this theme during a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong, openly acknowledging Arsenal as “one of the best teams, unfortunately, in the world.” The admission, delivered before a crucial match against their biggest rivals, felt particularly jarring.
When confronted about the Arsenal-branded cup, Frank vehemently denied any intentional wrongdoing, calling it “completely stupid” and expressing disappointment that such a question even needed to be asked.
He insisted he hadn’t noticed the logo and would “never” knowingly use an item associated with a rival club, dismissing the incident as a distraction from the real issues facing the team.
