Thomas Frank told to take Crystal Palace job after Tottenham sack
Thomas Frank is being backed to take charge of Crystal Palace after his dismissal by Tottenham Hotspur, with former Palace owner Simon Jordan suggesting the Danish coach remains a viable Premier League manager, just not at a club of Spurs’ stature.
Frank was sacked following a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle, just eight months after being appointed last summer. While Spurs showed promise early in his tenure and built one of the better away records in the division, their home form proved fatal, winning just twice at home, leaving the club mired in a relegation battle.
Jordan was candid in his assessment on White and Jordan. Frank has been diminished by the experience, he argued, but not finished. He said (h/t ):
“Success isn’t always a straight line. He’s now back in the club of managers who can manage in the Premier League but only a certain type of club.”
Palace presents itself as a natural fit. Oliver Glasner is expected to leave Selhurst Park at the end of the season, and Frank’s track record at Brentford, where he built a cohesive, well-organised side on modest resources over several years, aligns closely with what Palace require.
Jordan acknowledged some Palace supporters may baulk at the idea, given what happened at Spurs, but suggested there is enough in Frank’s broader body of work to warrant consideration.
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The Spurs exit was not without controversy. Reports emerged that Frank spoke about Arsenal frequently enough to irritate his own players, and was photographed holding an Arsenal-branded cup before Spurs’ defeat at Bournemouth in January. There were also issues with punctuality at training. Jordan dismissed some of the briefings as player-driven agenda-setting, but acknowledged the optics were damaging.
Frank received a multi-million-pound pay-off and will be eager to return quickly. A job like Palace, with structure and realistic expectations, could be exactly what he needs.