- 5 months ago
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank previews their opening Premier League match at home to Burnley.
15/08/2025
Tottenham Hotspur way training centre, London, UK
15/08/2025
Tottenham Hotspur way training centre, London, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00Morning. Morning. Morning. Yes, sun shining. Morning.
00:09Happy New Year. Yeah, thank you.
00:20Morning guys. We'll start with the broadcast section with no embargo followed by an embargoed
00:23section for 10.30pm tonight. No live tweeting during the broadcast section and use the microphone
00:27provided. Michael. Hi Thomas. Hi. Can I just get the team news please ahead of the game tomorrow?
00:33Yes, every player who's available is available for the team tomorrow. Destiny is progressing,
00:42but it's too early for him to be more than a squad. So many positives from Wednesday. One negative
00:48was the awful abuse Matisse Tell received. How is the squad, but more importantly first,
00:54how is Matisse? Yeah, I think it's of course terrible what happened to Matisse and we're doing
01:04everything we can to support him in this situation. He's a strong person and with hopefully his support
01:13from family and friends and us. He'll get through it. But also there's no real Tottenham supporter
01:23that ever will do that. The real Tottenham supporters that we'll see tomorrow at the stadium,
01:28they'll back him and I expect them to. In top times we step up together and I expect the fans to give him
01:37a really, really, really, really big cheer tomorrow. I'd never waste a question by naming names who don't
01:46play for Tottenham Hotspur. But obviously the transfer window is still open. But you still do it.
01:50Oh, no, no names. No specific names. I think we're aware of the targets. But is that still the pro you think
01:57sort of two, three, four over the next few weeks from what you've seen?
02:02First and foremost, in many ways, I'm very happy with the squad. I think there's a lot of good players.
02:09I think we saw a team that was very, very, very competitive and on any other day we would have
02:16beaten the best team in Europe. Of course, we want as strong and competitive squatters as possible.
02:24I know that Daniel, Johan and Wiener are working night and day.
02:28And they have, by the way, been working night and day the last, whatever, six, seven, eight weeks.
02:37And they definitely would like to do deals early. Sometimes I think we need to understand it's not
02:43that easy. But they're working. What's the latest with Iber Sumer? He posted a picture of an empty
02:52training ground in the gym on the day of the final day. Is there a way back for him or do you think
02:58best for all concerned that he finds another club? Where are we with him?
03:02Oh, presumably there was a situation. I addressed this. There was a consequence.
03:08I presume we'll be in the squad tomorrow. Move forward and we have a big game tomorrow. Thank you.
03:17Morning. I want to kick off with Kudus. We've seen the glimpses of the great player he is in
03:22white, defending as well as he is going forward. But we've also seen him play everywhere. Second
03:26striker, right wing, ten, eight in his career. With your midfield injuries, would you play him
03:32centrally as a ten consistently or you prefer him in the wide areas? I think depending on the game,
03:40the challenge, the game plan and so on, he can play in all those positions you just named there.
03:47So I think preferably he's probably right wing, ten, can play both positions. But I like flexible
03:55players. That gives us opportunities. But those are the two main positions.
04:00Your Burnley kicks off tomorrow, your Premier League campaign at home. Their defensive structure,
04:05normally five at the back, individually man marking, doubling up on attackers. What sort
04:10of tactical battle do you actually expect?
04:13Like in some ways, the challenge can be more different from the challenge we just faced two
04:21days ago against PSG. But I think the level of challenge is the same. It's just different from not
04:28that much expectation. Maybe slightly more expectations tomorrow for the game. But against
04:34a team and a very good manager and coaching staff have done very well last year. You know,
04:41we all know the defensive record. That's insane. 29 clean sheets, 16 goals conceded. You know,
04:47I know they go a step up, but I just show that the structure, the discipline, the mentality to
04:54to ability to defend. So that's a challenge we need to embrace and we will embrace and we will be positive
05:01and we will attack. But I think it's a it's a game where I see a game picture where where we will
05:08dominate and it can take time before we score the first goal. Of course, we like to score inside the
05:13first minute and the roof will go off the stadium. Everyone will be happy. But you never know. We
05:17need to be ready for everything. And one thing is for sure that the team, I, us, all of us need to
05:24perform. The fans need to perform. We can only do it together. The fans and team, if they are together,
05:31it's like energy, you know, pushing the players forward. That will make it so much easier. We need
05:38we need help, of course. What's the most important thing you've learned about your team so far? You're
05:43still very new to the role. You're still getting to know your players every day. But what's that one
05:46integral thing where you like? Yeah. I would like to say two things. I know you only said one, so.
