The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast Can Spurs and Frank make it work?
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Nov 27, 2025 
Liam Tharme, a football tactics writer and analyst, Michael Cox, a revered tactical expert, and Duncan Alexander, a data specialist, dive into the challenges of managers like Thomas Frank stepping up to larger clubs like Tottenham Hotspur. They discuss Spurs' mixed early results under Frank, concerns about squad fit and injuries, and the defensive issues laid bare by high-profile matches. The panel also explores the successful transitions of managers like Pochettino and the pitfalls faced by others, shedding light on what truly makes a managerial step-up successful.
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Early Worries About Style Fit
- Thomas Frank's Tottenham tenure shows early worrying trends in creativity and style fit for a big club.
- His Brentford methods work as underdog tactics but face harsher scrutiny and limits at Spurs.
Underdog Strengths, Big-Club Weaknesses
- Spurs show a stark home/away split and struggle to break down teams that sit deep.
- Frank's teams excel as underdogs but lack patterns to create high-quality chances against organised defences.
Squad Limits Amplify Transition Risk
- Moving to a bigger club often exposes squad limitations and mismatches with a manager's preferred methods.
- Injuries to key players like Kulusevski and Madison amplify tactical fragility for Frank at Spurs.