Thomas Frank believed Pedro Porro was the only ‘elite’ player in his Tottenham Hotspur squad, according to The Times journalist Tom Allnutt.
The Danish tactician was relieved of his managerial duties in north London on Wednesday, following a winless run of eight Premier League games.
Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United proved to be Frank’s final game in charge, with Spurs dropping to 16th in the Premier League table after yet another defeat.
Amid their woeful form this season, Frank reportedly believed the squad lacked quality in most departments and felt only Porro could play for a truly elite European team out of all Spurs players.
Thomas Frank Only Rated Pedro Porro
According to Allnutt, Frank had concerns over Tottenham’s recruitment ever since taking charge last summer, with deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze collapsing.
“Frank believed only Pedro Porro could play for a really elite European team and there is no doubt recruitment in recent years has been poor.
“Deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, game-changing creators, were fumbled while injuries wreaked havoc again, especially up front.”
Tottenham spent over £180m in Frank’s only summer transfer window at the club, welcoming the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani.
Spurs splashed another £50m on the arrivals of Conor Gallagher and Souza in January, while Brennan Johnson was sold for £35m to Crystal Palace.
The Lilywhites have had numerous injury concerns all season, with the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison sidelined with long-term setbacks.
Spurs currently have as many as 11 first-team players unavailable, including Romero, who is serving a four-game suspension following his red card against Manchester United.
Tottenham Eyeing Roberto De Zerbi
Tottenham are on the lookout for a new manager following Frank’s sacking on Wednesday and have identified former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi as one of their targets.
De Zerbi is available after leaving Ligue 1 side Marseille last week, ending his near two-year stint with the French club.
The Italian tactician would reportedly be available to replace Frank immediately as he looks to return to the Premier League following an impressive spell with Brighton.
De Zerbi led the Seagulls to sixth in the Premier League in the 2022-23 season – the club’s highest top-flight finish to date.
Alongside Heitinga: Tottenham Eyeing 2x Title-Winning Manager as Interim
They could be waiting for Mauricio Pochettino.
About Author
You may also like
-
Thomas Tuchel to sign new England contract
-
Oxlade-Chamberlain scores stoppage-time winner on Celtic debut after Arsenal missed January move
-
Liverpool plotting €80m move for Barcelona defender Jules Kounde
-
Shakur Stevenson & Terence Crawford React to UFC Star’s ‘Kill’ Threat
-
Nottingham Forest sack Sean Dyche after Wolves draw