Thomas Frank has now spoken to the media ahead of Tottenham's Premier League trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday and here is every word the Spurs boss had to say
Ryan Taylor
14:38, 24 Oct 2025
Thomas Frank
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Thomas Frank has now previewed Tottenham's trip to Everton on Sunday
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has not long finished his press conference in which he previewed Spurs' upcoming Premier League trip to Merseyside to face Everton.
The Dane has reflected on the midweek Champions League draw with Monaco whilst also looking ahead to the clash with the Toffees. There was a key update on the fitness of Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie plus further details regarding team news.
Below is the full transcript featuring every word Frank said from Hotspur Way.
Can we have an update on Romero, Udogie and Solanke?
"Yes, Cuti just walked out on the grass running, some of the performance guys, so positive, progressing, no time frame, but I don't expect it to be a longer one. Destiny is not on the grass yet, but still progressing, so again, not a longer one. With Dominic, it's positive, he's taking steps in the right direction every day, was on the grass again today on his own, but has now a sustainable amount of pitch sessions in him on his own, so it's progressing forward."
Is it difficult to get some attacking rhythm given you've not had Kulusevski, Maddison or Solanke? Or do you need more from the ones who are playing?
"Every head coach, manager wants all the players fit, and we get that, then we complain about the squad being too big, and then you need to disappoint players, but anyway, I rather want that, of course. It is what it is, you're right, I very, very rarely say anything about injuries, because it is what it is, I need to deal with it, and it's my job to put the best possible available team on the pitch and get it hopefully clicking. Of course there's some of these, especially Kulusevski and Maddison, proven players that prove in this club for goals and assists and creating things, so they would have been lovely to be able to use, but I think we have some very talented players who are growing.
"Wilson, Xavi, I think Mo has been very good for us as well and I think Richie had a good start to the season, he tried to get up to pace, but the reality is that we are working very hard on getting the flow with the front four, and hopefully it will be better bit by bit. I think it's fair to say, I can't remember the amount of games we played, but there have definitely been some good games and good spells where we have been looking very good, so we'll keep working on it."
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Everton, Newcastle, Chelsea, Copenhagen, Man Utd, Arsenal coming up, do you have a clear idea about the level of the team or will you know more after these games?
"I'm learning every day about the team and the players, individuals. I see a very willing group to want to work hard, to perform, to do the best for the team in this wonderful club. I learned after a very competitive performance against Villa, I think, OK, there's something here. Very interesting, I know we lost, but the performance, that's what I need to look at all the time. Then I also learned Wednesday night against Monaco, as two examples. So it's every day and you can say it in a way, we are then whatever, I can't remember the number of weeks we are down the line, but then I'll know more. But my focus right now is on Everton."
Is Randal Kolo Muani close to starting?
"He's definitely getting closer. Now is the first time he's had a sustained block of training and also some minutes. I think it's also fair to say he's not 100 per cent physically ready to be bombarding 90 minutes again and again. But he's in a place where he can be used and that's good news."
What do you make of Jack Grealish's start to life at Everton?
"Everton are a very competitive team. There are more players than just Grealish, Beto has been good up front and Ndiaye has been very good. I think Dewsbury-Hall has been good after maybe not being on top at Chelsea. And then a good colleague and friend of mine, David Moyes, is in charge and his team as a whole is very, very competitive. He's a manager that I admire and a person I respect massively in the game. And then, of course, Grealish, you know, I think it's also down to, of course, always the player, but also part of the coaching staff, the manager and Moyes have got Grealish to flourish again. He is their main creator, no doubt about that. He's so dangerous, he can create something out of nothing in every game. So, of course, we need to be aware of him."
Jack Grealish
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Thomas Frank has talked up Jack Grealish's Everton form
How important have long-throws become in the Premier League this season?
"I think this season I've seen a crazy peak in it. Personally, I like it. I think it's whatever you can do to create advantages in your team or create an extra weapon, extra threat, I think you need to look into it. I know there can be styles and what you believe in and all that. I'm just thinking, hmm, how can I make sure that we hopefully maximise the opportunities to try to score a goal? To score a goal is the most difficult thing to do in football. And can you give yourself one more weapon? Why not?"
Xavi Simons, how are you and your coaching staff trying to bring the best from him?
"I think myself and the coaching staff, we try to help any player in the squad. Xavi has been with us for seven, eight weeks, something like that, which is a very short time in football, but in a way also a long time. He is adapting every day. I like his personality, the way he played the first 60 minutes against Villa, and I think he tired a little bit tired as part of the learning coming into a much more intense league. My demands, our demands to him, are more intensity in general. But a player I believe in, I think he got the pass, I think he got the vision. He's just been out there, we've been training and I think he trained very well. So, yeah, hopefully he will get it step by step."
Pape Matar Sarr, is he injured? He hasn't played much recently, why is that?
"Yeah, there's nothing wrong with him. He started probably the first six games, and I think he was a very, very good player for us. I think we, I can't remember, there was maybe a minor situation where we rested him. But no, no, it's just competition, other players, you know, done well, decisions from me. But in general, I'm happy with Pape. I've said that before, he was one of the players that impressed me the most and in the beginning of the season and he's a very good player."
What do you think of the viewpoint that the team with Bentancur and Palhinha starting together has been a bit predictable in possession recently?
"I think probably the team. I think it's always team effort, how we construct a team or how. In the end, it's my final decision, of course. It's a collective effort in terms of how we want to build up or how we want to create chances. I think both of them are more than capable of helping the team. And I think it's one thing that is part of the game. The other part is, of course, how can we make sure we are strong and solid enough if we are in a spell where we may be. The team is not as free-floating as we want it to be because of new players getting, how can you say, gelled together, getting it more smooth, more free. How can we make sure that if that's not working, how can we make sure we are super solid and still building? So that's part of the puzzle."
Xavi Simons
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Xavi Simons was dropped in midweek against Monaco
Results have been good since you came here. Do you think those elements of performance are on track with what you expected by this point?
"Besides maybe Bournemouth, the first half against Wolves and second half against Monaco everything has either been top, good or good plus. And when I talk now, I'm not talking about everything is free-flowing, but I just think about your role, how you're competitive in a game, you are aggressive, you play with intensity, you try to get chances, you play behind them and all that. So I think that's the way you build a culture and a team."
Have off-field changes impacted the team on the field at all?
"I think that's, how can you say, the day we decided that Daniel was not here anymore was, of course, a little bit, how can you say, unusual is probably the word to use. And then the first couple of weeks, a lot of questions from you guys. I need to answer that and a little bit in the media and all that. But since then, you know, you get on with things. I focus on trying to prepare the team the best possible way with my coaching staff.
"I think the players, they are in their own little bubble and world and try to do the best they can to perform and make sure we're in the best possible place. So for me, it's now it's a little bit like business as usual. And then, of course, how can you say, behind the scenes, we are getting to know each other better and the direction we are going in. A lot of discussion around how the Spurs have been creatively this season."
In the first game of the season you started Sarr, Bergvall and Gray. Why haven't they started?
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"Probably because I thought the other bits were the right players to pick for the day. Of course, I'm looking into every aspect to try to do everything I can to maximise the performance and us playing. First and foremost, maximise performance. And what I think is the best way we can try to get results, of course. But also make sure we play as good as possible. And I'm, in general, been overall happy with both Joao and Rodri."
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