12/02/2026

THURSDAY | FEB 12, 2026

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Spurs sack Frank

T OTTENHAM HOTSPUR have sacked manager Thomas Frank after eight months in charge, the Premier League club said yesterday, after a woeful run of results left the north London club hovering five points above the relegation zone. Pressure on Frank had been mounting and yesterday’s 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle United left his team in 16th place with 29 points from 26 matches and looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone. A club statement read: “The Club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today. 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. Throughout his time at The Club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the Club for ward. We would like to thank him for his con tribution and wish him every success in the future.” Frank, who joined Brentford in 2018 and established them as a top-flight club after gaining promotion, has struggled to replicate

Tottenham dismiss manager following the Lilywhites’ dismal 2-1 defeat at home against Newcastle

The signs were that Frank was still being backed by the club’s hierarchy with midfielder Conor Gallagher being signed in January from La Liga side Atletico Madrid and former Liverpool assistant coach John Heitinga join ing as his assistant. But with no end to the club’s poor form in sight, Frank becomes yet another Spurs project on the scrap heap. Spurs will now prepare to face Premier League leaders Arsenal, before a trip to Fulham and a home game against Crystal Palace. Lose that and the club could find them selves battling to avoid relegation for the first time since the 1976/77 season when they fin ished bottom. “It became untenable,” former Spurs player Danny Murphy told Talk Sport . “He did well to get as long as he did, their home form has been disastrous. “When a manager is under pressure, it translates to the players, they’ve not been able to play free. By relieving that pressure, what they’re hoping, they’ll hope the fans will be back on board and the players will play free. “I feel for him, there have been injuries, but it’s not been good enough. It’s hard to see an identity. The players are bereft of confidence. He couldn’t carry on.” – AFP/The Independent

cup bearing the crest of fierce rivals Arsenal – an incident he later described as a mix-up. His uneasy relationship with the fans also surfaced in November when he criticised them for mocking keeper Guglielmo Vicario after a mistake in the home defeat by Fulham. Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League after Spurs finished last season one place above the Premier League relegation zone. Frank was supposed to have built on that triumph, the club’s first trophy since 2008, and turn them into top-four challengers once again. But they have won only seven league games, albeit hampered by a long injury list. Their current eight-game winless run in the Premier League is their longest since Juande Ramos was sacked in 2008 amid a nine-game winless run. Despite Tottenham’s domestic woes, they have performed impressively in the Champions League, finishing fourth in the 36 team table to qualify easily for the last 16.

those methods at last season’s Europa League winners Tottenham. The writing looked to be on the wall for the 52-year-old after yesterday’s defeat by Newcastle United – their 11th of the league campaign. Supporters left no doubt about their feel ings with jeers ringing out around the club’s stadium and chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” directed at Frank. It was Tottenham’s seventh league defeat at home in the Premier League this season and they have won only two of their 13 league games in front of their own fans. Tottenham supporters were also singing the name of former coach Mauricio Pochettino, who got them to the 2019 Champions League final, on Tuesday. The Argentine is currently manager of the US men’s national team. On the field, the pragmatic Frank had been unable to give his side any real identity. His popularity was not helped in January after he was photographed holding a coffee

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