Thomas Frank has been relieved of his duties with Tottenham Hotspur after a shocking run of form in the Premier League, and it seems as though some of his players weren't fully on board with his plans
Thomas Frank holds a coffee cup with an Arsenal logo on it
Thomas Frank was embarrassingly spotted drinking from an Arsenal cup earlier this season(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA, Getty Images)
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Thomas Frank irritated his Tottenham Hotspur squad by repeatedly discussing Arsenal before his dismissal, according to reports. The former Brentford manager was removed from his position on Wednesday, just hours after Spurs suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United.
It represented the final blow following a catastrophic spell that witnessed the north London club secure just seven victories from their 26 Premier League fixtures. They also went without a win in their last eight top flight outings under Frank.
Spurs currently occupy 16th in the standings and face genuine danger of becoming embroiled in another relegation scrap after their 17th-placed finish last season. Despite their abysmal domestic record, Spurs have progressed to the Champions League knockout rounds after cruising through the league phase in fourth spot.
Nevertheless, their European achievements proved insufficient to prevent Frank's departure. Following confirmation of his dismissal, it transpired that certain Tottenham players were reportedly frustrated by his continual acclaim of their most fierce rivals.
According to The Telegraph, the Dane was 'constantly going on about Arsenal' and emphasised how impressive they were following Tottenham's humbling 4-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium in November. The report suggests that numerous players became weary of this tactic and the sentiment among some was essentially 'just shut up about Arsenal.'
Others felt 'dismayed' when photographs surfaced of Frank carrying an Arsenal coffee cup whilst walking around the Vitality Stadium ahead of Tottenham's loss to Bournemouth. He later maintained that he hadn't spotted the Arsenal emblem on the cup he was clutching, explaining: "It's fair to say that not winning every single football match, it would be absolutely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal on it.
"They've been in the changing room the game before us. It's normal to say 'give me a cup of espresso' before every game. I think it's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question like that.
"We are definitely going in the wrong direction if we are worrying about me having a cup of another club. Of course I wouldn't do that, that would be really stupid."
It's reported that memes portraying Frank as an ardent Arsenal supporter were circulated among Tottenham players and staff following that cringe-worthy incident. Just last week, the recently dismissed Spurs manager confessed that he believed some of his squad doubted his suitability for the role.
Thomas Frank reacts
A 2-1 loss to Newcastle was the straw that broke the camel's back(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
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He said: "I am pretty sure there are also some players who don't think I am the best bloke or whatever it is, but as long as they work hard and do everything they can on the pitch then I am happy. Is the feeling better if everyone is aligned and happy and likes each other? Probably, but it is all about the performances on the pitch."
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