Thomas Frank will begin the 2025/26 season as Tottenham Hotspur head coach, and the former Brentford boss has a lot of work to do if he is to succeed with the Europa League winners.
This summer is as confusing as any for the North Londoners, after an extremely conflicting campaign which resulted in the sacking of Ange Postecoglou, despite ending their 17-year wait for silverware.
The number 17 would ultimately tell the tale of Spurs’ season, as it was their 17th-placed finish in the Premier League, just a single place above the relegation zone, which would lead chairman Daniel Levy to decide that change was needed in the dugout ahead of a fresh start.
Another new chapter begins for Tottenham and ahead of the new season, there are five key tasks that Frank must complete to become a success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Frank faces a challenge to get Spurs fans onside
His first task, and arguably his most important. Despite the mounting criticism faced by Postecoglou throughout his final season at the club, fan sentiment following victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao was that he had done enough to deserve to stay.
Such was the importance of winning a trophy to Spurs fans, Frank may face an uphill battle to prove that he is the right man to take the club forward. Replacing a man who famously “always wins a trophy in his second season” with one who has never won a major trophy anywhere could be seen as a step back, or a chance to create a new dynasty.
Frank has yet to experience the type of fan or media scrutiny that he is likely to face succeeding Postecoglou, but the Dane has previously shown poise and decency when speaking to the media, which could be a good sign as he aims to get the backing of supporters.
The feeling around the club has the potential to turn sour quickly, though, particularly if anything close to last season’s Premier League form is replicated. Frank will need to be wary of this.
Frank will have major transfer business to do this summer
Questions over who the next Spurs manager would be have meant that transfer activity has been quiet around the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in comparison with rivals.
The arrival of Frank has meant that talk linking Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo with the club has intensified, but recent reports suggest that the Cameroon international favours a move to Manchester United. Mbeumo’s Brentford teammate Yoane Wissa has also been touted as a potential target, as has Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who reportedly has a £68m release clause. Antoine Semenyo is also considered a top option, with Spurs hoping to have one key advantage over United for Semenyo’s signature.
Mathys Tel has joined permanently from Bayern Munich for £29.8m following his loan at the Lilywhites during the latter part of last season. Centre-back Kevin Danso has also joined permanently for £21m after a loan move from Lens.
These permanent moves are a solid start to the window, but a statement big-money signing would go a long way to showing that Frank and Spurs mean business next season. With Champions League money incoming, there is every chance they could go all in.
Balancing Champions League and Premier League football will be crucial
Balancing European football with a solid domestic campaign can be difficult for any club, but it is especially paramount considering the circumstances faced by Frank’s predecessor.
After a series of injuries and poor performances meant that European chances through the Premier League were over by the new year, it can be argued that Postecoglou essentially gave up on the league season, fielding weakened teams in order to give his side the best possible chance of winning the Europa League.
But this ultimately cost the Australian his job, and Frank will know that similar domestic struggles cannot be repeated if he wishes his reign to be a lasting one. Levy has since spoken out about his desire to win the Premier League, and so Frank must approach his new job with that in mind.
The former Brentford and Brondby man has not managed in a European competition previously, having tasted defeat in the Europa League qualification rounds with the latter and not reached the group stage. But the prospect of Champions League football is surely something which will excite Frank, and something he will feel he is ready for to take the next step in his own career.
Frank must work out the reason for Spurs’ injury crisis
Behind the scenes, this task will be as important as any. According to statistics by The Athletic, Spurs faced an unprecedented 41 injuries in 2024/25, amounting to a total of 1,553 days missed. Only Brighton & Hove Albion topped those numbers in either metric.
It is without doubt that this had an impact on Spurs’ league form, particularly when central defensive pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were both out injured for sustained periods of time.
Be it through extensive discussions with the club’s physio team, or altering training routines to prevent injury, Frank must do all he can to ensure similar woes are not faced next season.
Young players were often relied upon during the injury crisis last campaign, and Frank has a strong ability to develop young talent. But he will hope to do this with the luxury of having the majority of his first-team squad to choose from.
Transferring his tactics from Brentford to Spurs
Throughout his time in charge of the Bees, Frank adapted his style several times to match the needs of the club, and each time was a resounding success.
Full of attacking talent at Championship level and capable of playing teams off the park, he knew that the club needed to adapt on promotion to the Premier League in 2021. An emphasis was put on the side’s defensive solidity and ability to make the most of set-pieces at both ends, and it was this style of play which helped Brentford become established as a Premier League club.
But just as it seemed as though that particular style may not work for much longer, Frank adapted once again and deployed a far more attacking brand of football for the 2024/25 season. The Bees conceded often but scored even more, a club-record total of 66 Premier League goals, and boasted two of the top flight’s leading goal scorers in Mbeumo and Wissa.
Frank may look for a blend of his previous styles of football at Spurs, or something completely new altogether. What appears clear is that when necessary the Dane will be prepared to alter his tactics, in a way Postecoglou was often reluctant to do.
If Frank can translate his success in West London to a club the size of Spurs, exciting times could be ahead as the Europa League winners prepare for a new horizon.