‘We’re not on the same page’ – Thomas Frank says it’s unfair to compare Spurs and Manchester United because of their Champions League commitments

The match was emblematic of both campaigns, with neither team able to protect their lead. But since then, their paths have diverged. Amorim was sacked by United’s organization, but Tottenham continued to put their faith in Frank despite growing dissatisfaction among their fan base.

Frank’s appointment last summer, following the departure of Ange Postecoglou, was initially welcomed. However, Spurs are currently languishing in 14th place and their progress is limited.

Asked if the two clubs had gone in opposite directions over the past nine months, Frank cited continental involvement as a decisive factor.

“It’s good context to say Manchester United won’t be playing European football,” he told a pre-match press conference. “It’s difficult. Let’s make a decision when (both clubs) are on the same page.”

“Give him time!” – Cole says Frank isn’t Spurs’ main problem

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Tottenham enter the weekend closer to the relegation zone than any other club in Europe, so a repeat of Postecoglou’s 3-0 victory at Old Trafford in September 2024 would be a welcome relief for the current head coach.

United, by contrast, arrived on an upbeat note. Benefiting from a full week of training and a stable schedule, Michael Carrick oversaw a third successive league win, matching the streak achieved by his predecessor in 14 months, and propelling the club into fourth place.

As the battle for Champions League qualification intensifies, Carrick’s side are in fifth place, one point ahead of Chelsea, and sixth, two points behind Liverpool.

Frank believes Carrick has already made a notable impact at the club he previously represented as a player.

“He got off to a great start. He injected a level of energy into the team,” Frank said. “Some players seem to be in a good situation.

“We know that the threat of Brian Mbeumo, Amad, (Mateus) Cunha and (Bruno) Fernandes has kept this team going for some time. He’s been doing that for four or five years. It’s a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick won all three games he was in charge of.

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Frank: Romero’s post was handled internally.

Tottenham head north with new confidence after a frenetic second-half comeback against Manchester City last Sunday, as they bounced back from a two-goal deficit to secure a point at home.

This performance was followed by a flurry of sharp criticism from captain Cristian Romero, who expressed his dissatisfaction with January’s modest transfer activity.

The Argentina centre-back described the team’s lack of depth as “disgraceful” and claimed Spurs “only had 11 players available” against City.

It is the second time in recent weeks that Romero has made a public rant, with his previous social media post denouncing the club’s hierarchy as a “lie”, which was quickly deleted after the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.

Frank addressed his latest comments on Thursday, repeatedly emphasizing that the matter was resolved behind closed doors, while acknowledging it was not an approach he supported.

“The beauty of written text is that you can read it deeply,” Frank said. “And no one really knows except Kuti or the people who have spoken to him. Everything is handled internally.

Cristian Romero said it was “disgraceful” that the club only had 11 healthy players to face Man City

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“It shows that Kuti is very passionate. He wants to win and he wants to do everything with his teammates to achieve great things. You have to ask him the next time you talk to him.”

“If you want to know what he meant, you have to ask him, and that is the correct way to take that question.

“Kuti is a very passionate personality and player and he will want to leave everything on the pitch. He is very ambitious and wants to win every time. Sometimes when that happens it can explode. That is something that we have naturally dealt with and we have dealt with internally.”

“There are many ways to do things. Kuti has worked very well for us this season and in the past. It’s very important to recognize that.”

“I wouldn’t have done that. That’s my message.”

Frank confirmed that Romero had not been disciplined before taking office in January, but declined to say whether any sanctions had been imposed this time.

Conor Gallagher joined from Atletico Madrid last month.

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When asked if Romero’s comments had received support from disgruntled fans after a transfer window in which Brennan Johnson was sold to Crystal Palace for £35m and only Conor Gallagher arrived from Atletico Madrid, along with 19-year-old left-back Souza, Frank questioned the significance of the reaction on social media.

“First of all, I don’t know what a like means,” he says. “There are so many words in the post. Is it something like ‘well done, you guys did an amazing job when you had to be sent off at half-time’ (acting as a response)? If it’s something like that, it’s perfect.”

“Social media, I can’t get rid of it. It’s what some people call the future, or whatever it is. One thing I know: We definitely pay too much attention to social media. All of us. It seems like everything written on social media is true.”

“Everything we accept, that’s the truth. It’s a challenge in general, across the board. That’s the way it is. We’re dealing with it.”