If there is an obvious void in Thomas Frank’s credentials to manage Tottenham it comes in Europe.
His experience is minimal and Bill Nicholson, the most illustrious of his predecessors, once claimed the club was ‘nothing’ without European football.
It explains the tidal wave of euphoria unleashed upon a long-suffering fanbase by the Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou in Bilbao three months ago.
Past glories were rekindled and prestigious opportunities served up, including the glitzy decoration of tonight’s UEFA Super Cup date with Paris Saint-Germain in north-eastern Italy and the altogether more meaningful prospect of a Champions League draw before the end of this month.
Thus far, Frank’s experience of managing in Europe amounts to a couple of brief Europa League campaigns back in his native Denmark with Brondby, neither of which made it beyond the qualifying rounds.
Now this first high-profile test since crossing London from Brentford is upon him in a hurry, with questions swirling about how ready Tottenham are for it and what comes next.
Succeeding in Europe with Tottenham is by far Thomas Frank’s biggest managerial test to date
Tottenham finally tasted European glory at the end of last term by winning the Europa League
His Spurs side are gearing up to take on PSG (above) in the Super Cup on Wednesday night
They have added two players to a senior squad that crashed to 17th in the Premier League, losing 22 of 38 games, a record dismal enough to get Postecoglou the sack, despite the silverware.
Beyond the managerial change, and a summer of diligent tactical work the players have been keen to talk about, reinforcements were clearly required if Frank was to compete across four major competitions.
Thus far, however, they have brought in Mohammed Kudus for £50million from West Ham and Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich.
An audacious swoop for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White failed, while captain Son Heung-min has been sold to LAFC and James Maddison will miss most of the season after damaging cruciate knee ligaments on the Asian tour.
Dejan Kulusevski is still weeks from a return after a serious knee injury. Dominic Solanke, ruled out of all but one pre-season friendly with an ankle injury, is available for the Super Cup, but there remains an obvious absence of craft and imagination at Frank’s disposal.
It probably explains the air of mild scattergun panic accompanying a flurry of fresh moves linking Spurs with various talented players, including Nico Paz of Como, Savinho of Manchester City and Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace. Frank’s early summer interest in Eze fizzled out amid the front-heavy make-up of the fee established by a since-expired clause and the wage demands of the player.
But it could be revived, especially as interest from Arsenal has faded for the time being.
Eze, who was said to be interested in the Arsenal move, is now thought to be keen on a switch to Spurs. Frank declined to comment when quizzed on the matter last night.
Frank was appointed after a dismal Premier League season, with Spurs finishing 17th in the end
James Maddison has been ruled out for almost the whole season after suffering an ACL injury
Some of those all too familiar with the way it works in N17 are rolling their eyes. For them it seems like another new dawn and yet the same old story, with transfer targets slipping away, injuries biting and a new season looming with an incomplete squad.
The fans’ movement Change for Tottenham are organising a demonstration in the High Road before Saturday’s Premier League opener at home to Burnley, protesting about ticket prices and recruitment strategy in what they have dubbed ‘a summer of failure’. Things change, but some things stay the same.
On top of this came revelations by Frank that Yves Bissouma had not travelled to Italy, axed from the squad for disciplinary reasons having shown up late on more than one occasion, a bad habit which used to irritate Antonio Conte when he was Spurs boss.
Postecoglou also disciplined Bissouma in August last year, dropping the Mali international midfielder after he had been filmed inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon. He turns 29 before the end of the month but Bissouma, rather than maturing into a senior professional, has claimed an unwanted hat-trick by offending the new boss before a ball of the new season has been kicked.
He has only one year left on his contract and Spurs would sell him if they could, but this will not do anything to generate an attractive offer.
‘He has been late several times and the latest time was one too many,’ was Frank’s explanation. ‘With everything you need to give your players a lot of love, but also have demands and there needs to be consequences. This time there was a consequence for that.’
It is a wholly unnecessary headache for a new head coach still learning to understand the idiosyncratic rhythms of his new club and yet confident they will be in a better place by the time the transfer market closes at the end of the month. ‘I think I have a good team and a good squad,’ said Frank last night in Udine.
‘This transfer window, we are definitely in the market and will do everything we can to make the best possible and strong squad for September 1.
Tottenham reignited their interest in Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze after Maddison’s injury
Frank revealed that Yves Bissouma has been axed from the Tottenham squad for the UEFA Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday for turning up late yet again
‘There are a few things in the air, shall we say, along the way. The last two days, we trained Sunday, Monday, two top training sessions. Nice, light training and we will be ready tomorrow.’
Paris Saint-Germain beat four English teams and destroyed Inter Milan as they won the Champions League. Tottenham lifted the Europa League without coming even close to a team of their calibre. Yet there is the usual caveat, because the Super Cup is no more than a glorified friendly and Luis Enrique’s team finished last season barely a month ago, losing to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.
Nobody is sure what to expect of the European champions, but they are unlikely to be at their best. As for Spurs, six games into pre-season preparations, we wait with breath bated to see if Frank can find the elusive formula.