Thomas Frank, speaking in his press conference, has now outlined what his Tottenham philosophy is expected to be built on, as he looks to bring front-foot attacking football to Hotspur Way.
Thomas Frank comes in as head coach of Tottenham Hotspur with a reputation for tactical flexibility rather than a rigid commitment to any fixed style of play.
The Danish manager is unafraid to deploy a back three when the situation demands it, yet equally comfortable utilising a back four that encourages swifter transitions and attacking football, as seen in his time at Brentford.
Earlier this summer, Frank described himself as a coach willing to take risks, before underlining a key non-negotiable trait that he expects from his Spurs squad going forward, stating that they all must work hard.
Thomas Frank details Tottenham philosophy and principles
Now, in a more recent press conference, the Tottenham head coach expanded further on his principles as Spurs boss.
His ethos appears to align seamlessly with Spurs‘ identity, as the manager’s approach is strongly anchored in the club’s historic ‘To dare is to do’ motto.
Frank is a staunch advocate of brave, front-foot football, with his tactical belief centred around taking the initiative and always pushing for a win.
Frank said (Football London): “Yeah, I’m very, very clear in all the principles I have in, I can say, every phase of the game. What I will like to see from the team and the players is I want us to be brave.
“I want us to be very aggressive, and I want to attack. I think brave is absolutely linked in ‘to dare is to do’. If you’re not brave, it’s very, very difficult to achieve anything.
“I think it’s very important that we take risk, because if you don’t take risk, you also take risk, so that brave to dare is to do, I think is crucial.
“I think the aggressivity, that’s crucial if you want to win something or achieve something, because if you’re not aggressive in duels, on and off the ball, it’s difficult. It’s a very competitive game, and of course, you need to attack.”
When asked how he can be aggressive and attacking without losing 22 Premier League games in a season, Frank added: “I think I said brave first. Brave is on the ball but also off the ball, how we defend, let’s say in high pressure, for example, but I also said aggressive and also attacking.
“Those are the three good buzzwords that I will continue, you know, I’m quite consistent in my messages, but I also started saying I have principles for all the phases. That means also when we defend low, when we defend middle, and when we defend high, and how we defend the box.
“So I think that’s quite important that we do that. If you want to win enough football matches, we need to be a well-rounded team.”
What Spurs fans can expect from the Frank era
Thomas Frank and his Spurs backroom staff now continue embedding their philosophy into this Tottenham group as preparations intensify ahead of the new season.
Tottenham supporters will not have to wait much longer to get a glimpse of this brave, attacking identity in action, as Spurs take on Reading on Saturday, 19 July at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
With four more pre-season ties still to come before the high-profile Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain, Frank will hope to see key elements of his blueprint reflected in his current squad, as he could clinch his first ever piece of silverware with a win against the Champions League winners.
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