The tenure of a Tottenham Hotspur manager is seldom a joyful occupation. Very quickly, Thomas Frank is reliving the experiences of those who came before him: moving from initial optimism to letdown, and now towards what appears to be sheer despair. Being thoroughly beaten by Arsenal had already created a difficult predicament. A respectable performance in Paris during the mid-week, despite resulting in another loss, offered minimal boost to his standing. Losing to Fulham, a side whose away form was as woeful as Spurs’ home record, significantly heightened the pressure. It’s worth noting that Frank was appointed under the previous management of Daniel Levy; incoming ownership groups usually act swiftly regarding managers inherited from predecessors.
Thomas Frank displays visible frustration from the technical area during Tottenham’s home defeat against Fulham.
‘These aren’t genuine Tottenham supporters’: Thomas Frank expresses anger over boos aimed at goalkeeper Vicario
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Should a managerial change occur—though it feels premature considering Frank’s history of slow starts at former clubs—Marco Silva, rumored for the role on a couple of previous occasions, would emerge as a serious candidate. Within the first six minutes, Silva was animated on the touchline alongside his Fulham coaching team. His side held a two-goal advantage, and the home crowd was vociferously demanding action. By the final whistle, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was deserted, the atmosphere even more subdued, and Frank’s prospects even dimmer.
The crucial damage was inflicted immediately. After some skillful play from Samuel Chukwueze unsettled Pedro Porro and Archie Gray, Kenny Tete was afforded the time and space to score, with the strike deflecting off Destiny Udogie. Two minutes later, Guglielmo Vicario’s poor kick, taken well outside his box—seeing the Italian embark on a completely unplanned excursion—was intercepted by Josh King. Wilson expertly steered his attempted lob over the stranded keeper. Wilson commented, “I noticed the keeper was in a tricky spot.”
“That moment provided us with the necessary self-assurance and impetus,” stated Silva, celebrating Fulham’s first victory in Tottenham since Martin Jol orchestrated a revenge win back in 2013. “My focus isn’t on critiquing them; that’s not my role. Football involves calculated risks, and we accepted one.”
Vicario’s subsequent attempts to clear danger were met with jeers. Frank ignited controversy by saying, “They cannot possibly be true Tottenham supporters because everyone on the field offers mutual backing,” wading into the contentious area of stirring up the crowd.
Fulham’s prior return from six away matches included only the single point gained on the season opener at Brighton. For Tottenham, their attacking approach proved fatal, much like it has for most visiting teams. Spurs’ last home win was achieved during that same opening weekend; in 2025, only Manchester United, Southampton, and Burnley have suffered defeats there in the Premier League.
While Frank seethed ineffectively on the sidelines, Chukwueze, enjoying an impressive first league start, struck the woodwork; where Tottenham faltered entirely, Fulham were ruthlessly effective. Alex Iwobi remarked of his fellow Nigerian, “Chukwu-magic – that’s what they call him on the training ground.”
The hopeful coupling of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani seen in Paris was far less promising in London. Silva confirmed he had observed their midweek efforts. “I believe we managed that situation effectively,” he remarked. Spurs players left the pitch at halftime amid loud booing and returned to a sparsely populated stadium, with spectators opting for comfort over witnessing further misery, despite the high ticket prices. Those tracking expected goals (xG) would have noted a dismal figure of 0.07 for the first half.
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There were initial flickers of activity from Spurs, with the supporters in the large stand behind the goal offering reserved encouragement. Fulham, perhaps conscious of their past travel struggles, began to fall back, and Mohammed Kudus’s goal, powerfully struck with his right foot—with Bernd Leno’s reaction being unconvincing—set up a final thirty minutes for Spurs to salvage the game, and perhaps Frank’s job security.
Substitutions were made: Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, and Rodrigo Bentancur were introduced, and chances finally began to accumulate, including Raúl Jiménez clearing the ball off the line from a Lucas Bergvall flicked header. Fulham, meanwhile, focused on controlling the clock, diminishing the threat of the opposition whose renewed focus was hampered by a lack of cohesive structure.
No one could muster the necessary inspiration for a comeback attempt that ultimately faded along with the morale of the Tottenham faithful. Frank summarized the situation: “We are enduring a difficult period currently, and for my players, the key is maintaining as much composure as possible and exerting maximum effort to navigate through it.” The inspirational figure he presented at Brentford has thus far failed to find similar resonance at Tottenham.
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