Ask any Tottenham fan right now and they’ll tell you they’ve seen enough of Thomas Frank, but is he really that bad compared to other Spurs managers?
Bad results, terrible performances, and problematic press conferences have left Frank at risk of losing his job as Tottenham Hotspur manager.
It has been a rough six months for Thomas Frank since he succeeded Ange Postecoglou. Now, it would seem Spurs fans have reached breaking point and want a change as soon as possible.
So, we dug into the statistics behind his reign at Tottenham to determine just how disastrous this spell has been, and it’s not looking good for the Dane.
Thomas Frank is bottom of the pile for Tottenham managers
We looked at the points-per-game (PPG) data for every permanent Spurs manager in the ENIC era, and it really underlines just how abysmal Frank’s performance has been.
Thomas Frank has Tottenham’s worst record – 1.32
The current Tottenham manager currently has the worst ratio of anyone in the 21st century. His record of 1.32 PPG across 34 games is simply not good enough, and there’s every chance it will see him lose his job sooner rather than later.
Juande Ramos – 1.35
He may have guided Spurs to the Carabao Cup title in 2008, but Juande Ramos did not have a good time of it in the league. It was ultimately his league form that cost him his job just a few months after the cup triumph.
Glenn Hoddle – 1.35
Glenn Hoddle was the first permanent manager to be hired in the ENIC era, but his record was not great. He may be a club legend, but a return of 1.35 PPG across 102 games is pretty shocking.
David Pleat – 1.38
Another club icon who sadly failed to live up to expectations in his role is David Pleat. Indeed, at 1.38 PPG, Pleat was far more effective in his role as a scout and Director of Football at Tottenham.
George Graham – 1.46
We take a slight jump for the next entry, with George Graham racking up 1.46 PPG across 121 games between 1999 and 2001. Graham was here before ENIC arrived, but he wasn’t up to their standards in the end.
Jaques Santini – 1.46
He lasted just three months in the job, but Jaques Santini was far from the worst Spurs boss in the modern era. Still, after just 13 games, it’s hard to really make a fair judgement.
Tottenham’s Europa League-winning Ange Postecoglou – 1.53
Interestingly, Frank ranks far lower than his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou. The man who lifted the Europa League trophy for Spurs was condemned for his awful league form, but at 1.53 PPG, was the Ange era actually that bad? We probably shouldn’t compare Frank to Postecoglou, but it’s hard not to.
Martin Jol – 1.62
You might not think it, but Martin Jol is actually one of the longest-serving Spurs managers of the ENIC era. He oversaw 147 games and racked up a PPG ratio of 1.62 during that time. Not bad, Jol!
Nuno Espirito Santo – 1.65
From one of the longest-serving to one of the shortest tenures, Nuno’s spell at Spurs was a disaster. He took charge of just 17 games, but actually didn’t do too bad when it comes to PPG, with a fairly respectable 1.65 ratio.
Tim Sherwood not quite second to none at Tottenham – 1.65
Sherwood’s record would technically be lower if we counted his two games as caretaker (which amounted to a 1.50 PPG ratio), but as permanent boss, he ranks much higher. After 26 games in charge, Sherwood had a record of 1.65 PPG for Spurs.
Harry Redknapp 1.73
Only one manager has spent longer at Tottenham in the ENIC era than Harry Redknapp, and not many have a better record here, either. The loveable Spurs boss took charge of 198 matches and logged an impressive 1.73 PPG ratio.
Jose Mourinho – 1.77
He’s a truly elite manager who has won just about everything there is to win in this game, but he never quite cracked it at Spurs (although he could have claimed a trophy if he wasn’t sacked days before the Carabao Cup final). Jose Mourinho recorded a 1.77 PPG ratio across 86 games in charge.
Antonio Conte 1.78
Don’t tell Jose, but Antonio Conte did ever so slightly better than him in North London. The Italian oversaw a few fewer games (76), but racked up a 1.78 PPG record during his tumultuous time at Spurs.
Tottenham fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino – 1.84
Let’s be honest, Mauricio Pochettino is everyone’s favourite Spurs manager of the modern era, and it’s easy to see why. He put together a brilliant and exciting squad, he united the fanbase with his charming persona and attacking football, and the team did pretty well, too. That 1.84 PPG ratio speaks for itself.
Andre Villas-Boas is the shock Tottenham leader – 1.91
Poch isn’t the best Spurs manager, technically, though. Incredibly, that accolade falls to Andre Villas-Boas. Across 80 matches, the Portuguese coach racked up a 1.91 PPG ratio. Maybe he deserves more credit than we give him?