Thomas Frank: Tottenham sacks its coach eight months after taking charge

Tottenham have won five, drawn two and lost only one of their eight Champions League group stage matches – that defeat coming to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.

However, their form in the Premier League has been largely poor since November, including a devastating 4-1 defeat to north London rivals Arsenal and an unfortunate 3-0 loss to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

Last month, Frank said he felt the confidence of the board, but BBC Sport has learned he was already subject to major internal scrutiny and at least one member of the club’s executive had raised the option of ending his reign.

Tottenham earned only 10 points at home in the league under Frank, but their record was better away from home, as they obtained 19 points from 13 away matches.

Tottenham beat Burnley, Manchester City and West Ham in their opening four league games, while also beating Villarreal in the Champions League. But they were unable to build on that start and Frank’s playing style never won over fans.

Before joining Tottenham, Frank spent seven years in charge of Brentford, where he led the team from the Championship to the Premier League in 2021.

Speaking ahead of Brentford’s home Premier League match against Arsenal on Thursday, manager Keith Andrews advised Frank to return.

Andrews was Frank’s set-piece coach at Brentford before replacing the Dane as head coach when he joined Tottenham.

“My initial feeling was sadness and hope that he’s going to be OK, which I’m sure he will be, but obviously today was a very difficult day for him,” Andrews said.

“Of course I have a lot of sympathy for him and I feel for him and his staff at the moment.

“Will he recover? I don’t think that’s in doubt. I think he’s proven himself as a really good manager in the Premier League, so yeah, definitely.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his sympathy for Frank.

Arteta said: “Thomas is an excellent coach. He is an exceptional man as well and he has proven that in the Premier League.”

He added, “We know that our responsibility goes beyond just performance. Sometimes results dictate what happens to us. I wish him all the best in whatever he wants to do next.”