Tottenham Hotspur have parted ways with manager Ange Postecoglou despite the 59-year-old delivering the club’s first trophy in 17 years.
Spurs finished the league campaign in 17th, just one place clear of the relegation zone.
It was the club’s worst-ever finish in the Premier League era and the worst in any top-flight season since 1976/77 (Opta).
As much as the trophy brought excitement, performing so poorly in the league is a sackable offence, and chairman Daniel Levy swung the axe.
Tottenham are now looking for a replacement and have reportedly pinpointed a top target to succeed the Australian tactician.
According to The Guardian, Tottenham met with intermediaries about a potential move for Brentford manager Thomas Frank.
Spurs are impressed with Frank. He took over Brentford in 2018 and led them to promotion in the 2020/21 campaign.
The 51-year-old Brentford boss has since solidified their Premier League status, finishing 10th this season with 56 points.
Does Frank move the needle for Spurs? Sadly, no – View
Frank is an excellent Premier League manager and has done a remarkable job of keeping the Bees in the English top flight, but the top brass should face questions if he is their pick.
The Dane has not shown enough to suggest that he can have Tottenham competing for European slots. The same goes for alternative Marco Silva (Fulham).
Brentford performed reasonably well, pushing up to mid-table. However, the ambitions in North London are different.
Spurs are crying out for a manager who can get this team to compete in the upper echelon of the Premier League while picking up a trophy or two along the way.
Frank does not have that in his resume.
Secondly, it remains unclear if the players at Spurs are a perfect fit for his famously direct style of play.
A manager who follows the counter-pressing principles of Postecoglou would have been a better choice.
Frank is a radical u-turn from the philosophy Postecoglou espouses, and the players might initially struggle to handle the transition.
Spurs should have been pushing for a proven winner with an excellent track record, such as Al-Hilal gaffer Simone Inzaghi or Athletic Bilbao history-maker Ernesto Valverde.
Is Frank a great coach? Yes. Is he the man to take Tottenham back to the top and secure trophies? His track record has not shown it.