Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Athletic FC Podcast
Episode: Frank sacked: Why now and who next?
Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Matt Davis Adams
Guests: Dan Kilpatrick, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Jay Harris (voice note)

Episode Overview

This episode analyzes Tottenham Hotspur's decision to sack head coach Thomas Frank after a dismal eight months in charge, marked by dire form and a toxic atmosphere. The discussion delves into why the club waited so long to pull the trigger, the depth of Spurs' ongoing structural malaise, likely interim and long-term replacements, and the real threat of relegation. The panel includes in-depth reporting, critical debate, and reflection on Tottenham’s organizational confusion and repeated managerial failure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Was Thomas Frank Sacked?

Toxicity and Results:

• Frank’s sacking followed just two wins in 17 league matches and a prolonged negative turn in both results and performances.
• Jay Harris highlighted pivotal moments of fan disconnect, notably the November defeat to Chelsea and a January photo controversy (Frank with an Arsenal-branded coffee cup), which further alienated supporters ([02:38]).
• Dumping to Newcastle in his last game was the “final straw,” with fans loudly chanting for his dismissal and against him ([03:45]).

Quote — Jay Harris ([02:38]):
"Frank's final game in charge was a two-nil defeat to Newcastle United on Tuesday. And if you just listen to what the fans were chanting, it was pretty clear that the atmosphere had just become too toxic. They were singing, you're getting sacked in the morning."

Progressively Worse:

• Seb and Dan emphasize that this was “one of those rare moments with a manager where there were no more arguments for carrying on—it just kept getting worse” ([03:57]).
• Home form has been woeful since 2024, underlining that Frank had failed to arrest an existing downward trend rather than being its root cause ([04:54]).

Quote — Dan Kilpatrick ([05:12]):
"Frank did not start the rot at Tottenham. He is not the overall most responsible person for it. That's Daniel Levy, by the way, if you're wondering. But in my opinion, he certainly was accelerating that rot massively."

2. Was Frank Ever a Good Fit?

• From the beginning, his style (pragmatic, defense-first, slow build-up) clashed with Spurs’ historic emphasis on attacking football ([07:12]).
• Most fans and even panelists were skeptical early on; by November/December, "entrenched positions" had already formed against Frank’s methods ([08:38]).
• The panelists point out that hiring Frank seemed like an attempt to scale Brentford’s approach to Spurs—a strategy that rarely works in practice ([07:12]).

Quote — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([07:12]):
"You could kind of understand their logic, which is, I think, a flawed logic... If you scale everything up, you're going to replicate that overperformance on a bigger stage. I don't think there are many examples of that working in practice."

3. Club Culture, Leadership & Communication Breakdown

• The club’s hierarchy is more opaque than ever; with Daniel Levy stepping back, there’s a “frightening” lack of visible leadership and accountability ([10:00]).
• Frank’s media presence was unexpectedly poor: defensive, negative, and realistic but not inspirational ([11:37]).
• Supporters crave optimism and direction—qualities Frank failed to provide, worsening his disconnect ([13:32]).

Quote — Dan Kilpatrick ([11:37]):
"He didn't speak well at Tottenham and I think that was actually a surprise to me. ...he's looked scared to kind of give his opinion and be too strong."

Quote — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([14:03]):
"Football fans don't necessarily want kind of realism all the time. They don't. You want optimism."

4. Mitigating Factors & Parallels

• Frank dealt with persistent injuries and did secure Champions League progression—but the panel sees this as unremarkable given the opposition ([15:32]).
• The problem is bigger than the manager. Spurs’ setup exposes weaknesses in any coach who comes in—Frank just wasn’t a good fit ([17:28]).

Quote — Dan Kilpatrick ([17:28]):
"No manager ever looks as bad as they do when they're about to be sacked by Tottenham or when they've just been sacked by Tottenham."

The Next Manager: Who Steps In?

(From 20:40)

Interim Options

• There’s “no compelling interim candidate.” Michael Carrick (ex-Spurs, now with Man United) is unavailable, and repeatedly turning to Ryan Mason seems unhelpful ([21:09]).
• Promoted staff like John Heitinga or Justin Cochrane are possible stop-gaps, but lack top-flight head coaching experience ([22:22]).

Long-term/Fantasy Appointments

• The summer managerial market (post-World Cup) is more attractive—possible names: Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Xabi Alonso ([22:22]).
• Desperate enough to consider available but risky candidates like Roberto De Zerbi ([24:45]).

