Palace vs Spurs | Every word of Thomas Frank's pre-match press conference

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at Hotspur Way on Tuesday, ahead of our next Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday December 28 (4.30pm UK).

Here's what he had to say...

The next match is five days away, but is there anything (in terms of team news) you can provide us, any players closer to returning?

Thomas: “Team news is the same as before the Liverpool game, so everyone who was available there is available for the Crystal Palace game.”

Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, how close are they to returning?

Thomas: “The same as I said before, both of them, I will be very happy when I can announce they are part of the squad, so that's where it is.”

Were you considering appealing Xavi Simons’ red card against Liverpool?

Thomas: “Yeah, I would like to do it, but I know it doesn't make sense because of the way the rules are. We can appeal but we get nothing out of it, as I have been told.”

Arne Slot made comments that Micky van de Ven’s challenge on Isak was reckless – do you agree?

Thomas: “No, I am obviously disagreeing in many ways. I think we are talking about a defender in Micky van de Ven that will do everything he can to avoid the goal. It is a transition, so he is sprinting back in, there is a ball slid down the side and he does everything he can to see if he can block that shot, so he is sliding. Unfortunately, Isak plants his foot straight there and that makes it look worse than it is. I think that would be a natural reaction for any defender. I will put it this way, if my defenders don't do that, then I don't think they are true defenders. So, I don't see that at all. Micky is a very fair and competitive player. So, that is one thing. The other thing, I also know that the two players have sorted it out, so that is a good sign.”

Have you had a conversation with Cuti Romero, specifically about his role as a captain, as a leader of the group, to lead by example in those situations?

Thomas: “I speak to the players in general. As I said, I know we can put that label on when it is a captain. For me, all the players need to have a cool head and lead by example. You cannot have only one leader on the pitch. I know he is the one with the armband. So, that is one thing. We are talking about a player, a very passionate player, that when he is at his absolute top, he carries the team on his back, like he did in the Europa League final. Without him, we would not have won the trophy. Like he did away to Newcastle, like he has done many times. When you are very passionate, sometimes you can maybe, in a few moments, lack the extra coolness. Sometimes, maybe. It is something he is working on. I think you have a player where the second goal for me still is a clear, clear, clear foul. And, okay, I have not played on the highest level. Everyone who played on the highest level, if they know there is a foul, they know it is a foul. They are very, very reactive. It is a clear foul. So, he felt hard done by. So, the mistake he did there was he was running, unfortunately, touching John Brooks. That means he, when you touch the ref, unfortunately, you need to have the yellow. But, let's say it was a foul, given, you do not get the first yellow, you do not get the second yellow. The second yellow is a mistake, obviously, from Cuti, which he is agreeing on, but before that, he was the one that competed like a very passionate for the first corner, competed on that duel, and the second duel he scored the 2-1. So, you need to accept, if you have passionate players, that it is part of it.”

How do you balance Christmas? Eight days between games - players want to spend time with family if they can but, looking at the current situation, 14th in the league, it’s also an opportunity to get the players in, work on things you do not necessarily get to do when you are playing mid-week, weekend games…

Thomas: “I think it is the first full week we have had since August. So, it is pretty welcome that we have that. And, this week, we actually handle in the same way I would have done with any other week if it was not Christmas, it was still done the same. So, we have two days leading to the game. Day off, two days. So, today and tomorrow, and then off on the 25th, and then two days. Then it perfectly fits the Christmas family schedule, which is very good. I am a big believer of having to be top professional and that is something I believe the players are and should be. Some need to be guided more than others. But, also, they are grown-up individuals that, if I need to hold their hand the whole time, we have a bigger problem, in my opinion. Then, the way to make sure everyone does not need to hold their hand, that can be, of course, that can be part of the journey, but, this I would do any other day. I also believe in clear communication. So, I believe in when I said why we trained tactical today. After two days off, to get the body going. Why we trained set pieces extra today. I expect them to be absolutely bang on it. Tomorrow, we have a sharper, intense training. So, everyone, after training, can get out of here because, they want to spend time with the family. I think that is hugely important. 25th off, and then we meet a little bit later on the 26th. So, spending time with the family is, of course, fantastic. So, the only thing I do a little bit different is probably meeting a bit later on the 26th. The rest is the same.”

How confident are you that the current squad has enough depth to overcome this period with positive results?

Thomas: “I'm confident we can get good results. Of course, you always want a fully fit squad but, right now, we have the players we have available. We need to deal with it and find a way and get good performances out there and results.”

How impressed are you with Oliver Glasner at Palace?

Thomas: “I think Oliver has done a top job at Palace in many ways, really, really impressive. Clear identity of the team, defend low, very compact, very difficult to break down, incredibly good on the counters - probably one of the best in the league, very good on set pieces as well, one of the best on corners, long throws, so, very strong on set pieces as well. Also, when they build, they have a clear identity with their 3-4-3 system. So, they've done a really good, impressive job.”

