Frank Calls For Better Support From Spurs Crowd After Van De Ven And Spence Apologise

Thomas Frank has called for amended support from nan Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd aft revealing that Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence had apologised to him for their guidance to nan 1-0 home conclusion against Chelsea connected Saturday.

Van de Ven and Spence were incensed erstwhile nan full-time whistle went and nan Spurs fans booed, arsenic they had done astatine half-time pinch their squad trailing to João Pedro’s 34th-minute goal. The defenders stormed past Frank towards nan tunnel, ignoring their manager’s attempts to get them to admit nan supporters successful nan South Stand – a bad look astatine nan extremity of different bad Premier League time astatine nan stadium.

Tottenham person won only erstwhile successful 5 games location nether Frank successful nan competition, losing three, which has continued a worrying trend. The squad person 3 victories and 12 defeats successful 19 location convention matches and person mislaid 41 times astatine nan stadium since it opened successful 2019. It hurts nan Spurs fanbase to realise that their fiercest rivals, Arsenal, person mislaid 48 convention games astatine nan Emirates Stadium – and that opened successful 2006.

Frank was happy to supply nan item of really Van de Ven and Spence had been to spot him separately connected Sunday to opportunity sorry arsenic they began nan preparations for nan Champions League lucifer astatine location against Copenhagen connected Tuesday night.

Frank is acutely alert of how mediocre his squad were against Chelsea – they offered thing successful attacking position – and he accepted that nan jeers could travel aft nan last whistle. But he was besides clear that location needed to beryllium greater positivity from nan stands during nan game. There were boos, for example, towards nan extremity against Chelsea erstwhile nan goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, played a sideways walk alternatively than thing much forward-thinking.

“I want to get nan constituent crossed that nan fans were awesome successful nan first 30 minutes,” Frank said. “It seems location was a small spot of a turning constituent erstwhile we conceded nan goal, wherever we each get a small spot frustrated, which is natural.

Thomas Frank believes nan Spurs fans tin enactment arsenic nan turning constituent successful matches. Photograph: John Walton/PA

“After nan game, if we execute severely and connected apical of that we lose, it’s much than adjacent capable that they boo us. We are successful nan capacity business and if we can’t woody pinch nan pressure, nan negativity aliases nan criticism, we shouldn’t beryllium here. But during nan game, we request a small spot of help. And particularly erstwhile it’s not going nan correct way.

“They [the fans] tin beryllium nan turning point. We were 1-0 down successful nan past 15 minutes … ideate they transportation america complete nan statement and we sewage a small spot of an unfair 1-1. What a feeling! That constituent tin beryllium nan quality successful a agelong season.”

Vicario was seen aft nan crippled pushing his young teammate Lucas Bergvall distant from a confrontation pinch an irate supporter. The goalkeeper pointed astatine his ain eyes and past astatine nan instrumentality arsenic though to opportunity he was watching him.

“In each situation location are very bully group and immoderate bad people,” Vicario said. “Probably [Bergvall] sewage interaction pinch 1 bad person. That doesn’t needfully opportunity that everyone are bad people. But location are immoderate bad group successful each situation and I had to protect him because he was a small spot affectional successful that time.

“Of course, we person spoken arsenic players [about nan location crowd]. In immoderate moments during nan game, astir apt erstwhile we are chasing, we request a small much cool heads and if we person a small spot much thief successful immoderate situations coming from nan stands it could be, of course, better.”

On nan Van de Ven and Spence situation, Frank said: “They came into my agency yesterday, unprompted, and conscionable said: ‘Want to opportunity sorry for nan situation.’ They didn’t want it to look bad aliases disrespectful aliases each of nan benignant of perceptions you tin get successful this beautiful media world. That was not nan volition astatine each towards maine aliases nan squad aliases nan club. They were conscionable disappointment pinch nan performance, nan nonaccomplishment and nan booing during nan game.

“Of course, I’m happy [they apologised] because I knew nan mobility would travel coming and it intends that they care. They attraction astir nan team, nan nine and, successful this case, me.”

Frank, who reported that Bergvall was watching nan 12-day concussion protocol aft his withdrawal against Chelsea and would miss nan games against Copenhagen and Manchester United connected Saturday, besides made a gentle plea for perspective. Despite Spurs’ difficulties astatine home, they person been fantabulous connected their travels to beryllium 5th successful nan convention – a opposition to nan home horrors of past play erstwhile they vanished 17th. They are besides unbeaten successful their 3 Champions League ties.

“If anyone would person said that we would person 17 points aft 10 games, 5th spot and unbeaten successful nan Champions League … everything’s decidedly not cleanable but there’s a decent instauration and it’s up to america to adhd layers,” Frank said.

“I deliberation everyone would person taken wherever we are now, successful position of 22 [league] defeats past play and finishing 17th. The Europa League [victory past season] was fantastic, wow. But nan Champions League is different.”