Quote — Dan Kilpatrick ([25:04]):
"With De Zerbi, I could kind of see that going one of two ways and there being no middle ground, you know, a spectacular charge up the table... or just accelerating the implosion by coming in and realizing what a shambles it is."

The Pochettino Question

• Pochettino would “unite the fanbase,” but nostalgia may be misleading as club culture and squad dynamics have shifted greatly from his tenure ([26:21]).
• Pochettino is busy with the US national team until after the World Cup, making an immediate return unlikely ([26:25]).

Quote — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([27:59]):
"I kind of don't want to ruin that memory because at the moment it's one of the few that I've got left."

Can Spurs Actually Be Relegated?

(From 30:40)

Relegation Is a Real Threat

• Spurs’ gap to the drop zone is just five points, with their form and performances the worst among the clubs in danger ([31:16]).
• No winnable fixtures for Tottenham in their current state; lack of momentum, clarity, and quality ([33:31]).
• All strengths have evaporated—“no strengths at the moment. Set pieces maybe...can't defend. Goalkeeper form is bad, can't score, can't create” ([33:31]).

Quote — Dan Kilpatrick ([31:16]):
"Yeah, I think you can. It's very realistic... every other team in that battle... have more momentum and are playing better than Tottenham."

Structural Failure: Who's Responsible?

• Top of the blame list: CEO Vinay Venkatesham, the Lewis family (owners), and Daniel Levy ([36:26]).
• Levy’s management culture set conditions for decline. Quoting AVB/Konte: spirals of negativity set in years ago.

Quote — Dan Kilpatrick ([36:26]):
"I do think Levy's still the most responsible person. I think he's laid the foundations. He's kind of set the conditions...a consequence of years of mismanagement from the top."

Is Repair Impossible?

• Seb challenges the narrative of the club as an unfixable “supertank”: Good decisions and accountability could turn things—for now, it’s just a string of repeated bad choices ([38:36]).

Quote — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([38:36]):
"It doesn't take very much not to get back to where you were, but adjust your trajectory… The idea that Spurs are heading towards inevitable doom... it's nonsense. Absolute nonsense."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[Thomas Frank] wasn't a solution in any way, shape or form, and he was only making things worse." — Dan Kilpatrick ([05:12])
• "If you scale everything up, you're going to replicate that overperformance on a bigger stage. I don't think there are many examples of that working in practice." — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([07:12])
• "No manager ever looks as bad as they do when they're about to be sacked by Tottenham." — Citing Jack Pitt-Brooke via Dan Kilpatrick ([17:28])
• "A team with no strengths at the moment. Set pieces maybe, pretty good at attacking set pieces, not very good at defending set pieces, but pretty good at attacking set pieces. Can't defend, can't score goals, can't create chances..." — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([33:31])
• "Levy's still the most responsible person... what we're seeing now is really the consequence of years of mismanagement from the top." — Dan Kilpatrick ([36:26])
• "It doesn't take very much not to get back to where you were... The idea that Spurs are heading towards inevitable doom that nobody can do anything about and it's just beyond the powers of anybody who works in football, it's nonsense. Absolute nonsense." — Seb Stafford-Bloor ([38:36])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:49 — [Start of Tottenham segment; sacking confirmed]
• 02:38 — [Jay Harris' summary of why Frank was sacked]
• 07:12 — [Discussion of Frank's playing style vs. Spurs DNA]
• 11:37 — [Frank and his communication failures in the media]
• 15:32 — [Mitigating circumstances for Frank? Injuries, Champions League]
• 18:32 — [Spurs’ systemic tendency to expose coaching flaws]
• 20:40 — [Replacement discussion: interim and long-term options]
• 24:45 — [Roberto De Zerbi as a managerial candidate]
• 26:21 — [Pochettino comeback discussion]
• 30:40 — [Relegation battle analysis]
• 36:26 — [Who's at fault? Club leadership and legacy of mismanagement]
• 38:36 — [Is fixing Spurs impossible? Why not—just make good choices]

Conclusion

The panel agrees: Thomas Frank’s sacking was both inevitable and overdue, but he's just the latest to fail within a club experiencing deep-rooted dysfunction and leadership voids. Spurs’ immediate threat of relegation is serious, and the absence of a forward-thinking contingency plan only increases the anxiety. The episode is a frank, often brutally honest autopsy of Spurs’ present, with open skepticism about any quick fix—while emphasizing that real change must start at the very top.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary captures the full context, sharp critiques, and the color of expert debate that framed Tottenham’s latest managerial crisis.