Thomas Frank’s dismissal: Tottenham’s appointment is a gamble that ended in failure

Former president Daniel Levy was a constant foil to the anger of Tottenham fans. When he left in September, most welcomed it, but it left Frank even more in the line of fire – with his armor removed.

Frank was – justifiably – a hugely popular figure at Brentford, not only for his success on the field but because of the close relationship he built with the fans.

The sight of him leading his players on the post-game honors walk became familiar — and he recognized the faces he recognized in the crowd.

It was ironic, then, that one of the most toxic moments of Frank’s short reign came at Gtech on New Year’s Day, when he was greeted with loud boos from visiting Spurs fans at the end of a stunning goalless draw.

It was not easy to establish close ties in a large, modern arena with more than 61,000 supporters. They have to be shaped by results, which they have not achieved, as they have won just two of their 11 home league games.

Frank’s post-match lap of honor became a point of contention and controversy when defenders Jed Spence and Micky van de Ven overtook him and refused to take part following the home defeat to Chelsea, although they later apologised.

Even if they were angry fans, the way they rudely rejected Frank’s wishes sent bad signals, raising doubts about his level of control.

Despite Spence’s remorse, the manager once again faced awkward questions about his defender’s reaction after being substituted during the dismal 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.

It was a miserable and dreary era. Often times, matches end in discontent, which the club has noticed.

Frank certainly never felt the need to publicly criticize his fans at Brentford – a move that rarely ends well – but after the defeat to Fulham he declared goalkeeper Vicario’s booing “unacceptable” and not the actions of “real Spurs supporters”.

Doing so – even just to a section of the public – was a high-risk strategy. He never got the victories to heal that fracture.

Frank’s honesty, upbeat attitude and results meant he was well-liked at Brentford. It was the opposite at Tottenham.

Time and patience – Brentford’s precious commodities – were in short supply. Not just from post-Levy power brokers, but from fans who never sympathized with Frank, who didn’t buy into his lineage and methods.

There was no doubt that many Spurs supporters felt that Frank was not up to the task from the start, as his strong presence at a smaller club in Brentford did not, in their eyes, represent the background needed to wrestle with the heavyweights in north London.

Frank needed to make an immediate impact to dispel doubts. He wasn’t able to do that.