Heitinga

The final tumultuous result of Frank’s dismal reign saw Spurs drop to 16th in the Premier League and two wins in 17 league games.

Not for the first time in 2026, Frank faced calls to be sacked in the morning’ by disgruntled Tottenham fans and there were also chants for old boss Mauricio Pochettino during the club’s eighth home defeat in all competitions this season.

With 12 days until Spurs host rivals Arsenal on February 22, CEO Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange and the Lewis family, who run the club’s major shareholder ENIC, had to make a decision on Frank’s future and have sacked the 52-year-old.

Frank insisted after the defeat to Newcastle that he was “1,000 per cent” sure he was the right man for the job and claimed he was “confident” he would be in charge of the visit of Arsenal.

However, a fifth defeat in nine games and the latest despicable performance booed by home fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium forced the Spurs board into action, realizing that Frank’s position had become untenable.

“The club has taken the decision to make a change to the position of the men’s head coach and Thomas Frank will leave today,” a club statement said.

“Thomas was appointed in June 2025 and we are committed to giving him the time and support needed to build the future together.

“However, the results and performance have led the board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.

“Throughout his time at the club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering dedication and given everything in his efforts to move the club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.”

Frank’s future was considered after last month’s 2-1 home defeat to West Ham, which prompted the first cries of “you’re going to be sacked tomorrow morning”, but the ex-Brentford boss was granted a stay of execution due to the hectic fixture schedule and lack of alternatives.

Yet January’s FA Cup exit to Aston Villa has left Tottenham without a match this weekend and offered the chance for a reset as Frank’s tenure ended after just 13 wins in 38 games during his seven-month reign.

Spurs are looking for their 15th permanent manager of the 21st century but could become an interim manager, with recently appointed first-team assistant coach John Heitinga a candidate and Stuart Lewis, previously in charge of the Under-18s, also an internal option.

Tottenham fans sang for Pochettino during Tuesday’s defeat and with the current United States head coach’s contract expiring after this summer’s World Cup, a possible return to a club he described this week as “special” would satisfy large parts of the fanbase.

Ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is a newly available option after leaving Marseille this week.

However, the immediate goal for Tottenham will be to quickly get out of relegation problems during the last twelve league matches of the season.

Frank was hired in June to replace Europa League-winning boss Ange Postecoglou after last season’s 17th-place finish in the Premier League and stated his aim was to compete on four fronts this season.

An early reference to rivals Arsenal and a promise to “lose games” by Frank raised eyebrows among a fanbase keen to build on Postecoglou’s achievement in winning Spurs a first trophy in 17 years despite an injury-hit 2024-2025 season.

A positive start from Frank followed, but there were warning signs in September, when only an injury-time equalizer prevented a defeat at home to Wolves, before dismal losses to rivals Chelsea and Arsenal sharpened the spotlight.

When Frank criticized the Spurs fans at the end of November after another home loss to Fulham, patience had already worn thin and chants of ‘boring, boring Tottenham’ during an uneventful stalemate at Brentford were the beginning of the end.

Players clashed with fans after a 3–2 defeat at Bournemouth on January 7, where Frank accidentally used a coffee cup with Arsenal’s badge on it. Although surviving a 2–1 defeat to West Ham, Tottenham’s board took action after they slipped just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Additional reporting from This Is Anfield:

John Heitinga, Arne Slot’s assistant at Liverpool last season, joined Tottenham a month ago after an unsuccessful six-month spell as Ajax manager.

Tottenham’s statement on Frank’s dismissal made no mention of his backroom staff and, according to the TimesHeitinga is among the options being considered to replace Frank, at least in the short term.

Although he could be interim coach, Heitinga is unlikely to take the job permanently.

Tottenham fans could be heard chanting for Pochettino during their 2-1 home loss to Newcastle on Tuesday, but he is currently preparing the US for a home World Cup.

Once his role ends this summer, it stands to reason that he could return, although this is just speculation at this point.