First Thomas Frank Press Conference | Watch-Along + Reaction

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1:07Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see calshe.com slash regulatory. Well, here we are. Thomas Frank's first press conference as Tottenham Hotspur manager. Weird, isn't it? but it's the first signs of the season starting fresh probably not going to do this through every single one but let's have a, let's watch it anyway let's see what he's got to say for himself

1:42it's five weeks now since we heard that you were taking the job, I'm sure you didn't start work straight away here at the training ground but at the time you've been here now I've met most of the players and worked with them as well Or is it what you're... It's quite weird, isn't it? It's quite weird seeing him there. The main thing I remember, the last impression I have of Thomas Frank sat in a press conference at Tottenham was when we just had the thing with Malpey, Brentford and Malpey, and he was doing the darts celebration, taking the mick out of Madison and all that. And they asked him in the press conference afterwards, didn't they?

2:19Do you think the Spurs fans, the Spurs players were right to be frustrated with Malpe for doing that and he was just like, I think they're getting wound up about a celebration and they've got serious problems, to be honest, which at the time, obviously, I was livid about, but now you're kind of like, yeah, fair enough, sort of see his point. Go on, Gaffer. Expected, bigger job than you thought or an easier job than you thought? It's the easy part now, huh? It's the honeymoon. Everyone is happy, the sun is shining. you know we haven't played a game yet but it's super exciting it's a it's a massive club a huge club in England and in the world I'm super excited myself about it everyone been kind of friendly open-minded so yeah it feels good and the best thing is it feels natural and then why not that's what I've done.

3:16I don't know for how many years. It's football. It's good players. It's preparing them with a good staff and make sure we are ready to hit the ground running. It's a big club. You're a big manager, a successful manager. So everything, we try and keep positive. But maybe this question is a little bit negative. Obviously, in the time you were at Brentford, Tottenham sacked five head coaches, managers. Only five. Only five, okay. One after getting to a Champions League final, one after getting to a message. A bit of humour, tempering it with a bit of humour there, you know, nicely done. Sixth cup final, one after getting to the top four, one after winning a European trophy.

3:59Did that worry you at all when you were considering coming here? I like to challenge myself. I've been that privileged. I've never been sacked before. So that's one of the reasons why I took the job. so I get a little bit more risk into my daily life. You know, coming to a big club, there's pressures. There's, you know, we need to perform because it is we. It's me, it's the staff, it's the players, it's everyone, and we need to do that together. So, no, I like the ambitions, and everything I do, every decision I've made so far, everything is for the long term. it's not about surviving one game or one year or 18 months or what is the average no it's for the long run the thing about this sort of question is right i think it's a valid question to ask i'm not jumping on this being oh the press are after us sort of thing it's a valid question to ask but these questions are always asked and i appreciate they're sort of on the spot although i would imagine most of these journalists have these questions preloaded what's he going to say to that like what's he gonna say well yeah obviously i know that the chairman's got a bit of a reputation for firing people and if i do well then there's a chance i might get sacked anyway but whatever i'm gonna come and have a go you know instead of asking something as kind of as as as low rent as are you worried about potentially getting sacked is that something you thought about well when you say something more like what do you think you can do differently you know i i don't know I'm just proving it myself on I shut up obviously there's going to be I just think I just think it's a lame question it's a lame question and I don't think we benefit from it that's all it's going to be adjusted slightly based on what you're what you're hoping to get departures and arrivals I just wondered if we if I could ask what your take is on the Morgan Gibbs White situation there's been a lot of noise from Nottingham Forest nothing much from Tottenham.

5:59What's your take on that situation? You know me well, so I'll use what I've done all the time. I'll not speak about players that are not mine. I think I'm doing two exceptions and they're getting older. It's Ronaldo and Messi. The rest, I'll just speak about the players who are inside and in the squad of Tottenham. Michali, please. Thomas, firstly, congratulations on your new role here at Spurs. When Ange Posikoglu left the club, there was an outpouring of emotion and a lot of farewell messages from the players. How have you found the mood within the camp since the players returned? And what has your main message been to the players so far?

6:36First and foremost, I think I've said that before, I think Ange will forever be a legend here at Tottenham. He's one of three. He's won a European trophy. And that is the first one in 41 years. So unbelievable, fantastic, great achievement. I see happy players positive, smiling, energy training well so yeah, good vibe around the place they should be a good vibe they just won the Europa League title going into a new season everything exciting and in football and in sport it's about dreaming and hoping so that's what we do Absolutely You've got a number of friendlies this summer starting off with Reading tomorrow how important is having a good pre-season for you personally just because you've come into the club?

