Frankly Speaking: Spurs’ New Era Begins with a Whimper, Not a Bang
As the curtain rises on Thomas Frank’s tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, one might have expected a symphony of tactical brilliance and a crescendo of attacking flair. Instead, what we witnessed was a tepid overture against Reading, a side that should have been dispatched with the ease of a maestro flicking through sheet music.
Yes, it was a friendly, and yes, the result was a win. But let’s not kid ourselves into thinking this was anything more than a pedestrian stroll through the park. The narrative of a “promising start” is as thin as the veneer of optimism that often coats the early days of a managerial reign. Frank, a man of considerable acumen, must surely know that this performance was more a reflection of pre-season rust than a harbinger of things to come.
The Danish tactician, lauded for his work at Brentford, has been handed the keys to a club that has been more soap opera than sporting success in recent years. The expectation is not just to win, but to win with style—a mandate that has eluded Spurs since the heady days of Pochettino. Yet, against Reading, the style was as elusive as a coherent VAR decision.
The players, too, must shoulder their share of the responsibility. The likes of Son and Kulusevski, who should be leading lights in this new era, were more dim bulbs than dazzling stars. It’s all well and good to talk about potential and promise, but at some point, these players need to deliver more than just platitudes and platonic ideals of footballing excellence.
Frank’s challenge is to instill a sense of urgency and identity into a squad that has often looked like a collection of individuals rather than a cohesive unit. The honeymoon period will be short-lived, and the Premier League is an unforgiving arena where sentimentality is as useful as a chocolate teapot.
In the end, this was a friendly, a mere footnote in the annals of a season yet to unfold. But if Spurs are to avoid another year of mediocrity, Frank must ensure that this opening act is not indicative of the main performance. The fans deserve more than just a change of conductor; they deserve a symphony worthy of the grand stage.