11th February 2026
February 11 – Thomas Frank’s time at Tottenham Hotspur has come to an abrupt end with the Dane was dismissed this morning with Spurs sitting 16th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone and without a win in their last eight league matches.
Tuesday night’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United proved to be the last straw – less than 12 hours after saying he was “convinced” he would still be in charge for the north London derby against Arsenal on February 22, Frank was informed of the club’s decision.
In a statement, Tottenham said: “Throughout his time at the club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.”
The club added that, while they had been “determined to give him the time” to succeed, “results and performances have led the board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.”
The numbers leave little room for debate, with Spurs having won just two of their last 17 league games. The heavy defeat to Arsenal back in November set the tone for a difficult winter that also brought FA Cup elimination to Aston Villa and further losses to West Ham and Bournemouth.
Draws against Burnley and Manchester City provided a brief respite for Frank, but the momentum that would have saved his job simply never materialised.
Frank’s record in Europe was much stronger. Tottenham finished fourth in the Champions League league phase, ahead of the likes of Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid, securing automatic progression to the last 16. Domestically, however, the performances remained inconsistent.
Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou in June after Spurs finished 17th last season, albeit with the consolation of a Europa League triumph. That silverware prompted significant investment last summer, including the £114.1 million arrivals of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, alongside loan deals for Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani.
Long-term injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski – perhaps the two best Spurs players last season – disrupted Frank’s plans early on. January additions Conor Gallagher and Souza have yet to change the team’s direction in any meaningful way.
Frank’s exit comes eight months after Tottenham paid Brentford £6.7 million in compensation to secure his services and those of his staff – as revealed by Brentford’s accounts which were helpfully published this morning.
Tottenham now have to find Frank’s successor. The debate is whether to appoint a permanent manager as soon as possible – with the prospect of managing a team in the Champions League knockouts – or to find an interim until the end of the season after which names including Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel or Julian Nagelsmann could be available following the World Cup.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [moc.l1770810212labto1770810212ofdlr1770810212owedi1770810212sni@g1770810212niwe.1770810212yrrah1770810212](javascript:;)