7:25I think good season. It doesn't matter in the slightest, does it really? I mean, let's just, I'm interested to see what he's got to say about it, but let's be real, it doesn't matter in the slightest, does it? His pre-season is very good, but that's, I think that's a few things. So one thing we need to hit the physical targets. So we need to make sure they are very fit. We need to make them strong and robust so we can go through a long season, hopefully competing in four tournaments. That's the plan. So that's the biggest thing. Then the second biggest thing is getting the principles I want into the players.

8:07And you train to get better. And the friendlies, you use them to get better. Of course, we like to win them. And it will always be nice to win. I can't remember how many games it is, but I know the next one is raiding tomorrow. That's the most important one. So that's the purpose of the pre-season. And George would have everyone available for the Supercop the 13th of August. It's a nice constructive way of saying games don't matter, really, in terms of the results, do they? We get a bit wrapped up in them, and I suppose we sort of, as fans, we like the momentum of going into a season, knowing we sort of smashed our way through pre-season but we've seen it in the past before when we've done that and had horrendous seasons so basically to his point there as long as people are starting to come around to his methods understand the way in which he wants us to play have a certain idea of the the game plan that's the most important thing isn't it really not not getting results although in saying that and saying that we do have a most disgusting pre-season friendlies against Arsenal don't we?

9:14So, I mean, that result, I'd rather not lose that. I'm not going to lie. Let's say that. And Spurs have signed Mohamed Koudouz. What do you feel he brings and will bring to your squad? I think it's a great signing from the club. I think it's top work from Daniel and Vina and Johan, getting a very good player in early in the pre-season so we can start working with him. I think he gave us a bit of that unpredictability in the game. I think his 1-1 actions are top. I think his slight passes are top. I think his finishing is very good. And he is in almost the perfect age to perform, but also take the next level.

10:07Hi, Thomas. Thomas, because Tottenham won the Europa League last season after a long wait, does that change what is expected from you at your first season? Is the challenges higher than previously known? I don't know. I think it was extremely positive they won. That gave them that fantastic trophy. I think the fact we finished so far down in the league kind of balances it out a bit. I'm just saying I think that's my opinion. this club deserve and they need it. My aim is that we can hopefully add to that. The first thing and the first aim is that we need to be able to compete in all four tournaments and do it on a consistent level.

10:52That's got to be the ambition we build towards because I think 2019, was it 2019 Champions League final? I think that's the last season where the club managed to compete in more than one competition. And that's got to be the aim. We need to be able to compete in the Premier League and need to compete in Europe and also in the Cubs. And that is a very highly demand, but that's got to be the aim. He looks a bit like somebody, Thomas Frank. Can't quite work it out. That's all I'm thinking. My mind's been wandering there as he's been talking about, okay, the aim's got to be to do well and all right, we get it.

11:33I'm just trying to think who he reminds me of. And I was thinking it's maybe like, do you remember in the old Zelda games or the current Zelda games, Link, he sort of looks maybe like a live action, but retired version of Link that sat around a campfire telling everybody about all the times he fought, you know, Ganon and all that sort of thing. Yeah, just a thought. To compete, there's maybe a chance that you hopefully can end top, but we need to be able to build. I'm glad I keep saying top like a game. Previously with Brentford, you took them into the Premier League and everybody understands that you maximised their potential in the Premier League.

12:14How excited are you with the resources you will have at Spurs and where you can take them? Super excited. I think there's a fantastic training ground, fantastic stadium, so all the facilities are top and we just need to build them there. I think it's a very exciting squad with a good mix between some experience and some very talented players, but also players that are in a good age, but that can take the next step. And, yeah, super excited about my biggest, biggest, how can I say, task is to maximize the potential in the players on the team. If you maximize that, it gives you a better opportunity for competing.

