Tottenham Hotspur have picked up just two draws and one loss in their last three Premier League games, sliding down to 14th in the table. Photos of manager Thomas Frank drinking from a paper cup emblazoned with the Arsenal crest have thrust him into the spotlight once again, with authoritative media stating that Frank’s authority at Tottenham is gradually eroding.
For Thomas Frank, the "paper cup controversy" on the south coast may be a tempest in a teacup, but inside the Tottenham camp, a genuine threat to his authority is brewing.
During Tottenham’s away defeat to Bournemouth, Frank was photographed using the Arsenal-branded cup. Less than 24 hours after the incident, he had to sit in front of a red-and-white backdrop bearing the logo of Emirates—also Arsenal’s sponsor—to answer questions about captain Cristian Romero.
The FA Cup red backdrop provided Arsenal fans with another opportunity to mock him. The cup incident had already sparked a flood of jokes at Frank’s expense on social media among Gunners supporters. However, the Tottenham manager was in no mood for laughter, as he struggled to maintain control of the team.
Hours after the away loss to Bournemouth, Romero posted on social media: “At times like this, there should have been others stepping forward to speak up, but they didn’t—just like they haven’t done so many times over the past few years. They only show up when everything is going well, spouting lies.”
The club decided not to fine Romero, a decision that has undoubtedly done nothing to help Frank assert his authority. The post was later edited to remove the accusation of "lies", which seemingly allowed Romero to escape punishment with nothing more than a meeting with Frank and sporting director Johan Lange.
Asked whether Romero would remain captain and if he had been fined, Frank said: "He is still our captain, and he has not been fined." Pressed on why no disciplinary action was taken against Romero, the Dane added: “I believe there are many ways to handle different situations. We chose to have a good conversation with him, understand his position, and deal with the matter internally—that is all I want to say.”
The club’s silence over Romero and his explosive remarks has led to speculation: are Tottenham and Frank afraid to come down hard on the fiery Argentina international for fear of the potential consequences?
Frank insists he has shown the ability to draw a line in the sand, citing the example of Yves Bissouma, who was left out of the Super Cup squad for repeatedly arriving late to training. But some may reach the same conclusion as sources quoted by The Telegraph—that this is double standards.
Rumors have long circulated that Romero enjoys more freedom than his teammates at the training ground, and he became the club’s highest-paid player after renewing his contract last summer. Tottenham CEO Donna-Maria Cullen declared at a fans’ forum in October that the deal was "the best value signing in world football this summer".
Defending Romero’s leadership qualities, Frank pointed out that Tottenham had led against Bournemouth but trailed at halftime, and Romero was one of the players who spoke up in the dressing room during the interval.
The frustrated Tottenham players held an impromptu inquest in the dressing room at the Vitality Stadium during halftime. But after the final whistle, following a confrontation between players and fans, the mood in the locker room turned deathly silent and somber.
A source said: “The players talked things through in the dressing room at halftime, but there was complete silence after the game. The manager’s only feedback to the players was ‘well done’, which seemed a bit odd given everything that had happened.”
Tottenham’s defeat at Bournemouth was met with boos from the away fans. Micky van de Ven gestured during a tense standoff with supporters before being pulled away by staff. Pedro Porro and João Palhinha also faced off with fans, and were escorted away from the chaos with the help of officials.
Porro and Richarlison both commented in support of Romero under his social media post. Frank revealed that he had held talks with the entire squad, as well as Romero himself, on Thursday morning in an attempt to clear the air.
"We talked about this in our meeting this morning," Frank said. "The players are very down after losing in the final moments. They are human beings, and they face scrutiny every time they step onto the pitch. They are footballers—it’s part of the job—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. I’d like to see those who are active on social media, or you [the media], experience that kind of pressure on the pitch. I don’t think it’s easy."