05:58Take two. Thank you. One thing is the mentality of the group. I think it's a very strong
06:03mentality. So we saw that against PSG. The way they dealt with that game, the way they worked,
06:11their approach to it. I think that was very good. And I think the ability to take on board messages
06:18and game plans because they executed it perfectly. That's the two things.
06:26Hi, Thomas. How are you? I'm good. Thank you.
06:28I want to know, have you got any butterflies in your stomach? Because this is the first time you're
06:31managing the Premier League team other than Brentford. I will have tomorrow. I think if I'm honestly now,
06:39I'm like in a work mode, you know, last planning, we have a training in three hours and all my focus
06:47on that. And that is, how can you say, normal with everything. It's, you know, different players,
06:53but it's the same. So fully, fully focused on that. But I know when I wake up tomorrow and I know when I
06:58want to step into the pitch or into the stadium, that I will feel it, no doubt.
07:06And you'll know what it's like to be the underdog, because with respect with Brentford,
07:10you were pretty much the underdog every time you played. So you'll know how Burnley will feel tomorrow.
07:16How difficult is that to take on a newly promoted team on the opening day when everyone expects sun out,
07:22hot day to win four or five nil? Yeah, I think it's I think every game has it has its own own challenges.
07:32And the challenge tomorrow, of course, is that can we get enough tempo in the game? Can we play quick enough?
07:38How do we break down the low block of a 5-4-1? And that's, I think, again, that's that focus.
07:45Let's keep the tempo. Let's keep the intensity. Make sure we put pressure on them. And then in the end,
07:53that'll hopefully be enough. You know me, I rarely ask you about transfers, because I know what you're going to tell me.
07:58The person I ask is not your player, but Brichie Eze is a good player, and you might need a number 10,
08:05because obviously James Mann is injured. Just tell us what kind of player you are looking for,
08:09and would someone like an Eze be that kind of player?
08:13We are looking, of course, in the market, not only for 10 positions, but just to see if we can strengthen the squad.
08:21And the players we are looking is the only players we think can improve the squad.
08:27And I think that's the right thing we want to do. If we pick the right player, and it fits, then we'll do something.
08:34Ale, welcome.
08:36You said out in Italy that you were going to deal with the Basuma situation when you got back.
08:41You wanted to focus on the game. Can I just ask, did you have a long chat with him?
08:45Because obviously with Basuma, there's been incidents over previous summers as well.
08:50And obviously he's 29 this month. He's maybe one of those players that the younger players should be looking to.
08:54I just wondered kind of how you dealt with that in that respect.
08:57Of course, we dealt with the situation. I think this situation you deal with internally, of course.
09:04So, yeah, still with it. I'm looking forward.
09:09There's a big game tomorrow, and that's where the main focus should be on.
09:14Another one of your kind of more influential players, Richarlison.
09:18It felt like probably one of his best games for Spurs the other night.
09:22I mean, how important could he be to you this season if you can keep him fit and available to play like that?
09:26Yeah, I think Richarlison was really phenomenal. I think his hold of play, his intensity, his pressing, his arriving in the box.
09:36And so he was really, really top. And his attitude, top, top, top.
09:41So, yeah, I hope to see more of that. Of course, we're aware of the fitness situation. That's something we've monitored closely.
09:51That's why, for example, he didn't play the first, I think, against Reading, because we didn't feel that he was ready.
09:57So we'll really do our best to help him. And he's on it. He's very focused. That's the main thing. And hopefully he can keep up the level.
10:05Just a very quick last one on one player we haven't heard so much about, Manor Solomon.
10:09Where is he kind of in his injury recovery? And also, is he part of your plans for the season?
10:15Every player that is here is part of the plans. Manor is just back from his injury in terms of being on the pitch.
10:25He had a part training with the team yesterday. So hopefully he can progress after that.
10:30Hi, Thomas. When you think of day one, when you came in to now, are you where you want to be generally? Are you ahead of schedule, behind schedule, on schedule?