12:58And if you can compete, you can hopefully win some. So it's my job to maximize things. Go on, man. Thomas, Daniel Straubel from Vajreplay Denmark. Sorry, I'll do the question in English so everyone can follow. I don't think you've trained everyone to understand the Danish. Not yet, but it'll come. With previous managers like Antonio Conte, Maruacio Progettino, Jose Mourinho, how did Thomas Frank from Little Denmark end up in Spurs? Very good question. I think you need to ask the guys who hired me. but of course it's big names and I'm very proud to sit in this chair and be part of the next part of the next chapter in Tottenham's history and I'll do everything and every day I'll work towards hopefully take this club to junior heights that's the ambition if we're not ambitious if I was not ambitious i would not sit here um so yeah i'm excited and looking forward to it i was quite surprised i spoke to mark nesbitt um danish danishman on the on the pod the other day and he was saying that the the national population of denmark is less than london and i obviously i obviously didn't think you know i know denmark's a relatively small country i still thought they're gonna have 10 15 million people there right but apparently not i think he i think he said about five and a half million people there which is kind of matter what's the i think iceland's iceland's national population is about 800 000 as well but anyway um i thought that's quite interesting i find it a bit weird him saying little old denmark i get what he's saying he's kind of he has a bit of self-depreciation isn't it but you know come on a bit of pride so I was going to ask you a question about the wrench of leaving a football club where your legacy was so vast and so rich to take a job that many would view perhaps as more of a more of a risk and so the question is what sorry why why your decision making process as to leaving leaving leaving a club where you're, yeah.

15:17In a way, it was very difficult. In a way, it was very easy. It was very difficult because I'm a person that go all in when I'm in, in every relationship, you know, work, friendship, marriage, whatever it is, go all in. and when you go all in, let's say, and work on a football club, you get attached, and I had a fantastic time at Brentford with fantastic people, from staff, players, fans, everything. Really, really loved my time there, but I also felt that maybe it was time to challenge myself and get another opportunity, and then when a club of Tottenham's magnitude are knocking on your door, I would like you to be in front of it and be part of hopefully a successful journey.

16:18Then, yeah, I couldn't turn it down. And I know you don't want to answer any questions. You'll be asked any questions about players that aren't in the building. If I can ask you a question about two players who are, there's been some speculation regarding your captain and your vice-captain, Jungmin Son, and Christian Romero. Can I perhaps get your reflections on those two players and whether you're banking on them for next season? It's hard to say Son Hyun Min as well, really. I mean, we've done this one before. Anyway, yeah, I'd be interested to see what he says there. Top players, Sonny. Been here 10 years.

16:56Finally got his well-deserved trophy in the summer. so important for the team of the club Christian Romeo World Cup winner Europa League winner Cup America winner very very important for us as well both have trained well setting the standards out there on the training pitch and both will play tomorrow so I'm very happy I'm basing this on two photographs that I saw of the club tweet the other day I'm sort of feeling like Sonny might have a season this year I don't know why well I know why because he's a top class player but just I just feel like he's going to have a season this year and I feel like we're going to be relieved that we didn't get rid of him because I don't think we will I can't see us selling Sonny I can't see us moving him on this summer

17:57I almost want to say and I know it's only two photos. I almost want to say he looks like he's bulked up. He looks quite hench. Might be because he was wearing like a sleeveless top or something. But I don't know. He just looks a bit fitter. I don't know if he's maybe changing his body shape, changing his body style. We've sort of seen Salah reduce a bit of bulk, actually. But he was pretty tonk before Salah. But he sort of seemed to reduce his size a bit and leaned into his body changing as he's gotten older in a way that I'm not sure that Sonny has so far. So maybe, I don't know, maybe Sonny is bulking up because he realizes that he hasn't got the speed that he once has.

18:41Maybe he's going to need to be somewhat more combative within Frank's system. I don't know. Like I say, I'm basing this off two photos that the club tweeted the other day, but I just, I don't know. I think Sonny might be up for it this year. Hi, Thomas. Congratulations. Thank you. Just wanted to ask, during your time at Brentford, you know, the team was very adaptable. You had different players. Have you got a specific idea of the style of play that you want to play here at Spurs? Good question. Yeah. Was that Jay Harris? I'm not on first-name terms with him, so I'm not going to say it. But I think that was Jay Harris from The Athletic.

19:22If it is, he'll know how to get good questions out of Frank. If it's not him, then it's a good question. I'm very, very clear in all the principles I have in, I can say, every phase of the game. What I will like to see from the team and the players is I want us to be brave, I want us to be very aggressive, and I want to attack. And I think brave is absolutely linked in dare to do. to dare to do. And if you're not brave, it's very, very difficult to achieve anything. And I think it's very important that we take risk because if you don't take risk, you also take risk. So that brave to dare to do, I think is crucial.

