Tottenham Hotspur have sacked head coach Thomas Frank.
Spurs are working through a few contingency plans as they look to replace Frank, who leaves the club 16th in the Premier League. Tottenham have won none of their last eight league games and just two from their last 17. They are five points above the relegation zone.
Frank’s last league match in charge was Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle United. Under the Dane, Spurs finished fourth in the Champions League league phase, as they advanced to the last-16 stage.
Frank joined Tottenham in June, signing a three-year contract to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs had struggled under Postecoglou last season, recording their worst Premier League campaign as they finished 17th on 38 points, having lost 22 of their 38 games. They did, though, qualify for the Champions League after winning the Europa League — their first trophy since 2008.
The arrival of Frank, however, only led to a small upturn in form, with Spurs winning only six of their opening 16 league games. They suffered successive top-flight defeats in November, losing 4-1 to rivals Arsenal and 2-1 to Fulham, finding themselves 2-0 down inside six minutes against the latter.
Spurs began 2026 with draws against Brentford and Sunderland before losing to Bournemouth, getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa and a defeat against West Ham United. Frank was jeered by supporters after each result.
Frank’s side rallied to secure successive 2-2 draws against Burnley and Manchester City in the Premier League either side of Champions League victories, but a two-goal loss at Manchester United and defeat to Newcastle continued their winless run.
Frank’s final game in charge was Tuesday’s defeat to Newcastle (Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Tottenham brought in four summer signings before the 2025-26 campaign, with Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus joining for a combined £114.1million ($149m), while Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani arrived on loan. On the eve of the season, James Maddison suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee, while fellow attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski has not played yet this term due to a knee issue.
In the winter transfer window, Spurs signed midfielder Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid and left-back Souza from Santos.
Frank previously spent seven years as Brentford head coach, guiding them to promotion for the first time in their history and four consecutive Premier League seasons without relegation.
Frank’s exit comes after Brentford’s accounts showed the west London club received £6.7million in compensation from Spurs for his move last June.
The sum spans the cost of Spurs hiring not only Frank but also Justin Cochrane, Chris Haslam and Joe Newton, all of whom joined the Danish head coach in last summer’s cross-London move.
Frank’s Spurs quickly unravelled
Analysis by Elias Burke
After a bright start against Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup and early back-to-back Premier League wins against Burnley and Manchester City to begin the season, the Frank era collapsed disastrously.
Tottenham have collected just 12 points from 17 league matches since November, and are yet to win a game in 2026.
Long-term injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, alongside persistent shorter-term injuries, have meant Frank has never had anywhere near a full-strength squad to work with.
Poor performances and results in the Premier League meant the controlling Lewis family seemingly had no other choice but to part ways with the Dane, who has left Tottenham in a genuine relegation battle with 12 games remaining.
If there is one positive from the Frank era, it is the side’s performances in the Champions League.
Spurs finished fourth in the league phase — higher than Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and defending champions PSG — which has secured their place directly in the last 16.
Whether Tottenham look to appoint a permanent manager post-Frank, or instead look for an interim until the end of the season, when Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel or Julian Nagelsmann may be available after the World Cup, the coach who directly replaces Frank will have the opportunity to compete in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
