Frank addresses Van de Ven & Spence post-match snub: “Not a big problem”

There’s loads to unpick after Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 loss at dwelling to Chelsea yesterday, however the enduring picture that individuals are speaking about was the obvious snub by Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence to their head coach Thomas Frank after the match. Caught on the tunnel digital camera and by followers with their cellphones, Frank appeared to attempt to persuade Micky and Djed to go applaud the house followers regardless of the end result, with each gamers, visibly pissed off, seeming to brush him off. Frank simply stared on the backs of each of them as they went down the tunnel to the house altering room.

Frank was, naturally, requested about it within the post-match press convention, however the Spurs boss didn’t appear practically as involved about it as others did.

”All of the gamers are in fact pissed off. They want to do nicely, they want to win, they want to carry out nicely, so I perceive that. I believe it’s troublesome to be constant in good instances and in unhealthy instances. That’s the reason I went round to the followers as I did. It’s extra enjoyable once we win, I can let you know that.

“I perceive why you ask the query, however I believe that is likely one of the small points. We have now Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence who’re doing every part they will. They carry out very nicely to this point this season and everyone seems to be pissed off. We do issues otherwise, so I don’t suppose it’s a huge drawback.”

In fact, social media and punditry is stuffed with breathless exhortations of how Frank has “misplaced the dressing room” and the way this may very well be the “starting of the tip of his tenure.” Whereas Van de Ven and Spence’s actions definitely aren’t an excellent lock, it’s in no way clear that the incident signifies both of these issues. At minimal, and probably most, it means that the gamers had been each bit as indignant and pissed off in regards to the outcomes because the followers had been, and the choice to stroll again to the tunnel may need been a response to the refrain of boos that rained down from the stands on the closing whistle.

The reality is, we don’t know. It may be a small factor by two pissed off gamers who each had unhealthy video games. It may additionally, as some counsel, be the primary cracks displaying in Frank’s management of the dressing room (although that feels unlikely to me). It positively looks as if the tip of Tottenham followers’ persistence with Frank’s present techniques which has led to Spurs’ current place of fourth within the desk however has provided up some completely diabolical soccer within the course of.

I’d argue, nevertheless, that as unhealthy because the soccer has been (and it’s been BAD, of us), I’ve by no means been supportive of followers booing gamers throughout or after losses. The truth that that is taking place now feels to me to be proof of a power lack of persistence from a fanbase that has been particularly fickle over the previous decade… with purpose, however nonetheless.

Let me make my place plain: I’m not proud of the way in which Spurs are taking part in both. Frank’s most popular techniques, mixed with what now seems to be a considerably disjointed summer season switch window, has led to a workforce that’s defensively strong however fully toothless in assault and buildup, virtually an inverse of what we noticed beneath Ange Postecoglou (a minimum of in his first season). However we additionally know {that a} Frank workforce has a historical past of being a gradual burner a minimum of to begin, and that it takes some time for groups to completely internalize what he desires his groups to do. I believe he has an imperfect squad that’s hindered by important accidents and that also wants some key items to make it work.

I additionally am irritated by the identical fanbase that criticized Daniel Levy for altering managers so ceaselessly now already calling for additional change. Whereas I refuse to convey up the Ange Wars™ from final season, so many issues have modified from final yr — Levy and Ange are out, Vinai Ventaketsham and the Lewis Children are in cost now, there’s a brand new recruitment construction in place, and many others. — that if ever there was a powerful argument to remain the course and provides the supervisor time, it’s now.

Frank, to his credit score, didn’t sugar-coat simply how unhealthy that match on Saturday was.

”All of us sense the frustration and the feelings. That’s a part of soccer. This can be very painful and naturally that’s a part of the job to face you guys now and reply the excellent questions whenever you simply are burning inside. And you want to search out options, watch the sport again and see what went incorrect, however I believe it’s about attempting to remain calm. Normally, I believe Chelsea had been good and we had been positively second greatest.

“We carried out badly. I believe we lacked vitality and depth and that freshness we didn’t have that. Then I believe the excessive strain they got here with, I don’t suppose we solved it nicely sufficient despite the fact that we labored on it, in order that we have to maintain engaged on. I believe our excessive strain, we lacked just a little bit at first till we received on high of it after which they went up 1-0 and we’re chasing. Then it’s a nasty circle the place we’re chasing, missing depth and vitality and unhealthy choices.”

Guglielmo Vicario, who had eight saves and virtually single-handedly saved the match from devolving right into a blowout loss, was equally direct.

“It’s powerful to simply accept however that is the truth of as we speak’s sport. We have to look inside us and we have to do extra as a result of whenever you play for this membership, we’ve to do issues at 100 per cent. I do know it’s powerful however we’ve to try this each single day.

“Whenever you go inside it’s powerful to simply accept since you anticipate your self to carry out at your greatest, with plenty of vitality however one thing as we speak didn’t go in the best route. Everybody is aware of that personally, we’ve to perform a little bit extra if we need to obtain good outcomes, make everybody pleased and make ourselves pleased. At this time is a nasty day for us, we didn’t carry out at our greatest stage.”

Everybody hates shedding. Spurs followers hate shedding to Chelsea and Arsenal most of all. Spurs have overwhelmed the Blues simply as soon as prior to now 18 conferences, and this one felt winnable. And when that loss comes courtesy of a number of the most insipid soccer we’ve seen in fairly a while it makes it particularly laborious to take. No one’s pleased, everybody’s pissed off. That’s fairly a nasty concoction to should choke down. That stated, it feels fairly necessary to maintain these jerking knees in test, again the workforce, and provides everybody concerned time to adapt and alter.

What else can we do? In spite of everything, issues may at all times be worse. We may very well be West Ham.