Tottenham in crisis: Frank on the brink as players hit out at fans and board

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank during the Premier League match against Bournemouth
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank during the Premier League match against BournemouthGraham Hunt / ProSports / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

Player versus fan disputes, the club captain taking aim at the hierarchy and the manager drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup – a fiasco never seems to be far away for Tottenham Hotspur.

Their malaise under Thomas Frank came to a head on Wednesday when Antoine Semenyo's 95th-minute winner dealt Spurs a sinking 3-2 defeat.

The loss dropped Spurs down to 14th in the Premier League table and the supporters, who have seen just two wins in 12 games, were not afraid to let the players know their feelings.

Yet it was an evening that was a complete catastrophe right from the very start. 

Frank's Arsenal-branded cup

An under-pressure Frank has lost a large portion of the fan base already and did little to help his case with a bizarre pre-game gaffe.

The Dane was pictured drinking from an Arsenal-branded coffee cup on the Vitality Stadium pitch, likely left behind after the Gunners' match last week.

The image provoked furore among some fans on social media, with Frank later insisting he did not notice the branding of Spurs' fiercest rivals. 

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank holding a cup adorned with the Arsenal badge before the Premier League match against Bournemouth
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank holding a cup adorned with the Arsenal badge before the Premier League match against BournemouthAndrew Matthews, PA Images / Alamy / Profimedia

"I definitely didn't notice it," Frank said.

"We're definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club. Of course I would never do that. That's extremely stupid."

While it may have been an honest mistake, that kind of naivety adds to the unrest and gives supporters another reason to strike a mark against his name. 

Fan and player frustrations boil over

Things on the pitch actually started well for Tottenham as Mathys Tel scored inside five minutes, before a reversion to type happened as Bournemouth hit back to lead 2-1 at half-time. 

A Joao Palhinha bicycle kick made it 2-2 with 12 minutes to go, but the Manchester City-bound Semenyo gave the Cherries an almost inevitable parting gift of a 90th-minute winner.

It handed Bournemouth their first win in 11 games, while Spurs appear to be in freefall.

Spurs fans have been fairly consistent in showing their displeasure throughout the season and they did so again on the south coast, this time with a tipping point.

Palhinha and Micky van de Ven were seen having heated exchanges with the travelling supporters, while Pedro Porro had to be separated from the tensions.

It was an all-too familiar scene at the Vitality, where former manager Ange Postecoglou had his own differences with the Spurs faithful.

Romero hits out at club's hierarchy

The madness of Tottenham's night did not end there when captain Cristian Romero appeared to accuse the club's hierarchy of telling "lies" in a now-edited Instagram post.

The 27-year-old's post originally read: "At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now.

"They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies."

The post was later edited to omit the part about telling lies, but criticism of the club's senior figures was kept in.

Romero's Spurs teammates Porro and Richarlison replied to the post while Xavi Simons and Radu Dragusin also interacted with it.

Romero also made a cryptic social media post in June last year discussing "the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist" after the sacking of former boss Postecoglou.

The Argentina defender hit out at the board in December 2024 over a perceived lack of investment in the playing squad.

21+ | COMPETENT REGULATOR EEEP | RISK OF ADDICTION & LOSS OF PROPERTY | KETHEA HELPLINE: 210 9237777 | PLAY RESPONSIBLY & SAFELY |

Do you want to withdraw your consent to display betting ads?
Yes, change settings