The Mirror

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank took the unwise decision to call out Spurs fans following their defeat by Fulham - and it could cost him dear

Thomas Frank took a step down a very dangerous path after Tottenham’s latest setback.

To round on the Spurs fans in the stadium for booing Guglielmo Vicario after the Tottenham keeper’s blunder against Fulham was a serious mistake.

You can call out the fans. Ask them to be louder. Try to whip them up for the good of the team. But once you go toe-to-toe with the supporters, it’s a long way back.

And to question whether they are “true Tottenham fans” is a serious own goal. It also adds two the mounting pressure and question marks from the same supporters who he needs more than ever.

Frank said to Sky Sports after the game: “I didn't like that our fans booed at him [Vicario] straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch.”

Here’s what a true fan looks like: one that thinks about the team every waking moment. Went to the game desperate to see a better performance after two thumping defeats against Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain.

They spend thousands of pounds each season on tickets, travel, programmes and the bloody club shirt. Honestly, to question fans in that stadium is a really bad move.

And yes, I did see him try to explain the comments afterwards. I’m not sure you can.

I do think there’s a difference between the match-going fan and those on social media. Of course they are entitled to a view. But if you get a hate campaign say, for example, against Brennan Johnson then call it out.

Johnson deleted his Instagram account and then immediately improved his form on the pitch. Seriously, who needs that?

Personally, I’ve never felt that booing helps. Yes, I’ve been a fan (hard to believe) and I don’t like those who boo. Ge behind the team. Especially during the sacred 90 minutes.

Boo them off at half time. At full time if you need to. But don’t do it during the game and don’t turn on the player.

Frank would have been well within his rights to say I want fans to back Vicario. We need you more than ever in difficult times. Stick to the script.

But that line about true fans really stuck in my craw. Some fans will agree with Frank. But I know that some did not like it one bit - and they don’t agree with the booing, by the way.

Earlier this season, Thomas Tuchel called out England fans for not being loud enough against Wales at Wembley. The next game they gave him some friendly banter. They are probably never going to love him for it but no harm was done.

Why? Because he did not question their commitment or whether they were “true fans.” He just wanted them to turn up the volume.

I must say it feels like Frank is struggling. To get battered by Arsenal and then, three days later, beaten 5-3 by Paris Saint Germain. I actually think he got away with it against PSG.

The coverage was very sympathetic. Positives and so on. Well, they conceded five. Yes, it was PSG but they were hardly at their best. And there was Frank on Match of the Day saying how god the performance was. It was bizarre. They had just shipped five goals.

I thought the squad was better than it is proving to be. But Frank needs an upturn - and fast. And he needs those fans on his side. Questioning their support is not the way to go about it.

Thomas Frank described Tottenham Hotspur supporters who booed Guglielmo Vicario during the 2-1 defeat to Fulham on Saturday as 'not true fans' after the goalkeeper's error

Tottenham Hotspur players held an emergency meeting to discuss the disconnect with the club’s fans last month. Spurs conceded twice during six shambolic minutes on Saturday night as Fulham claimed a 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The victory capped off a miserable week for Thomas Frank’s side after defeats at Arsenal and Paris St Germain and it is now four losses in six Premier League matches. It was also Spurs’ 10th home defeat of 2025 in the Premier League, and they have never lost more than 10 home league games in a year in their history.

The main talking point from Saturday's game was Fulham's second goal when Guglielmo Vicario lost possession well outside of his box. Harry Wilson eventually curled the ball into the unguarded net after the goalkeeper failed to clear the danger.

Moments later when the ball came to Vicario again, some Spurs fans booed him. That action left Frank and Pedro Porro furious after the game.

And according to the Telegraph, the subject of Spurs supporters was the key theme in a players’ meeting following the defeat by Chelsea on November 1. The disconnect between players and supporters is, according to the report, viewed as critical within the squad.

The report also claims that the Spurs players have adopted a new convention where they gather together in the centre circle at the end of the first half and leave the pitch together. The reason behind the move is that it demonstrates their solidarity regardless of the atmosphere inside the stadium.

It is claimed that this is not the first set of Spurs players to have held concerns over their relationships with the club’s fans and that it has been an issue in previous years. Speaking after Saturday’s game, Frank described Tottenham supporters who booed Vicario as "not true fans" and deemed it "unacceptable".

He said: "I didn't like that our fans booed at him [Vicario] straight after and a few times he touched the ball. They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch.

"And we do everything we can to perform. After, fair enough, boo, no problem. But not during. That's unacceptable in my opinion."

While in an Instagram post on Sunday afternoon, Porror said: “Football is emotions. In football, as in life, there can always be mistakes.

