Has time run out for Frank? Spurs’ loss puts them in relegation fight

LONDON — Four minutes into the second half of Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United, Spurs fans began singing the name of former manager Mauricio Pochettino. The visiting Toon army had earlier serenaded under-fire Newcastle boss Eddie Howe in the very first minute as a defiant show of support.

Who was pulling for Thomas Frank? By the end of another dismal Spurs performance, the Dane stood on the touchline with a vacant expression, sodden by the relentless swirling rain and listening to the ultimate insult: “You’re getting sacked in the morning” … from Tottenham fans.

How much longer can this go on? The club’s senior decision-makers recognize that no quick fix exists for the current malaise. Deep-rooted problems predate this head coach, and until now they have been reluctant to sack a likeable character in the knowledge that stability is required.

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But with Frank getting booed off at halftime and full time, the short-term pain is becoming severe. Spurs are winless in their past eight Premier League games, their longest run without a victory since October 2008.

Frank oversaw a fine Champions League group stage campaign that saw them finish fourth and qualify automatically for the round of 16. Yet while Spurs were willing to neglect their domestic campaign in the hope of European glory last season, if they do the same this time, they could be relegated.

And that is why Frank’s position is under imminent, unprecedented danger. Spurs have won only two of their past 17 league games. They have taken 12 points in that time.

Frank sidestepped questions Monday about whether Tottenham were in a relegation battle. He can’t hide from it anymore. West Ham, currently in 18th place, were denied a win by Manchester United, who equalized in the 96th minute at London Stadium. Spurs are only two places higher and five points above the drop zone after Benjamin Sesko’s goal, which occurred seconds before Frank walked into the postmatch news conference room to face questions about his future.

Because of their early exit from the FA Cup, Tottenham won’t play again for 12 days, until they host north London rivals and Premier League leaders Arsenal. It was more than fair to ask whether he will be in charge for that game.

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“Yeah, I’m convinced I will be,” he replied. “I understand the question, it is easy to point on me, but it is never only the head coach, or the ownership, or the directors, or the players, or the staff. It is everyone.

“If we do something right, we can build something that can last. Of course we are not in a top position now. Everyone knows — directors, ownership, myself — what position we are in and what we need to do better. And that’s what we are working very hard on.

“[I’m] 1,000% sure [I’m the right man to lead Tottenham]. I’m also 1,000% sure that I never expected us to be in a situation like this with 11, 12 injuries on the back end of this and what we have been facing.

“I know when you need to build something and you need to get through things, you need to show unbelievable strong resilience. … We can only get through this together.”

All this, remember, against a Newcastle side enduring its own existential crisis and a manager in Howe who has engaged in a bit of soul searching in the past few days. “A bit is an understatement,” he said afterward.

Spurs started slowly and effectively allowed Newcastle to rediscover their confidence. Joe Willock had a goal disallowed on the stroke of halftime on VAR review for offside, but Tottenham still couldn’t get to the break level. Malick Thiaw scored in stoppage time with a goal that summed up the home side’s indolence. Spurs failed to close down the cross or react when goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario saved Thiaw’s initial effort. Archie Gray struck against the run of play in the 64th minute, but Newcastle responded just four minutes later as Jacob Ramsey swept the ball in after good work from Anthony Gordon.

Frank was left to defend firstly the clubs’ dreadful injury record — Wilson Odobert limped off here to exacerbate the situation — and the wider idea that sacking a head coach in difficult circumstances is the panacea many believe it to be.

“I understand the mechanism in football, no doubt about that. But I also think there are a lot of studies that say that is not necessarily the right thing to do,” Frank said.

“I know it is the only movement they have, but there are also plenty of situations where it is not the right thing to do. And the only thing I’ll focus on is fighting, doing the right thing together with everyone else.”

In the end, it was actually Howe who was left to speak up for Frank. “It is an incredible list of players they are missing, and I think that is really difficult,” Howe said.

“I think he is an outstanding manager. I’ve come up against him many times. I think he has all the attributes to be a top manager for this football club, and I hope he gets the time to show that.”

Frank faces a nervous wait to see if his time has run out.