Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has reacted to being snubbed by Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence after the final whistle against Chelsea.
The boos were deafening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the final whistle on Saturday, and one certainly cannot blame the supporters, who have watched one drab performance after another at home this season.
Spurs once again failed to create many opportunities of note, and could have lost much more heavily if not for Guglielmo Vicario’s heroics in goal.
After the final whistle, Van de Ven and Spence were seen snubbing Frank as they made their way straight into the tunnel.
Thomas Frank understands the frustration of the Tottenham players
The Spurs head coach did not appear too pleased with the incident, turning back to stare at the duo as they walked away from him.
However, Frank has now insisted that Van de Ven and Spence’s behaviour was down to frustration, explaining that he wanted to thank the fans despite the defeat.
When asked about Tottenham’s defensive duo ignoring him, the Dane said (via the club’s official website): “All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that.
“I think it is about which is difficult to be consistent in good times and in bad times. That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”
When asked if the pair’s behaviour was acceptable, Frank responded: “I understand why you ask the question, but I think that is one of the small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence, who are doing everything they can.
“They perform very well so far this season, and everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, so I don’t think it is a big problem.”
Frank would demand an apology from Van de Ven and Spence
The Tottenham boss is in a difficult position here as he cannot publicly throw two of his better players under the bus and risk losing their buy-in.
However, he would have likely not been impressed with their antics, given the standards he demands on behaviour and discipline.
While the pair’s frustration is understandable, Frank would rightly expect both Van de Ven and Spence to apologise, and they might have already done so.