“What I will not tolerate is hearing disrespect from the fans to my team-mates, hence my frustration at the end of the game.

“And we will get up. We remind you, six months ago, everything was so bad. In the end, it is not how it begins but how it ends. To the true Spurs fans, I love you.”

Tottenham have endured a disappointing start to the season under Thomas Frank, and former midfielder Jamie O'Hara has made a damning assessment of the manager's reign

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara has suggested Thomas Frank may be out of his depth at the club after a difficult start to his reign in North London. The ex-Brentford manager replaced Ange Postecoglou in the summer but has struggled to make his mark.

Spurs have managed just five victories, three draws and five losses from their first 13 Premier League fixtures. Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Fulham marked their third loss in seven days, after setbacks against Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

The way Frank's team collapsed against the Cottagers was particularly concerning. They shipped two goals in the opening 10 minutes through glaring defensive mistakes, and could have conceded far more.

Mohammed Kudus gave Spurs brief hope in the second period with a stunning strike to pull one back. However, it proved insufficient to rescue a point, as the visitors managed to cling on for victory.

Taking to social media platform X following the defeat, O'Hara questioned whether the manager is equipped for such a demanding role. He also identified three key issues behind the team's poor form.

"I'm starting to think the job is too big for Thomas Frank," he posted. "But our recruitment has been so bad; these players just aren't good enough and most of them are way off it. Big problems."

In a bid to bolster their squad, the club secured permanent deals for Xavi Simons, Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso and Kota Takai, while Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani were brought in on loan.

However, the failure to sign Morgan Gibbs-White and Ebere Eze was a significant setback for the club's top brass. Both players seemed set to join at various points over the summer, but the deals fell through at the last minute due to different issues.

Nottingham Forest were left disgruntled when Gibbs-White's release clause was activated, with the England international eventually renewing his contract at the City Ground. The attempt to sign Eze was thwarted at the eleventh hour by fierce rivals Arsenal.

Now, Frank's team are bracing themselves for another challenging series of matches in the run-up to Christmas. They're set to face Newcastle United midweek before the gaffer squares off against his old club Brentford for the first time.

Following games against Slavia Prague and Nottingham Forest, they'll also be hosting Liverpool next month. With their Premier League form inconsistent, and the Champions League posing a difficult challenge, Frank's hope of winning a trophy this season may lie entirely in the FA Cup.

Spurs were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle. Premier League teams will enter the FA Cup in the third round draw.

TOTTENHAM 1-2 FULHAM: Spurs have still only won one Premier League home match all season on the opening day of the campaign against Burnley as two early goals were enough for the visitors to leave with the victory

Thomas Frank claimed on Thursday that he wants to make the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a fortress. You have to admire his wishful thinking because Spurs have now won just three of their past 21 Premier League home matches after Fulham punished a wretched first-half defensive horror show.

Spurs were two goals down inside just six minutes and they've now conceded first in sixth successive home top-flight games for the first time since September 2003.

Mohammed Kudus restored a small slice of pride after Kenny Tete and Harry Wilson had struck for the Cottagers but it was a damning reflection of this side's current direction of travel under Frank that they never truly looked capable of wrestling things back.

The Dane's wilting Europa League champions look starved of all inspiration and they have now won just three of their past 13 matches in all competitions. It's scarcely believable that Tottenham, who were rightly booed off by their own supporters, have become scared of their own shadow on their own patch - in a £1billion state-of the-art stadium.

Fulham came into this clash as one of only two sides, alongside Wolves, yet to taste victory on the road in the Premier League this season. Perhaps unsurprisingly, basement boys Wolves' sole away point was banked against Spurs.

There were no signs of travel sickness, however, when the visitors forced themselves ahead after just four minutes. Kevin Danso's poor defensive header put the hosts under intense pressure and Fulham winger Samuel Chukwueze's wayward pass somehow evaded Lucas Bergvall, allowing right-back Kenny Tete to strike at goal. The Dutchman's effort then deflected off Destiny Udogie and wrong-footed Guglielmo Vicario. While the Tottenham No.1 was powerless for the opener, there was nowhere to hide for Fulham's second just two minutes later. Joachim Andersen sent a long punt up field, Vicario raced off his line to collect the ball and instead of hoofing it off the pitch, the Italian tried to be overly clever and shield off Raul Jimenez as he pressed the panicked shot-stopper.

Vicario then miscued his clearance which arrived at the feet of Josh King, who teed up Harry Wilson to apply a pinpoint 40-yard finish into the empty net. Marco Silva could not believe his luck as boos began to perforate the eardrums of Thomas Frank.

