Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank shared a touching moment with Mathys Tel after the young forward’s standout display against Leeds United.
In Tottenham Hotspur’s last Premier League fixture against Leeds United, Thomas Frank made a few tweaks to his starting line-up in search of a response from his players, following back-to-back draws.
One of the more notable changes saw Mathys Tel come in for Richarlison, after the Brazil international failed to impress when handed a start in the Champions League against Bodo/Glimt.
Frank’s decision to go with Tel as his striker was justified as the young Frenchman opened the scoring and gave Tottenham a perfect start in the fixture.
Thomas Frank and Mathys Tel share heartfelt moment in front of Tottenham fans
At full-time, Thomas Frank made sure Tel received the recognition his effort merited, guiding him towards the travelling Tottenham supporters so that he could soak up their applause.
Tel has featured five times in the league this season, and while his performances have been somewhat inconsistent, his display on Saturday felt like a breakthrough moment.
The forward’s tireless work rate and willingness to press from the front caught the eye, and his goal was no more than he deserved.
It was a small but telling gesture from a manager who has never shied away from showing faith in the young forward who has had to deal with a few disappointments early on this season.
Watch Thomas Frank’s classy gesture to Tel after Leeds United clash here:
Tel continues to earn more recognition after Leeds display
After the match, Thomas Frank admitted he was left emotional by Tel’s performance, particularly given how challenging the start of the season had been for the forward.
The forward had previously been left out of Frank’s Champions League squad and had also endured the disappointment of missing a penalty in the UEFA Super Cup.
Tel’s improvement has not gone unnoticed either, as teammate Mohammed Kudus also took a moment to praise his hard work, while Tel earned himself a deserved spot in the Premier League Team of the Week for Matchweek 7.