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Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Thomas Frank compares Spurs star to Trent Alexander-Arnold in glowing assessment
The Dane's former club was beaten by Ange Postecoglou's side in a Premier League game back in February and Frank was full of praise for several Tottenham stars, including full-back Pedro Porro Thomas Frank has delivered a glowing assessment of the squad he is inheriting as the new Tottenham Hotspur manager. Frank has signed a three-year deal with Spurs, replacing Ange Postecoglou, even though the Aussie won the Europa league, the club's first trophy in 17 years. And Frank clearly believes Postecoglou is leaving him a good set of players, despite the fact Spurs suffered a staggering TWENTY-TWO defeats in the Premier League, finishing 17th. One of Spurs' rare Premier League victories came at Frank's former club, Brentford, in February and after the 2-0 loss, the Dane spoke positively about the Postecoglou's squad. And Frank even compared one of his new players to Real Madrid new boy Trent Alexander-Arnold, saying: 'I know they haven't had their best season but look at their line-up. Just take their front three - I think a lot of clubs would have taken them any day. 'Their midfield? (Dejan) Kulusevski, (Rodrigo) Bentancur, (Yves) Bissouma. That's a very, very, very, very good Premier League midfield. 'And then I know they haven't had a centre-back but maybe (Archie) Gray and Ben Davies played their best defensive game of the season (against Brentford). They were great. '(Pedro) Porro is fantastic at right-back. He's got Trent-ish offensive qualities. And Spence has done very well.' Daniel Levy's appointment of 51-year-old Frank was confirmed after it was agreed he could bring his Brentford backroom staff. It means a complete coaching reset at Spurs with the highly-regarded Justin Cochrane arriving as a first-team assistant coach, alongside Chris Haslam, who is also head of performance. Joe Newton has joined as an analyst while Andreas Georgson - who worked with Frank before moving to Arsenal in 2020 - is also linking up with his old boss as an assistant coach. It is also assumed Levy has promised Frank considerable backing in the summer transfer market. It is understood the new manager would like to hijack Manchester United 's move for Bryan Mbeumo. Other names to be linked with Spurs include Crystal Palace gems, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi, but Frank would face considerable competition if it looked as though either - or both - of those would be open to leaving Selhurst Park. In conjunction with Tottenham technical director Johan Lange, Frank will also have to make key decisions on outgoings, with Son Heung-Min thought to be considering an exit. Cristian Romero is attracting significant interest from Spanish clubs, Atletico Madrid in particular. And he might have to reassure Bissouma of his future. The Malian midfielder was only a fringe operator under Postecoglou. In their extensive talks, a detailed transfer plan will have been worked out by Levy and Frank but it is clear the new boss thinks he already has a squad that should be finishing a lot higher than on place above the relegation zone.
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
James Maddison pays emotional tribute to Ange Postecoglou after Tottenham exit
Tottenham have sacked manager Ange Postecoglou just 16 days after winning the Europa League and James Maddison has shared a tribute to the Australian on social media James Maddison has paid a touching tribute to Ange Postecoglou after he was sacked as Tottenham manager, despite winning the Europa League. Postecoglou spent two seasons in charge of Spurs, guiding them to a fifth placed finish in his first Premier League campaign. However, their league form was awful last season as Tottenham finished just one place above the relegation zone and suffered 22 defeats. They did beat Manchester United in the Europa League final, though, to win their first piece of silverware since 2008 and qualify for next season's Champions League. Despite that victory, Spurs decided to axe Postecoglou and are now looking for a new manager. The likes of Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Fulham's Marco Silva and Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola are among the candidates who could replace him. It remains to be seen who ultimately becomes Spurs' next manager, but a number of players have penned emotional farewell messages to Postecoglou. Maddison, who was one of Postecoglou's first signings at the club, wrote on social media: "Gaffer, where to start. Firstly, thank you for bringing me to this wonderful club that I now call my home. "Your instant belief in me to not only sign me but make me the clubs vice captain & part of the leadership group from the get go is something I'll always be thankful for. "Secondly for the Europa league campaign that started in our stadium on gameweek one and finished perfectly with that special night in Bilbao. You led us to victory and we're European champions and in this clubs history books because of you and your winning mentality. "Lastly and most importantly is how you are as a man and a person. Your unwavering self belief and strong mindset is infectious and a massive reason in why you were the man to end this clubs 17 year drought for a trophy. "A family man with great morales & I have honestly learnt so much from you. More than you will probably ever know. All the very best. Madders". Club captain Son Heung-min also shared a similar message on social media, branding Postecoglou a "Tottenham Hotspur legend forever". He wrote: "Gaffer. You've changed the trajectory of this club. "You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did. You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it's had in decades. We will have those memories for life. "You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It's been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you. Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Metro