20:08I think the aggressivity, aggressivity, that's difficult. Crucial. Also, if you want to win something or achieve something because you're not aggressive in duels, on off the ball is difficult. It's a very competitive game. And of course, need to attack. Can I just ask you about your history with Johan Lange and your working relationship now that you're back together at Spurs? Yeah. First, Johan, I've been done very well going first to Villa as the technical director and now coming to Johan, coming to Tottenham. And yeah, I know him from back then in Denmark. In Denmark, you know, it's a small country.

20:54So you know each other if you've been, how can you say, growing up through the system. So, no, he's a very good guy. And the last one for me, there was an image going around earlier this week of long throwing auditions. I wanted to know who was successful in the long throwing auditions. Let's see. I would say... On this, actually. Somebody shared an image on Instagram that just said longest over a picture of Danso, which raised a few eyebrows, shall we say. But I think they were talking about the throwing competition. I believe that not only maximising the players' potential and team's potential we need to do what we can to make sure we have enough threats from everywhere on the pitch and that's one area set pieces Hi Thomas, hi I'm good, thank you When you took over from Dean Smith at Brentford very much under the radar.

22:05Not many people knew who you were. Now you're not under the radar. Everybody knows who you are. What pressure does that put on you on day one of the season as Spurs manager? I don't know. I think it's a natural, it's a good pressure. the interesting thing is when you are in it it's something I've done for many years I'm very aware there's a big club there is more there is more and there will be more scrutiny because as I said to the staff the first day here we had a meeting here with all the staff in here I promise you one thing one thing is 100 % sure we will lose football matches I haven't seen a team that are not losing any football matches there is Arsenal that we can't mention in the Premier League so I made my first rookie mistake there and there was a Preston back in there that did it those who think the only two teams in a Premier League season then they probably lost in the cup and the cup they lost all the games so that will happen of course so that will be a natural pressure but the daily work is is natural.

23:24And I think the biggest pressure is the pressure I would put on myself. You said you want your style of play to be aggressive, attacking. How do you do that without losing 22 Premier League football matches in a season?

23:40That should be, I think, I said brave first. Brave is on the ball, but also off the ball, how we defend, let's say in high pressure, for example. But also set aggressive and also attacking. And those are the three good buzzwords that I will continue. You know, I'm quite consistent in my messages saying, but I also started saying, I think it was Jay who asked me about what's the style of play. I have principles for all the phases. That means also when we defend low, when we defend middle, when we defend high, and how we defend the box. So I think that's quite, quite important. We do that. If we want to win enough football matches, we need to be a well-rounded team.

24:19funny you mentioned this is still your honeymoon period um you had a good marriage at brentville with matthew benham and cliff crown and everybody else how are your marriage going to work out with daniel's easy it's the moose i think marriage is a is a strong uh wording i would say i think i'll go that far i'm only married to my wife nana uh but i had a fantastic relationship there's no doubt about that with phil giles and um uh matthew benham john varney and um and lee dykes um and i'm expecting and we'll work on getting as good a relationship to um to daniel um abina um and johan um yeah i'm i know he keeps emphasizing the fact that it's those three together as well he's not really falling into the trap of saying yeah i'm gonna have to kick up and keep Daniel Levy sweet is he he's he's he's either very clearly been briefed or pretty much every stage of his conversation with the club has been with those three um maybe all simultaneously or you know various different times but it does seem to be yeah very much so that that all three of them are being referenced pretty constantly which you know I don't know I don't know does that does that does that as i'm saying that out loud does that worry me does that mean there's a sort of vague hierarchy there does that lead to less power or anything you know what is it they say a camel is a horse designed by committee kind of thing um maybe maybe this is just a more modern approach we don't have some kind of dictatorial approach where you just have one person sat at the very head of a club who everybody kicks up to.

26:06I don't know. It's just, it's stuck out for me because it's a couple of times he's been going on about it, hasn't he? I'm pretty good with people. So I'm very optimistic about that. Hello. Hello, Thomas. Congratulations. Thank you. There's a few players maybe at the club that you've essentially tried to sign in the past yourself at Brentford. Maybe Archie Gray, perhaps, Brendan Johnson, players like that. How good is it to have them now within your squad? and any others that you've looked at in the past that Spurs and wish you'd had? Definitely good to see Archie Gray and Brennan. You know, I think it was a secret, it was not a secret.

26:44You guys apparently know everything. I still haven't figured out how you get all that information. But, of course, when it comes to Tottenham, no one finds out anything, right? It's like top secret here. Everything will slip out. Nothing will slip out. No, it's good to work with them. They're two fantastic footballers and two good people. I think the rest, on top of my head, I think it was not possible for Brentford.

