Tim Sherwood Makes Thomas Frank Sack Prediction Ahead of Tottenham vs Arsenal
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood has made a significant prediction regarding the future of current Spurs boss Thomas Frank, suggesting the club will not make a managerial change until the end of the season despite mounting pressure.
Relegation Battle Intensifies at Tottenham
Tottenham's position in the Premier League has become increasingly precarious following a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United on Tuesday night. The loss leaves Spurs sitting just five points above 18th-placed West Ham United, firmly embroiled in a relegation battle that has tested the patience of supporters.
During the second half of the Newcastle match, Tottenham fans directed 'you're getting sacked in the morning' chants at Frank, highlighting the growing frustration within the fanbase. However, Sherwood believes the club hierarchy will resist making a change in the dugout.
Sherwood's Analysis of Frank's Situation
'I think if he hasn't been sacked by now, they've had a lot of opportunities to sack Thomas Frank, it hasn't been good enough, then they won't sack him,' Sherwood told Premier League Productions. 'I think they'll persevere with him until the end of the season, see if he can get himself out of the hole he is in.'
The former Spurs boss noted a change in Frank's usual approach to taking responsibility for poor results. 'It's the first time I've ever seen him deflect, he normally takes all the brunt of it, takes it on the chin,' Sherwood observed. 'He was talking about, 'let's not forget last season as well, it's accumulation, it wasn't great last year', he's deflecting around, I don't like that, personally.'
Sherwood emphasised that 'the brunt stops with you, you're the manager' and suggested Frank was engaging in 'self-preservation a little bit, which is unusual for Thomas Frank.'
Injury Concerns and Fan Disconnect
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves offered some context for Tottenham's struggles, noting: 'First of all he's missing his two best players – Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison. I think they're doing really well in the Champions League but again they had this situation last season, they haven't invested well and he's missing his best players, Mohammed Kudus as well, so it's not all his fault.'
Sherwood identified a deeper issue at the club, stating there is a clear 'disconnect' between supporters and the Spurs squad. 'Yeah, they're in a relegation battle, unfortunately, you can't dress it up any other way, the table doesn't lie,' Sherwood said bluntly.
'The fans are not with them, there's a disconnect between the fans and the pitch and this manager, there's real problems at the moment,' he added, highlighting the challenging atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Crucial North London Derby Ahead
Attention now turns to the upcoming North London derby against Arsenal, with Sherwood suggesting an unexpected result could provide a crucial confidence boost. 'North London derby comes next, it's not impossible that they can win that game, they would love to win that game because it would give them the confidence to move on,' he said.
Such a victory would 'obviously upset their neighbours who are favourites to win the title as well which rubs salt in the wounds,' Sherwood noted, acknowledging the additional significance of defeating their arch-rivals.
However, the fixture list offers little respite, with Tottenham facing Fulham away and Crystal Palace in subsequent matches. 'The games come thick and fast after that,' Sherwood warned. 'It's about confidence, it's about getting one result and building and bouncing into the next, at the moment they keep losing games, it becomes a habit in the end.'
Next Tottenham Manager Odds
Despite Sherwood's prediction that Frank will remain in charge until season's end, bookmakers have already compiled a list of potential successors:
- Mauricio Pochettino – 6/4
- Roberto De Zerbi – 7/4
- Xavi – 6/1
- Robbie Keane – 6/1
- Ruben Amorim – 10/1
- Xabi Alonso – 12/1
- Oliver Glasner – 12/1
- Enzo Maresca – 20/1
- Michael Carrick – 25/1
- Marco Silva – 25/1
Additional names in the frame include Bo Svensson, Marco Rose, Brendan Rodgers, Carlos Corberan, Erik ten Hag and Gareth Southgate, all priced at 33/1 with BetVictor.
As Tottenham prepare for their crucial derby clash, all eyes will be on whether Frank can navigate this turbulent period and prove Sherwood's prediction correct by retaining his position through to the season's conclusion.
