One night’s peace for Tottenham Hotspur’s Thomas Frank, but Burnley reckoning looms
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Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank during the 2-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Jan 20.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Thomas Frank could smile at last on Jan 20 as a 2-0 victory for his Tottenham Hotspur team against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League released some of the pressure that appeared to be reaching a critical level.
Defeat and another poor display would have left the Dane’s future at Spurs in severe peril. But an impressive first half with goals by Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke lifted the gloom and put Tottenham on the cusp of a last-16 place. Dortmund wingback Daniel Svensson was sent off in between the two goals.
Frank said he would enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine to savour the victory, but the reality is he will be back in the firing line away at Burnley in the English Premier League on Jan 24.
Tottenham have slumped to 14th in the table with two wins from their last 13 league games and any goodwill he experienced from the fans on Jan 20 could evaporate quickly if things go badly at Turf Moor.
“I think the big thing is to build, of course, on this. We need to build on this with performances and a win against Burnley on Saturday,” Frank said.
“I actually think... this is the eighth game in a row where I think we consistently performed quite well. But we haven’t been able to get over the line, get the little margins with us.
“So we just need to do the same thing, keep believing, and then we just know that things will turn.”
The atmosphere after the 2-1 defeat by West Ham United on Jan 17 had turned toxic with fans mocking Frank with chants of “getting sacked in the morning”.
His name was not exactly being sung from the rafters on Jan 20, but the mood was transformed.
“I don’t know. It was just extremely nice to experience. And as I say, the way they pushed us forward and that energy between the fans and the players was magic,” Frank added.
He also stressed again that he felt he and the club’s hierarchy were singing from the same hymn sheet.
“What I feel the whole time is that I feel that the staff is with us,” he said. “I think the players are with us, the ownership, everyone wants the same thing, and we’re on the same page. We do a lot of things in the right direction... We need to keep that consistency.”
In other matches, holders Paris Saint-Germain slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Sporting Lisbon after Luis Suarez struck twice, netting the winner in the final minute after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had equalised.
Elsewhere, Vinicius Jr delivered a scintillating performance to inspire Real Madrid to a commanding 6-1 victory over Monaco, silencing recent criticism from fans.
The Brazilian winger orchestrated the rout with several dazzling dribbles, two assists and a spectacular goal.
Kylian Mbappe netted a brace with Real also finding the net via Franco Mastantuono, Jude Bellingham and a Thilo Kehrer own goal. Jordan Teze scored for Monaco. REUTERS, AFP