27:18Have you had conversations with them yet about their future? Because obviously Sonny's only got 12 months left in his contract. My expectation is that all the players are here and they're training well. That's what I'm focusing on. Again, I'm very impressed by them. They set the standards and they train hard. So, as I said, they're playing tomorrow. I think that's a good indicator that they are here at the club. We've got a few players coming back from serious injuries. Janis Maddison, Kuzsiewski, Dragosin. Any idea when we'll see them involved? Yeah, Madison is the closest one. He is part training with the team, so that's very positive.

27:59Obviously a key player.

28:07Dragosovsky is a little bit further behind. Hi, Thomas. Congratulations. Just on Son, have you decided who your captain will be yet? Will he still be captain? Good question. I haven't decided anything on that I think I have a long list of bullet points I need to get through so I take him in the right order but he was the captain last year and when we play 245 tomorrow Son and Romero will be the two captains for each team I don't think you can take unless we're selling him I don't think Sonny can not be captain anymore can he? Maybe he can. It's a bold move in the first season for a new manager.

28:55But I'd be staggered if Sonny wasn't captain anymore. But I haven't made a final decision. Will that be your decision or will you let the players vote? That'll be my decision. And you mentioned earlier the challenge for Spurs is competing on four fronts. I mean, how hard is that going to be when you look once again at the money that Liverpool are spending, City spending, Chelsea, Arsenal? How tough is that challenge? That's, of course, tough. I think it's fair to say those three clubs are a tiny bit ahead right now. And I'm not focusing too much on them. I'm focusing on us and what we can do. And I think, can we get closer?

29:41And competing in all situations, I think, is a good first step. And how close is that? I'll not answer that because I think let's play some games and then talk about it then. So I think we have a good squad. I'm pretty sure we can build something very strong over the next years and they get closer. And you said earlier that you're making decisions here for the long term. I mean, are you confident, given the turnover of managers here, that you are going to get the time for those decisions to pay off? what's he supposed to do what's he what's he actually supposed to say here no actually no i reckon i'll probably be sacked in the years so i'm not going to bother laying any sort of foundation or putting any groundwork in and doing this properly i'm just going to slapdash it i get it but what are you supposed to get from a question like that i just i don't understand what's the point yes if i wasn't that then i shouldn't take the job um and um I had very good conversations with Daniel and Vinay and Johan.

30:47It's been very positive. So I am generally a positive and optimistic guy. And I think personally that's better to be that and be too pessimistic because I think it's very difficult to achieve anything or achieve anything big or do things that were not possible before if you're not optimistic. Of course, I'll also say, okay, realistic. and also know what good looks like and also know,

31:18how can I say, the three teams you just mentioned that they are ahead of us right now. So I know how we should look to get there, but let's take one step at a time. Hi Thomas, welcome to Tottenham. Just one from me. What are your kind of first memories of Tottenham kind of growing up? I think you might have been 10 or 11 when Spurs were on the U8. in 84?

31:44That was probably too early for me in 84. I was more... Yeah, 84, yeah. I think what I remember for that summer was more the Euros with Denmark. I was in it for the first time, so with all due respect. I think where it really picked up was, I think, was it the League Cup? we won in, I can't remember the year, but with Alan Nilsson, the tennis player, didn't he say? 1999. Huh? 1999. 1999, yeah. So I remember that. So that's probably the strongest memory.

32:31Oh yeah. All in all. Good, good presser. I think like you never, going to get too much at this stage and what is there to say really he's hit the right notes in the respect that he knows we've got some really talented players here, he's enjoyed working with them all, they're coming up to fitness, he wants to use this pre-season in order to make sure they know how he wants to play and he's kind of managed to swat away pretty successfully all of the kind of like the little jibes about Spurs going through managers and all that type of thing you know I'm sure like he's a smart bloke he'll know that there's a there's a he's got a he's got a distinct time limit on him but I don't know maybe things will change we've seen Spurs acting quite differently in the transfer market this summer thus far maybe this new kind of leadership pack as as I was talking about back there the three of them together will do things a bit differently maybe we won't be cycling through managers anymore maybe we have brought in somebody like Thomas Frank to lay down a lay down the groundwork of a longer term plan and I'd imagine like the only reason why we would get rid of him is if it was failing pretty catastrophically if we within a year or two are back down in like 16th 17th place I think if he keeps us on an upward curve much like Pochettino did when he first came in and I I don't know I I just get a feeling there's a certain similarity between the two of them for me.