Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\nAccording to Tottenham legend Jermain Defoe \u2014 who was speaking to foxsports.com.au after the announcement of the Sydney Super Cup \u2014 Frank\u2019s side have proven they\u2019re a team with \u201ccharacter\u201d in their last two outings.<\/p>\n
But can they return to the top echelons of the Premier League after a 17th placed finish last year, and a trophy, amid a turbulent period of change?<\/p>\n
Or will the pressure mount once more on Frank, like it did with Postecoglou, and lead to a familiar disappointment? <\/p>\n
THE ANGE SITUATION<\/p>\n
Postecoglou\u2019s sacking came after he broke a 17-year title drought for the famous North London club earlier this year, with their last European conquest coming in 1984.<\/p>\n
Ange\u2019s Spurs won the Europa League, beating Manchester United 1-0. <\/p>\n
But in the league they seriously struggled, consistently losing games with a focus on silverware elsewhere. It came back to haunt Postecoglou.<\/p>\n
It was their league position, 17th, that was the final straw that sealed his fate according to Defoe, who scored 91 goals in his 276 Premier League appearances for Spurs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think with management, especially at the pinnacle level, I think the contract is not just about if you win a trophy, it\u2019s more than that,\u201d he said to foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it didn\u2019t end how Ange wanted it to end, but as most Tottenham fans I can imagine will appreciate what Ange brought to the football club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe celebrations and what he did, he said he was going to win and he did it. He said he\u2019s going to bring a trophy and you have to respect a coach that does that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we\u2019ve had some great managers over the years that didn\u2019t do it, managers that have won everything and never managed it (at Spurs).<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if it wasn\u2019t Ange, and it was someone else, and someone said \u2018you\u2019re going to finish 17th in the league\u2019 then I think most people would be like \u2018well that can\u2019t happen\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it\u2019s Tottenham. But he won a trophy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Would Ange Postecoglou have found success if given another Premier League campaign.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
So, after 15 rounds, would Postecoglou have coached Spurs to higher than 10th place this season?<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know to be honest, I know he probably would have won a trophy, because he says he is going to win and he wins doesn\u2019t he? He wins trophies,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you never know, the next season is always different to the previous season, it\u2019s always different. I always feel like each season, teams always improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe level of coaching goes up, teams in terms of squad changes, squads get stronger. So this season will be completely different to the last. It\u2019s never the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following his Tottenham departure, Postecoglou took over at Nottingham Forest \u2014 in a move that proved to be disastrous, lasting only 39 days.<\/p>\n
Only 19 minutes after the final whistle was blown in Forest\u2019s 3-0 loss to Chelsea at the City Ground, the club issued a statement on social media that Postecoglou had been sacked.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou did not even get the chance to give one last post-match press conference marking a sad end in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
But Defoe believes that\u2019s not the last we will see of the talismanic mentor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure he will be back in the game soon, even though he took the (Nottingham) Forest job,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn hindsight you look at it and probably think, maybe you shouldn\u2019t have jumped straight back in, but he wins trophies. He did it at Celtic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was at Rangers I played against his Celtic team and you always have to respect his playing style, his teams are always on the front foot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure we\u2019d love to see him back in football at some stage, but maybe it\u2019s an opportunity for him to sort of just reflect, spend time with his family and take his time to come back in.<\/p>\n
Mo Salah left out of Liverpool squad | 02:57<\/p>\n
WHAT\u2019S SPURS BIGGEST ISSUE?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a unique situation, but Frank\u2019s Spurs are flying away from home.<\/p>\n
But they can\u2019t seem to perform in from of their own fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, it\u2019s the opposite for any team, but a 2-0 win over Brentford in their last appearance shaped as a glimmer of hope.<\/p>\n
Prior to that clash, Tottenham had tallied only five points in seven home games. Their away record, meanwhile, has been impressive.<\/p>\n
Taking into account only games played away, Tottenham sit in equal second with 14 points in seven games, one less than those who sit alongside them in Chelsea and Arsenal.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe won the last game (against Brentford), do you know what? You look at any club, the top clubs, if you\u2019re not winning you\u2019re under pressure,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll managers know that, managers are not silly. The game has changed a lot, as in can we sit here and say managers get time these days like years ago?<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think managers get that, I just feel like you have to win and you have to win in a style. He won his last game and now it\u2019s up to the players to go on a good run.\u201d<\/p>\n
As aforementioned, Spurs\u2019 victory over Brentford was a huge result.<\/p>\n
Especially, when you consider the Danish manager was facing his old club, and dominated them in a manner fitting of a mentor moving on to bigger and better things.<\/p>\n
Four days before that, Tottenham travelled to St James\u2019 Park, facing Newcastle in a notoriously tough fixture.<\/p>\n
Tottenham Hotspur’s Danish head coach Thomas Frank has struggled to inspire his team to consistent wins at home.Source: AFP<\/p>\n
They came away with a 2-2 draw, scoring a 95th minute equaliser which proved Spurs have a lot left to give.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re playing against your old team. You\u2019re going to want to (win), like it\u2019s a special game,\u201d Defoe said of the Brentford win.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why it was important for him to win, but away from all of that it was just important to win anyway.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven the Newcastle result, I think that was massive. I think what that did was, it showed a bit of character from the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cNewcastle is one of the hardest places to go in the Premier League, because of the atmosphere, the fans, the environment, the intensity with their players.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think the way we finished the game there, I think that showed a lot about this group of players.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for their home record versus their solid away standings, Defoe couldn\u2019t put his finger on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes you get teams that are strong at home, and away from home they\u2019ve struggled a little bit or the opposite,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to put your finger on it but at the same time I suppose the positives, there\u2019s so many positives for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I go \u2018okay, if we can play this way away from home and then try abd bring those sort of performances (back home)\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201cForget about the environment, bring those same performances and then you\u2019ve got a chance of doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eagles soar into PL top 4 | 01:09<\/p>\n