Remarkably, there appeared to be some late-coming fans that were still yet to even sit in their seats. They must have been tempted to turn around because it did not get any better from there. Spurs were playing lopsided with no left-winger as Richarlison tucked in alongside Randal Kolo Muani following their goalscoring exploits at PSG in midweek. It did not require a tactical genius to determine that it was a farcical mess.

Chukwueze's curling shot from the edge of the box then kissed the post before sarcastic cheers echoed around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Vicario finally hacked a clearance off the pitch.

Had it not been for stand-in captain Micky van de Ven, Silva's troops, who were tearing Spurs to shreds, would have been three goals to the good before the break.

Chukwueze profited on calamitous Pedro Porro's mistake before the centre-back made an expertly-timed, last-ditch tackle to prevent the Nigerian from scoring. Kudus sparked Tottenham back into life on 59 minutes when his venomous half volley flew in at the near post before Lucas Bergvall saw a glancing header cleared off the line.

Beyond that, Spurs never looked like scoring outside of a tame back-heel from Kolo Muani and they've now lost three successive London derbies for the first time since October 2021.

PSG 5-3 TOTTENHAM: Randal Kolo Muani scored twice for Spurs against his parent club with Richarlison also on the scoresheet but Vitinha's hat-trick saw the hosts claim three points

Tottenham were the architects of their own downfall as they threw away the lead twice to lose a goal-laden Champions League encounter at PSG. Two Randal Kolo Muani strikes against his parent club and a first half Richarlison header were not enough against the title holders as Vitinha ruled the Parisian roost with a hat-trick, alongside further goals from Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho. Spurs came into the game off the back of a humiliating north London derby defeat and the under-fire Thomas Frank named a much-changed line-up in Paris, including teenagers Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray in the midfield against their illustrious hosts. The two Tottenham 19-year-olds soon combined in a well-executed team goal on 35 minutes. Bergvall sent Gray into the box and his chipped cross to the back post found Kolo Muani, currently on loan from PSG, and the Frenchman headed it across for Richarlison to nod home.

PSG undid all of Spurs' fine first half work in added time at the end of the first half when a short corner move ended with a rocket from the edge of the box from Vitinha, which flew off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. Undeterred, the visitors regained the lead five minutes into the second half. Pedro Porro launched a deep corner which Richarlison headed into the path of Gray. The teenager's flicked effort was headed on to the crossbar by a PSG defender on the line and bounced out for Kolo Muani to smash home a powerful volley. The lead lasted just three minutes thanks to that man Vitinha. The Portuguese midfielder cut inside from the right and curled a strike into the far corner, this time with his left foot. Tottenham then handed PSG the momentum in the 59th minute. A dangerous pass out from captain Cristian Romero led to Pape Matar Sarr being caught in possession and Joao Neves picked out Ruiz to sweep home in an empty box. Six minutes later, a scramble in the box from a corner ended with Pacho nipping in ahead of Sarr to poke the loose ball into the net.

Spurs were not down yet though. Rodrigo Bentancur robbed Vitinha in the PSG half and the ball broke to Kolo Muani, who ran on and smashed home a second goal against his employers.

More drama followed though as Vitinha's shot hit Romero's outstretched arm in the box and with 14 minutes to go the Portuguese rifled home the resulting penalty to complete his treble and bury Tottenham's comeback hopes.

There was still time for a red card for the hosts in added time as Lucas Hernandez flicked out an elbow into former PSG man Xavi Simons' face.

Tottenham striker Randla Kolo Muani scored against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League despite being contracted to the latter

Randal Kolo Muani celebrated his first two goals for Tottenham on Wednesday evening which also came against his parent club Paris Saint-Germain. The Frenchman sealed a temporary switch to Spurs from the Parisians in the summer and started their Champions League meeting.

In the Premier League, a player is not allowed to face their parent club but that is not such a rule in UEFA competitions, courtesy of their integrity rules, with Kolo Muani free to feature and thus score.

European football’s governing body has been clear on its “provisions which strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match.”

Richarlison opened the scoring but Vitinha equalised for Luis Enrique's side before half-time. Kolo Muani then smashed home a loose ball after Archie Gray hit the bar. PSG swiftly turned the game on its head however, with Vitinha levelling the clash again.

Moments later, Fabian Ruiz put the hosts in front to leave Kolo Muani's big moment in vein. The holders then added a fourth through Willian Pacho.

Spurs have already surrendered an advantage to PSG this season with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven goals cancelled out by Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos before they won on penalties.

However, the Lilywhites fought back with Kolo Muani on target again as he danced beyond several challenges before firing past Lucas Chevalier. A Vitinha hat-trick saw PSG's lead increase to two goals again.

