Archive August 12, 2025

What is it they say about London buses?

Tottenham waited 17 years for their first trophy. By the end of Wednesday night, they could have clinched their second in three months.

With last season’s Europa League triumph still fresh in the memory, opportunity beckons for new manager Thomas Frank to not only get his first season in charge off to a flying start, but to chalk off the first major milestone.

Of course, success against Champions League winners Paris St-Germain is likely to have little bearing on how the next nine months develop.

But victory against the European champions would certainly garner immediate buy-in from players, colleagues and supporters.

Not that Frank is having trouble in making a good first impression.

A few days after his appointment, Frank called a first-team meeting at the club’s Enfield training headquarters.

This is standard fare – an opportunity for ‘tracksuit staff’ to acquaint themselves with the new coaching team and for the manager to start laying down his philosophy.

But this was a gathering with a twist.

Frank invited everyone – from the technical and non-technical staff in the building who have contact with the first-team squad to the catering, administration and cleaning staff.

This kind of inclusive effort is indicative of how Frank operates.

Those who worked with him at Brentford could recall similar anecdotes about Frank’s keenness to nurture a sense of inclusivity.

A source describes the Dane as a glass half-full type of manager. He is said to be an emotionally available individual – not necessarily a given in the unforgiving confines of professional football.

That is not to say his predecessor Ange Postecoglou wasn’t. The gushing appraisals and messages that followed his sacking were a clear indication of the strength of feeling towards him.

At the heart of his ethos is the notion that, regardless of position at the club, everyone should be treated the same. There should be no preferential treatment – every member of staff is part of the journey.

His decision to leave Yves Bissouma in London for persistent lateness before the PSG match is indicative of his straight approach. His culture is rooted in hard work and honesty, and that means being upfront with issues.

If someone has a problem, Frank expects that person to air it openly. He won’t accept backstabbing or whispers.

Frank is at the centre of each day’s training session. He will delegate elements of daily coaching to his staff, but he is said to be the protagonist in most sessions.

That is a clear step away from Postecoglou’s regime – where the Australian would observe most training days at the side of the pitch during the week, before taking the reins on the final session before a match.

Frank’s preparations, whether it be his team composition or bedding in his philosophy, have been hampered during pre-season.

He has been without Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie for much of the summer, while Dejan Kulusevski is yet to feature because of injury.

Frank has also lost James Maddison to an ACL injury, while captain Heung-min Son has left for Los Angeles FC.

While setting the tone for team spirit has been evident, Frank’s long-term vision of how he wants Tottenham to play is, arguably, less clear.

Sources have indicated that summer signing Mohammed Kudus is becoming a key player for Frank, with an emerging pattern of trying to get the ball into the Ghana international as often as possible.

The 51-year-old is also having a significant say in the club’s transfer business.

He is said to have been a driving force behind the deal for Kudus, while the club’s efforts to sign Savinho from Manchester City are described as having Frank’s seal of approval.

Nevertheless, the window hasn’t been without its difficulties.

The high-profile pursuit of Nottingham Forest attacker Morgan Gibbs-White – and its ultimate failure owing to legal issues related to the England international’s £60m release clause – was a blow.

Spurs would also like to sign Marc Guehi, but the Crystal Palace captain prefers Liverpool as a destination.

So far, only Kudus and Joao Palhinha – on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich – have arrived.

For some supporters, that isn’t enough.

Talks of fan protests at the perceived lack of squad investment has been an unwanted narrative that has followed the club this summer, since the move for Gibbs-White fell through.

There is money to spend, with owners Enic understood to have injected a level of cash into the club.

Landing Savinho and Palace attacker Eberechi Eze – who Tottenham have held talks over – would go some way to appeasing disgruntled supporters.

“This transfer window, we are definitely in the market and will do everything we can to make the best possible and strong squad,” Frank added.

United States sprinter Fred Kerley has been provisionally suspended for an alleged anti-doping whereabouts violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Tuesday.

Kerley, 30, who won 100m bronze at last summer’s Paris Games, could face a two-year ban if the charge is upheld.

The World Anti-Doping Code states an athlete cannot miss three anti-doping tests and/or filing failures within a 12-month period.

In a statement posted on X, lawyers for Kerley said he intends to contest the allegation.

Kerley, who won 100m gold at the 2022 World Championships, last competed at the Grand Sprint Series in Norwalk, California in July.

He withdrew from the US track and field trials last month, writing on social media that he was taking time out.

“The 100m should be a straight sprint. 2025 has presented many hurdles,” he said.

In January, Kerley was tasered and arrested by police following a confrontation with officers in Miami, Florida. Then in May, he was reported to have been arrested for allegedly punching his former girlfriend and fellow athlete Alaysha Johnson in the face.