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Next Spurs manager odds: Premier League boss favourite to replace Postecoglou
Three Premier League managers are leading the race to become the next Tottenham Hotspur boss after Ange Postecoglou was sacked. After weeks, if not months of speculation, Postecoglou was axed on Friday evening, two years to the day after he joined the north London club from Celtic. That's despite the Australian masterminding the Europa League final victory against Manchester United in May, ending Spurs' 17-year trophy drought. While that also secured the club's return to the Champions League, Tottenham shockingly finished 17th in the Premier League table, losing 22 of 38 matches. Postecoglou was bullish after the Europa league triumph, telling fans at the trophy parade that: 'All the best TV series, season three is better than season two,' suggesting his job was safe. He did later remark however that: 'Sometimes they kill off the main character,' before season three and that is exactly what Tottenham owner Daniel Levy has done. In terms of who will succeed Postecoglou, the club said in their statement: 'News on the appointment of a new Head Coach will be announced in due course.' 'When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride,' the 59-year-old said after his departure. 'The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget. 'That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible. 'We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 7 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.' Brentford boss Thomas Frank is the overwhelming favourite to get the job according to the bookmakers after his impressive work at west London. The Dane got the Bees promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 2021 and has since established them as a solid mid-table club on a tight budget. Sky Sports report Frank is the 'leading contender' but no talks have taken place between the manager and clubs. More Trending Fulham boss Marco Silva and Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner are frontrunners, the latter having recently guided the Eagles to FA Cup glory, their first ever major trophy. Thomas Frank – 3/10 Marco Silva – 4/1 Oliver Glasner – 9/1 Xavi Hernandez – 12/1 Kieran McKenna – 16/1 Andoni Iraola – 16/1 Michael Carrick – 16/1 Odds courtesy of Betfair Former Tottenham midfielder Michael Carrick is also among the candidates having just been sacked by Championship club Middlesbrough, as is Ipswich's Kieran McKenna, a former Spurs youth player and coach. Xavi Hernandez, out of work since leaving Barcelona last summer and Bournemouth's highly-rated head coach Andoni Iraola are also on the shortlist. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Why Viktor Gyokeres isn't playing for Sweden against Hungary and Algeria MORE: 'I love that club so much' – Lille star wants Man Utd transfer MORE: Ange Postecoglou warned by former Tottenham star over Daniel Levy silence
Scotsman
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Social media was unbearable until Ange Postecoglou did the unthinkable
Tottenham Hotspur have won the Europa League Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It will be no surprise to anyone that has logged onto X in the past year or so that the site is now borderline unusable. Once a treasure trove of memes, news and information, X has become a hellscape, a place where hatred or porn is amplified, or the views of people so confident in their argument they have to pay to ensure people see it. Where once you could open it up and see something interesting or funny, it's now predominately monetised bigotry, where the worst people in the world invest to have their hatred heard. It has to all extents and purposes become a propaganda machine, a vehicle for the far-right in America to spread misinformation, hatred, and support for Donald Trump. At least they're things that go together. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As a result, I barely use it, checking in on a big news day, with searching for truth akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. But there is one area, just one, that has remained slightly protected from the relentless march of normalised fascism. I am of course talking about sport, sweet lovely sport, the opiate of the masses I inject into my eyeballs relentlessly and indiscriminately, almost definitely to the detriment of my productivity. The former Hibs boss has sealed glory with Tottenham | Getty Images While I don't post on X any more, preferring the safe space of Bluesky where there's a better news to Nazi ratio, I do still peruse it after significant events, and few were more significant to me than Tottenham Hotspur winning the Europa league. After 17 long, long years, the mighty Spurs have finally won something, all of it delivered by Ange Postecoglou, the man who always wins something in his second season. Born in Greece, the former refugee who moved to Australia as a child after a military coup helped Tottenham like he had so many clubs before, lifting silverware and removing the weight I carried around me for so long. For Celtic, these days are expected, but for Tottenham, they are transcendent. It has been days, and I still do not have my voice back, and I am nowhere close to a come down. This is as much to do with the result as social media, and the numerous ways to celebrate and engage with it, so beyond simply watching the game. I have seen club captain Son Heung-min, a man who signed an extension when the club didn't have a manager, sobbing with tears after finally winning something after 10 years with the club. I also haven't just seen it once, but multiple times, from numerous angles, because I want to drink all of this in. I've enjoyed clips from the players parties after, seeing these elite athletes off their face in ways that almost makes them relatable. It's the cuddles with their families, the videos from the stands, the defiant interviews from a team perennially written off. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's not even just the celebrations of Spurs that I have devoured, but the love from other teams. Social media is rife with former players celebrating, but also clubs our heroes once represented.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Man Utd & Spurs fans guzzle pints & party on streets of Bilbao in fevered run up to season-saving Europa League final