10:41I think we are. That's a good question. I think that will be an ongoing process throughout the season.
10:55Because you constantly want to build and add layers. That's what I'm a big believer of.
11:02We had had five weeks or something like that. That's been really good.
11:07I think I'm very pleased with and proud of how the team performed Wednesday against PSG.
11:15I think that part of the game we showed that we got far with the defensive side of the game.
11:20High pressure, middle pressure, low pressure, set pieces, aggressivity, intensity, mentality.
11:26And now we have another part of the game. We will be more offensively, of course, tomorrow.
11:30We have to and we want to. That's probably, to be completely honest, that's the area where we are probably not fully firing yet.
11:39For various reasons. We will have a plan and we will be very ready for tomorrow.
11:45But I think all that added together, to do that consistently every game, probably that will not just be fully firing.
11:56Hopefully tomorrow will be very good and then there will be the next three games, there will be a dip and then we go again.
12:01It was obviously a big ask on Wednesday night, physically and emotionally. It was a hot night in Italy, wasn't it?
12:07I mean, do you think they're ready to go again that same team a few days later or are you going to have to sort of freshen up a bit?
12:13I think, you know, of course, physical demands. The physical demands in every area were big.
12:20As you say, also mentally in the heat and so on. The players are very professional. They've recovered well.
12:28We've got a good team behind them, staff behind them that will help them.
12:32Of course, there's always in this situation, how much do I freshen up? Of course, I'm thinking about that.
12:38But that can be from the start. That can also be during the game. I'm a big believer of when needed, use five subs to bring that energy and freshness on the pitch.
12:48But I'm also a big believer. It's the third game. It's more tricky than the second game.
12:55And just one on Basuma, if I can. Was it just important for you to establish the standards that you want here early on rather than allow that situation to sort of develop, if you like?
13:07Yeah, you can say that, but I've done exactly the same in Brentford or other places where I've worked before.
13:16I just have certain standards and demands. And as I think I said, I think players need, I mean that, a lot of love.
13:26There need to be a lot of demands and sometimes, not sometimes, there also need to be consequences if the demands are not reached.
13:34In this case, there was a consequence.
13:36Finish with George, please.
13:37Hi, Thomas. You've had a lot to get through this summer work-wise. A lot of young players, especially academy players, have gone out on loan.
13:44We saw Mikey Moore and Will Langshir kind of part of the first team last season. What's the thinking behind those guys and others kind of going out and getting the minutes?
13:53I think it's important. It's that fine balance between, I think there's a lot of learning training with the first team boys here and the level.
14:03And I think that learning from the intensity, physicality, professional, higher level players is very good.
14:12And also part of having enough players in the squad. And then the next bit is how do they, the most important thing for any player is playing minutes.
14:21So it's that balance. And we thought it was the right moment to get them out on loan.
14:27And just going back to Wednesday, you know, clearly needed fresher legs, just kind of with the subs.
14:32Obviously last season, you know, Lucas Bergvau played so much and Brendan Johnson obviously was top goal scorer.
14:38Was there a reason that those guys weren't kind of the first options coming off the bench?
14:42Was it sort of looking at?
14:43Sorry, Brendan and Lucas.
14:46I think, you know, it was a slightly different shape.
14:51That impacted it a little bit, let's say for Brendan's, in Brendan's case.
14:56Of course, he can play one of two strikers as well.
14:58I think Mathieu has done well.
14:59So we're going to need a lot of a lot of players in different positions with different abilities.
15:05I think that Lucas has done very well, but I also think I like Archie as well.
15:12I think they have slightly different types.
15:15Lucas is probably a little bit more offensive, Archie a little bit more defensive.
15:19So that's why that stage when he came on, I think Archie's profile just fit a little bit better.
15:26And just finally, you know, you've been at Tottenham Hartsburg Stadium plenty of times, but not as the Tottenham manager.
15:32How much are you looking forward tomorrow to walking out and experiencing that for the first time?
15:36That's going to be special, of course.
15:39It's a first time for everything and that'll be the first time, so that'll be special.
15:45Okay, we'll end the broadcast section there and move on to the embargoed section for time.
15:48Okay, we'll end the broadcast section there and move on to the embargoed section for time.
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