Thomas Frank was sacked by Spurs on Wednesday with the team just five points above the relegation zone (Getty)
Tottenham’s players were unhappy with Thomas Frank frequently praising Arsenal’s performances this season, according to reports.
Frank was sacked by Spurs on Wednesday morning less than 12 hours after the team’s 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle United.
The loss has left Spurs just five points above the relegation zone and with just two wins from their last 17 Premier League games.
A statement from Spurs 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.’
According to The Telegraph, Frank frustrated some of the players in his Spurs squad during his eight months in charge by highlighting Arsenal’s strengths under Mikel Arteta.
The report adds that some members of Spurs’ squad had also shared memes of Frank wearing Arsenal clothing after he unknowingly drank from a cup which had the Gunners’ logo on it before the 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth in January.
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Thomas Frank had praised Arsenal’s performances to players in his Spurs squad (Getty)
‘He was constantly going on to the players about Arsenal and they quickly got sick of it,’ a source told The Telegraph.
‘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’.’
Thomas Frank was seen drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup before Spurs’ 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth in January (Getty)
During his first press conference as Spurs manager last July, Frank accidentally praised Arsenal’s Invincibles season under Arsene Wenger.
‘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,’ Frank said.
‘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. Then there’s Preston, and those are the only two teams.’
Frank also hailed Arsenal as one of the best teams in the world before Spurs’ pre-season friendly in Hong Kong last summer.
‘It’s a great challenge besides being our biggest rivals and the first north London derby outside the UK,’ Frank said.
‘They are also right now one of the best teams, I must say unfortunately, in the world, we also need to be honest.’
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When asked about drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup, Frank said: ‘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.’
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