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MANCHESTER United and Tottenham Spurs fans are guzzling pints and partying on the streets of Bilbao in the run up to the season-saving Europa League final. Up to 70,000 footie fans have flocked from the UK to sunny Bilbao where spirits are at an all-time high - despite some taking a 32-hour ferry ride to get there. 12 Fans gather ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final football match Credit: Getty 12 Spurs and and Manchester Utd fans gather in Bilbao ahead of tonights Europa league final . Credit: Darren Fletcher 12 A Manchester United fan and Tottenham Hotspur fan smile at one another 12 Tottenham Hotspur fan Jangwon Son plays the trumpet ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final Credit: Getty Bilbao bars have been flooded with Brit fans chanting and drinking ahead of the anticipated final tonight. Both sets of supporters have been pictured marching through the streets, chanting songs with drinks in hand as they gear up for the Europa League final. Images show one Spurs fan playing the trumpet for gargantuan crowds, while Man United supporters hold up their beers to cheers. Footage taken by The Sun showed fans filling the streets, with around 70,000 fans thought to have flocked to Spain - despite the stadium being at 53,000-capacity. read more on the final RING OF STEEL Bilbao launches 'biggest security op ever' after fan brawls & trashed streets Some have braved an epic 32-hour-plus ferry ride which set sail at 10pm on Sunday evening and didn't arrive until this morning. With flights to Spain rocketing over £1,000 after the Prem teams sealed their final spots, many took advantage of the cheaper sea-route option, which set them back £260 for a cabin. The sky-high air prices are due to just six direct flights from Britain to the Basque region's industrial port city each day. And with only 65 hotels in Spain's tenth largest city, accommodation has been fully-booked for weeks. Each club has millions of fans across the globe, but since there are just 14,000 tickets allocated to each team, bagging a seat to the showpiece event has been a tricky task. On Sunday night, precious tickets to the big game were selling on the black market for up to £10,000. 12 Tottenham Hotspur fans standing on top of traffic lights Credit: Getty 12 Spurs fans holding up their pints Credit: Reuters 12 Manchester United gather in Bilabao Credit: Reuters 12 Both sets of supporters have been pictured marching through the streets Credit: Getty EasyJet was charging £1,823 to fly from Gatwick to Bilbao on Wednesday morning and return on Thursday morning, while the cheapest hotels for Wednesday night cost around £1,200. But for those fans who managed to snap up the golden tickets, footage has shown them enjoying themselves. Despite dismal Premier League seasons - United finishing 16th in the table and Spurs in 17th, perilously close to the relegation zone - die-hard supporters were emptying their bank accounts and flocking to Bilbao. Aside from European glory, the victorious team qualifies for next season's cash-riddled Champions League, worth a cool £100m to the club lifting the prized trophy. The travel chaos endured by thousands of footie fans has mirrored the 1987 American road trip comedy movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy. Spurs fan John Affleck of Enfield, Herts., was today enjoying local delicacy pintxos - snacks on a slice of bread resembling an open sandwich - washed down with Sangria. He told The Sun: 'I flew to Madrid then got the train down. There are no hotel rooms so I'm bunking up with a pal on his hotel floor. "The trip will cost me more than £5,000. I'm broke, but I really don't care. We just need to win." 12 Manchester United fans in high spirits ahead of tonight Credit: PA 12 Fans drinking beer before the UEFA Europa League Final Credit: Alamy 12 Fans of Tottenham Hotspur gather to show their support to their team 12 Fans have filled the streets Credit: Getty Frank Johns, a Red Devils season ticket holder, jetted out yesterday from Heathrow via Schiphol in Amsterdam. He said: "It has been a pitiful season but none of that will matter if we lift the trophy." Under-fire Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou face the chop if they don't prevail in the final - cruelly dubbed "El Crapico" by rival fans and pundits. Amorim masterminded Manchester United's 7-1 semi-final demolition of ten-man Athletic Bilbao. And Postecoglou guided his Tottenham team to a 5-1 triumph over Norwegians Bodo/Glimt in the other to set up the all-English final. Tottenham were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final, while Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final in the same year. United beat Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final and Spurs KO'd Wolves to win the 1972 Uefa Cup. Tottenham have already beaten the Manchester outfit on three occasions this season - twice in the league and once in the Carabao Cup. They are looking to end a trophy drought that dates back to 2008 and has hung over the club - to the delight of opposing fans. United meanwhile have continued to be dire in the Prem with Amorim claiming his side are "not ready" to be competitive domestically and in the Champions League.