Thomas Frank spoke fondly of Kolo Muani ahead of the clash as he prepared to return to the Parc Des Princes and potentially prove a point.

He said: "Of course he wants to perform. Every player wants to perform and show their best, no doubt about that. That’s mostly the feeling with Kolo.

"He was very happy to join Tottenham and perform for us and we were very happy to have him.

"Then he got that dead leg that took longer than we thought it would do, and then he got the broken jaw. So it’s definitely been stop-start.

"Plus he came and was fit, but not top fit, because he came from pre-season where (he didn’t play much).

"So all of that meant he was playing catch-up. I’m convinced we will see more and more good stuff from him."

Everything Harry Kane has said about Arsenal - from supporting them to Spurs rivalry

Harry Kane's history with Arsenal goes back all the way to his childhood

Everything Harry Kane has said about Arsenal - from supporting them to Spurs rivalry:

The Release from the Academy Fuels His Drive: Having supported them as a child, Kane has previously referenced the fact that he was released by Arsenal's academy, which became a significant source of motivation. He said: "Every time we played them, I thought, 'Alright, we'll see who's right and who's wrong.'"

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The Hurt of Finishing Below Arsenal: During his time at Tottenham, Kane spoke about the frustration of Arsenal outperforming Spurs, even in seasons where Tottenham felt they had performed well. He said: "When people think Arsenal had a bad season and we've had a good one, yet they still finish above us, it hurts."

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The Rivalry Provides Extra Motivation: Kane has consistently stated that the animosity from Arsenal fans actually serves to motivate him to perform better in games against them. Kane stated: "Maybe the Chelsea fans don't like me as much, and when we play Arsenal, maybe the Arsenal fans don't like me as much. But that makes me want to play better, that motivates me."

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Recognition of Arsenal's Defensive Strength (Post-Tottenham): Following his move to Bayern Munich, Kane has analysed Arsenal as an opponent in the Champions League, giving a professional assessment of their quality. "Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are two different teams. I believe Arsenal are stronger defensively," he said. "They make life difficult for opponents."

Premier League Evolution Statement: The England striker admitted Arsenal have taken advantage of the style of football that is currently breeding results in the Premier League. "Watching the Premier League is probably a little less enjoyable than what it has been in recent years, to be honest, but that’s kind of the evolution of football,' Kane said. 'Sometimes it comes in like this and that’s the case this year. Arsenal have capitalised on that and are a really strong set-plays team.'

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Harry Kane has been speaking ahead of Bayern Munich's crunch Champions League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates and discussed his record against the Gunners

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has opened up about how Arsenal have developed since their Champions League meeting back in 2023. The Gunners were eliminated in the quarter-finals by the Bundesliga side following a 3-2 aggregate defeat two years ago, with Kane netting in the opening leg at the Emirates.

The England captain was frequently Arsenal's tormentor throughout his lengthy stint at Tottenham, with 11 strikes against them making him the all-time leading goalscorer in North London Derbies. The most recent clash between the sides took place this past weekend with his former club heavily beaten 4-1.

Meanwhile, Kane has already netted 27 times this season and will certainly be aiming to increase that figure on Wednesday night. Speaking before the major European encounter, Kane was questioned about his remarkable record against Arsenal, which prompted him to acknowledge a harsh reality he's hoping to put right.

He said: "With Tottenham, it was always one of the biggest games of the season against Arsenal. I have friends who are fans of both teams."

"It's not quite the same with Bayern as we don't always play against each other – we got an important win against them in the quarter-finals two years ago. I've scored a lot of goals here in this stadium – but haven't won many games. I hope we can change that tomorrow.

"Obviously when I was at Tottenham, the North London derby was always a big moment. But it's not about me against Arsenal, it's about Bayern against Arsenal. I'm in good form and it's all about helping my team and scoring goals."

Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal's defensive resilience since Kane last encountered them, with his squad maintaining a clean sheet throughout this season's Champions League campaign. One encouraging factor for Bayern is Gabriel Magalhaes' absence from the fixture and forthcoming matches due to a groin problem.

Nevertheless, the 32-year-old recognises their capabilities, with additional fixtures at European football's highest level aiding their development. Kane said: "They've become more solid, they have more experience – but they play similarly to how they did back then; defensively, their structure is better.

"They've gained experience in the Champions League, which has made them better and helped them grow. That's why they're in the position they're in right now. It will be a good test for us tomorrow."

Discussing what Bayern require to defeat their rivals, he continued: "It'll be a tough game for us. There's a reason why Arsenal are up there in the Champions League and Premier League. They're very solid.