Is it a fair comment, that maybe while being intense and wanting to give everything for the shirt, the players just need to calm down a bit?

Thomas: “I understand why you asked the question, because that was definitely the topic after the game, which is probably fair. I think it's two different situations. If you're talking about a player that's a little bit disappointed because he’s subbed off or disappointed with his own performance or whatever it is, I think that's two different things. I think it was more fair if it happened two to three times this season than what happened in the game. I think it happens sometimes. If you don't play with your emotions, don't play with passion, you don't play to win, then of course you also need to have a cool head. Of course, that's part of it. So, the answer is no.”

At Brentford, you had very different players. I don’t recall you having to speak about this after games…

Thomas: “No, I think you're right. But again, I can't remember, even now we've played a lot of games this season, so I can't remember another game like this. I think this was hopefully an odd one out.”

Is this the most difficult time you've had as a manager?

Thomas: “I think I see a lot of similarities to my first head coach job. Of course, completely different scale. This is of course a massive club, one of the biggest clubs in the world. So, much focus on it, that makes it of course bigger and a different challenge, but I see a lot of similarities when I had my first head coach job in Brentford and here where you try to build something over time and you inherit something that you need to try to get right with a lot of good people around you. Where this makes it extra... how can I say... challenging is of course that we also play Champions League and Premier League at the same time and we try to improve while we are driving 100 miles an hour. But that's part of it. That's a good challenge. I think I see a lot of good things we improve but we of course need to... it's all about how can we have even more consistency in performances. It's all about that. How can you create consistency in performances day in, day out? That's the thing we're working on.”

You said after the game today that you've been working really hard with the team on bouncing back from setbacks – how does that work?

Thomas: “That's with me and the coaches and of course... how can I say... with the experience we had I worked with a lot of performance psychologists in my career and so there are tools we try to use of course. So, reinforce good messages, good habits. How can you install that in training? We haven't been able to train that much. How can you keep talking about it before games, during games, after games, before games? So, I think that's a big part of it. So, for example, even though it looked bad at Forest in many, many ways there were still some small, good steps in the direction that the underlying indicator we need to look into. Overall the team did well against Liverpool as I said after the game so that hasn't changed especially, I watched it back. I'm super happy with the first 30 minutes that was a really good, promising.”

Will you be able to switch off on Christmas Day?

Thomas: “Yes that day I will, I’ll try to get ahead of the curve and plan everything these two days and then we have a good long day on the 26th that would be the main bit, so that would be the main bit it would be good to relax a bit.”

Matty Wells leaving for his first managerial role- how sad are you to see him go? What kind of manager do you think he will be?

Thomas: “Yeah, very happy for Matt, it's a great opportunity for him. He's a very talented coach and he's got a good potential to become a good head coach. It's different when you stand out there on your own, but I think he's got all the abilities to be able to do well. I wish him all the best and I really want him to do well.”

Are you going to replace him?

Thomas: “We will definitely look into replacing him when and how and how that would look it's not clear yet.”

Just going back to Micky van de Ven and Isak – you said they’d spoken?

Thomas: “ I just know they have spoken, that's the main bit.”

Fabio Paratici has been linked with a move away – what’s the latest?

Thomas: “First and foremost it's not the first rumour I need to speak about if it's the staff, director or player in general I'm not speaking about that I just try to focus on the Crystal Palace game and probably also (that’s) something for someone higher up in the club.”

You did the double over Palace with Brentford last season – can you take anything from that?

Thomas: “It's two different teams. Sometimes teams suit each other in different ways, good or bad. I know we face a team that is very well organised, I know they are very good on the counters, I know they have such a threat going forward. It's a game where you need to be super concentrated throughout it so you don't give too much unnecessary transitions away for example or open space to defend.”

What effect will Matt Wells' departure have?

Thomas: “When someone leaves others need to step up and take more responsibility so that would be down to Cameron, Justin and Andreas to take a step more forward. Of course, Justin always already took a big responsibility and Andreas as well but when someone is leaving there will just be a little bit more to fill in for them but I'm confident that they are capable to do that. I think back in the day it was only one assistant you had, so I'm pretty sure that he will survive.”

Could comments around Micky change perception of referees around him?

Thomas: “I hope not. I don't really understand the comment, but that's not for me to be too clever about. I just think if you look at that there's not too much in it and it's the first time as you said so I don't think it will be a problem.”

Have you spoken to Fabio?

Thomas: “We spoke after the game - spoke to Fabio and Johan - so yeah, but these days Christmas, so I think everyone when you have the privilege to be able to work from home in this case Johan and Fabio, I think it's fair they do that.”