Tottenham Players Reportedly 'Sick' of Thomas Frank's Arsenal Praise
Tottenham Hotspur's players were left unhappy and frustrated by former manager Thomas Frank's repeated praise of arch-rivals Arsenal's performances this season, according to reports. Frank was sacked by Spurs on Wednesday morning, less than twelve hours after the team suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United.
This loss has left Tottenham just five points above the Premier League relegation zone, with only two wins from their last seventeen league games. A statement from the club read: 'Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together. However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.'
Frank's Arsenal Comments Irritated Squad
According to The Telegraph, Frank frustrated some players during his eight-month tenure by frequently highlighting Arsenal's strengths under manager Mikel Arteta. The report adds that members of the Spurs squad shared memes of Frank wearing Arsenal clothing after he unknowingly drank from a cup bearing the Gunners' logo before a 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth in January.
A source told The Telegraph: 'He was constantly going on to the players about Arsenal and they quickly got sick of it. Even before and after the game at the Emirates, he was telling them how good Arsenal were. The feeling among some was very much 'just shut up about Arsenal'.'
History of Accidental Arsenal Praise
Frank's tendency to praise Arsenal dates back to his first press conference as Spurs manager in July last year, where he accidentally lauded Arsenal's Invincibles season under Arsene Wenger. He said: 'As I said to the staff on the first day here, I promise you one thing, one thing is 100 per cent for sure – we will lose football matches. I haven't seen a team not losing any football matches. There is Arsenal, that we can't mention... so I made my first rookie mistake there.'
He also hailed Arsenal as one of the best teams in the world before a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong, stating: 'It's a great challenge besides being our biggest rivals and the first north London derby outside the UK. They are also right now one of the best teams, I must say unfortunately, in the world, we also need to be honest.'
Frank's Response to Cup Incident
When questioned about drinking from the Arsenal-branded cup, Frank defended himself: 'I definitely did not notice it. It would be completely stupid of me to take it if I knew. It's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked about it. I would never do something that stupid. I think we're definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to worry about me having a cup with another logo of another club. Of course, I would never do that. That's extremely stupid.'
The combination of poor results and player dissatisfaction over his Arsenal comments ultimately led to Frank's dismissal, as Tottenham seek to reverse their fortunes in the Premier League.