"We need to make sure we're alert all over and that we make things tough for them to win the ball back. We need to make use of other strengths, our pressing. It's two of the best teams in the world."

Tottenham were hammered by Arsenal on Sunday and Thomas Frank has been left to pick up the pieces amid talk his job is already in doubt despite being hired in the summer

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank insists he "knows how to build a team" as he underlined the need for the club to stick by him despite their embarrassing loss at Arsenal.

A harrowing loss in the North London derby has seen the pressure ramp up on Frank, who was only appointed in the summer off the back of several impressive years with Brentford. He's now dealing with heightened expectations and his future is now a talking point.

Tottenham have shown themselves willing to sack managers after only a matter of months. Nuno Espirito Santo was axed after 17 games in 2021, albeit that was when Daniel Levy was at the helm, but Tottenham's hierarchy still have lofty ambitions.

Frank, who has won just once in his last five Premier League games, insists now is the time for the club to stick by him as he's learning on the job but made it clear he has the ability to make them a success.

He said: "Part of taking this job was to sit here and have the challenges. Of course, I would have loved to sit here and we've beaten Arsenal and then face Paris tomorrow night. We lost and we lost badly. Part of that is to manage those setbacks and learn from it and move on from here.

"One thing I'm 1000 per cent sure of, I know how to build a team, I know how to build a club and we will do that. Along the way, we'll learn and the big thing is how we learn from the bad spells, because that's where we also can see that when we go 1-0 down, how do we react as a team? The best teams, they just continually move on. They still run hard, they still do the same thing. There's no doubt in that.

"The first four months, I learned a lot about the team. I learned a lot about the individual players and all that learning that needs to materialise to how we find the right formula with the right players on the pitch and also with some players coming back. Then we play every third day. That's the big challenge, but that's what I embrace."

Tottenham have been as high as second this term, but now find themselves down in ninth. Their Carabao Cup hopes have ended whilst in the Champions League they remain unbeaten, winning two and drawing two of their four outings. PSG on Wednesday night will offer their sternest test.

The Parisians are defending European champions and downed Tottenham in the European Super Cup only months ago, but Frank is adamant his side will produce the necessary response to their Arsenal mauling.

"I'm convinced that we'll bounce back with a good performance," he said.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is under pressure amid indifferent performances and an embarrassing defeat to North London rivals Arsenal - but the Dane’s job is safe for now

Tottenham Hotspur will NOT sack Thomas Frank in the aftermath of their poor showing in the north London derby against Arsenal, who inflicted a chastening defeat on their bitter rivals.

Spurs were torn apart by the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium with Eberechi Eze rubbing salt in the wounds by netting a hat-trick after coming so close to linking up with Frank and Co in the summer. Leandro Trossard was also on target as the hosts romped to a 4-1 victory to extend their league at the Premier League summit at sorry Spurs' expense.

The club's fourth league defeat of the season comes amid a backdrop of growing restlessness from Spurs supporters at what they perceive as below-par and negative performances. But while Spurs chiefs are aware of the downturn in results, they are keen to give Frank time to turn things around.

According to The Telegraph, the club’s owners, the Lewis family, are clear on their thoughts that Frank’s appointment was a long-term project and that remains the case. It is emphasised that the club are not panicking and will not be forced into making a knee-jerk decision. They do have concerns, however.

It is thought that the former Brentford boss’ numerous changes have contributed to a series of disappointing performances, while some players are keen for Frank to focus on the strengths of his own side.

The squad reported to Spurs' training ground on Monday as usual before travelling to France for the club's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Speaking after his side’s defeat to Arsenal, Frank said: “I’m a very big believer that no matter what system you play you can be successful. I completely understand the question and I will always take the full responsibility. The full responsibility will always be on me today when we didn’t perform.

“I picked a team that played 5-4-1, changed it half-time, very clever, one minute into it they scored, 3-0, the rest is history after that. What I would say is that no matter if we played another system we needed to be more aggressive and better in the duels. That doesn’t matter to the system but I take responsibility for everything today."

What went wrong for Spurs vs Arsenal? Share your thoughts in the comments below

On Spurs’ disappointing results, he added: "That, of course, will always be a concern. I would like the team to have very few bad performances. There will always be average performances, because it's football we're dealing with.

“That's definitely something I need to look into, because today, I felt we were fresh, I think we were ready. The Chelsea game was a little bit on the back end of a tough spell. There could be that but the performance was still bad. Today, I didn't expect us to be not competitive."

Frank was appointed in the summer as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement. Spurs paid £10m compensation to Brentford to seal his services, while Frank penned a three-year deal in North London.