THE FAN\u2019S STANCE<\/p>\n
Through 15 games of his Premier League stints with Spurs, the biggest criticism of Frank\u2019s tenure has been his team have played a defensive style of football.<\/p>\n
A defensive style that would be fitting for a team like Brentford, not one considered apart of England\u2019s big six\u2019 who have a fanbase that demand free-flowing football.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a completely different style to when Ange was there, because Ange\u2019s team created a lot of chances but they said \u2018they concede too many goals\u2019,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou start to think, if you were Thomas Frank, how would you approach it when you first come in? He\u2019s thinking we need to be solid and hard to beat first and foremost.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s focused on a lot of out of possession stuff, then what\u2019s happened is now we need the balance. If we look solid, now when we have the ball we need to play in a style to create chances.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe manager will know that, he will try to improve. But the fans have always seen Tottenham teams play well and create chances. Go toe-to-toe with teams, they\u2019ve seen that for years, even before my time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, one curious moment before Spurs\u2019 latest two results ruffled feathers.<\/p>\n
Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario was booed by the fans after a horror mistake in the club\u2019s 2-1 loss to Fulham, clearing a ball directly to the feet of an opponent.<\/p>\n
Guglielmo Vicario was left stranded against Fulham.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Harry Wilson then curled the ball into an open net as Vicario watched on helplessly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t like how the fans reacted to that. They booed at him straight after and also three or four times when he was on the ball. For me that is unacceptable,\u201d Frank said post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can\u2019t be true Tottenham fans. Booing after [the game], fair. No problem, but when we are playing, we need to be together.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a brave decision to criticise your own fans, especially when your team is struggling. <\/p>\n
So how can he go about getting them back on side? Well the Newcastle and Brentford results are certainly a start, according to Defoe.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not nice, for any player obviously it\u2019s not nice when your fans get on your back. But sometimes it\u2019s a little bit of frustration from the fans,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s something that\u2019s going to go on now. I think now that\u2019s going to stop. I think it\u2019s just like an instant reaction from frustrated fans<\/p>\n
\u201cVicario is a top goalkeeper he knows they\u2019re top fans, listen I played for the club for nine years, I had two spells at the club, I know they\u2019re special fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s just that demand at a big football club, fans pay their money to come and watch a football team playing a certain way.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd obviously the manager as well, you can imagine the manager\u2019s frustrations but at the end of the day I\u2019ve always said there\u2019s only one way to get fans back on your side at any football club and that\u2019s to win football matches and play well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is that simple.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spurs concede comical goal | 01:22<\/p>\n
THE NEW FACES<\/p>\n
Another of Frank\u2019s biggest issues has been unlocking the new players who have joined Spurs.<\/p>\n
Mohammed Kudus has been a huge success since making the switch from West Ham, while Joao Palhinha has gone back to delivering hearty performances like he did during his time at Fulham.<\/p>\n
Randal Kolo-Muani struggled with injury concerns but has shown flashes of brilliance, while Mathys Tel is a raw talent who is yet to be unlocked.<\/p>\n
The biggest transfer of all was Xavi Simons.<\/p>\n
He made the move to Tottenham in a $102m AUD switch from Germany\u2019s RB Leipzig, having already made a name as one of the world\u2019s best rising attackers.<\/p>\n
But Simons struggled almost immediately to adapt to the pace and brutality of the Premier League, as many players do.<\/p>\n
In his 12 top flight appearances, he has started seven times and came off the bench in five \u2014 tallying an assist in his second game against West Ham.<\/p>\n
From there, it was 10 games until he recorded another attacking output, scoring one and assistant another in Spurs\u2019 2-0 win over Brentford.<\/p>\n
So could that performance prove to be a turning point for a player so highly-rated?<\/p>\n
Xavi Simons enjoyed his best performance yet as a Spurs player against Brentford.Source: AFP<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope so, he was a player that came with a big reputation and there\u2019s been a lot of noise around him for a number of years,\u201d Defoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s probably desperate to show people how good he is and I think it was a big moment for him, what he did under a lot of pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause there\u2019s pressure that builds when you\u2019re not playing well… there\u2019s nowhere to hide. The eyes are on you, so the fact he did that going forward, football is about confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWen you\u2019re playing well, you look forward to the next game. When you\u2019re not playing well you think too much, you take an extra touch.\u201d<\/p>\n
THE SYDNEY SUPER CUP<\/p>\n
As aforementioned, away fixtures have not been a concern for Tottenham.<\/p>\n
That means a trip to Australia in 2026 for the Sydney Super Cup won\u2019t be an issue, facing cross-town rivals Chelsea.<\/p>\n
The historic showdown is set to take place at Accor Stadium on August 1, a stadium that couldn\u2019t be further away from North London, and Defoe believes it\u2019s a derby that doesn\u2019t get the hype it deserves.<\/p>\n
\u201cNah it\u2019s fierce that derby, from day one really that\u2019s always been a big. People always think, obviously the North London derby, of course the Arsenal game is big,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that Chelsea game is just as big and that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s special this fixture, the game being (in Sydney) and the fans getting to experience that, it\u2019s going to be special for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIf you\u2019re not winning, you\u2019re under pressure\u201d. That\u2019s the position Ange Postecoglou\u2019s successor finds himself in right now…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":336414,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[563],"tags":[64,63,596,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-336413","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=336413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/336414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=336413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=336413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=336413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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