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

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at Hotspur Way on Friday, ahead of our Premier League clash against Sunderland at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (3pm UK).

Here's what he had to say...

Can you go ahead now and announce the Brennan Johnson to Palace news to us exclusively?

Thomas: “Nice opening, that's probably something about the rumours but that's the only thing I can say right now.”

The feeling seems to be that it’s a deal that suits both clubs, suits the player and if it’s going to get done for him to be involved against Newcastle, it pretty much needs to be done…

Thomas: “That I know nothing about and basically don't care about. So, like with everything, I'm very happy to speak about everything when everything is announced or published. If that is, we sign a player, we sell a player or a staff member in or out, whatever it is, but for now, yeah, it is what it is.”

Is he in your squad for the Sunderland game?

Thomas: “He was not in the squad yesterday and you will see that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

So, let’s assume we hear later he’s gone to Palace, when you were at Brentford, you tried to sign him, so what's changed?

Thomas: “I'll say, I'll repeat my answer as I just said. If that's the case, I would love to answer that question when and if it happens.”

The away fans were suggesting last night that Spurs are boring, how did that make you feel?

Thomas: “I definitely got some reminders about it, including one today. So, thank you for that. I think it's not perfect. We want us to be free-floating. I think a couple of things I want to reinforce positively is the last two away performances. To stand on the foundation we're building was very strong against Palace and Brentford. I think they were very good defensively, in fact fantastic defensively last night, gave them more or less nothing. I think that's hugely important. I think we understood how to close down their transitions. Then we're working very hard and understand the frustrations and share them too. Very hard on the offensive part of the game. There's a few things in that we need to do our best to improve. One of them is, for example, yesterday we lost the ball, unforced errors, 25 times. I showed those 25 clips to the players today. A reminder that's focus, that's concentration, all that. Of course, football is a game of mistakes. You lose the ball, that can happen because of bad decisions, bad touch, whatever, or concentration. So, could just half of them be better? That would provide us more attacks than those definitely maybe five, at least, good counter-attacks where a better touch and we’re suddenly 3v3. Then it looks a little bit more lively, a little bit more open, a little bit better. So, that's the one level we need to do. Then the next bit is the patterns and the structure and getting in the right positions. We didn't get that right last night. I showed that again to the players today. That is my responsibility together with the coaches. I always take that. Then the third thing, I think it's also okay to mention that we still lack some very important offensive players. That been for a while, I don't want to mention it again. We'll get a little bit bored, on top of that, we didn’t have Xavi Simons and Lucas Bergvall. So, the ones on the pitch, always trust them, always believe in them. Wilson is a very promising player I believe a lot in, so lovely against Palace, but it’s natural, a young player, he was a little bit up and down yesterday. I’m convinced he’ll be very good for us. On top of that, you play every third and fourth day. When you do that, the ability, the concentration level and the physical level to be at the top, to keep producing, is what, how can you say, splits the good players from the very best to do that. And sometimes you can be a good player to go to the very best, but you also learn along the way. So, that's where we are right now. It's unfortunately very boring, but that's the facts. We need to do everything we can to put an attacking, intense, front-footed performance out against Sunderland in two days' time. I'll do everything I can to make sure we do that. If we do that and get three points, it’s seven from three, which would be a very good output. So that's the aim. By the way, against the Sunderland team that’s done unbelievably well. And I know for a fact, because, when I say attitude, I'm confident in my own skillset, but also very humble about who I am, where we are and what we need to do. I know what we're facing tomorrow against Sunderland, because I've been there myself. That's going to be tough, I need to be on it. It was a long answer, actually.”

It's a long answer, but a determined answer – is it also a long answer because you felt hurt?

Thomas: “No, it's a long answer because I explained the situation of where we are.”

To dare is to do – do you need to be more daring?

Thomas: “I think I'm very daring. I'm sitting here!”

Enzo Maresca is the latest managerial casualty – we know you went for an interview – was that a lucky escape?

Thomas: “I think we don't know what happened behind the scenes at Chelsea, it's you guys' job to be clever there and then come with your suggestion as to why he's not there anymore. So, yeah, we don't know that. I think that could be a very good reason for it, it could be a bad reason, who knows? And basically I don't care, I have other things to worry about. The one thing I would say is it's difficult to build something sustainable, successful, if you don't keep people in the job for a long time. I've said that many times. All the top examples of clubs being successful year in, year out, they have the head coach, the CEO, the sports directors, the key members, coaching staff and the club for a long time.”

How do you continue with the defensive solidity that we have seen in the last few games, but then not being afraid, not being hesitant to take the game to some of them?

Thomas: “Keep reinforcing the messages, keep trying to do the right thing, keep trying to be brave, try to go forward. I think that's the key thing. And then understand that this Premier League is unbelievably tight. And when it's tight, it's not like it's that easy. But the main thing is that we keep being brave.”

How difficult is it to do as well as Sunderland have?

Thomas: “I think they’ve done fantastically, very, very impressive, the first season in the Premier League. And also, as you say, we're changing a lot of players. They're very clear what they want to do. They understand that when you go out in the Premier League, you need to defend very well. They're very good on set pieces. They fight, they run and now they've got the confidence and done very well against a lot of teams, but also away from home. So, it's going to be a tough test.”

In terms of team news – with Dominic Solanke, are we looking mid-January, late January?

Thomas: “The thing I need to worry about, of course, is when he's out there on the pitch with pictures, that's positive, of course. But to say mid-Jan or end of Jan or 25th of Jan, I will not do that. I will very much look forward to naming the dates when he's involved with the squad. Lucas Bergvall is a doubt, we hope he’ll be ready.”

How difficult is it for a manager to tell a player that he has to go to a new club – if they don’t want to, different circumstances…

Thomas: “There are different scenarios. There are players that want to leave. There are players that are a little bit do they want to stay, do they want to leave, and then there are players that don't want to leave. That's the three different cases you need to solve between sports directors, head coach and player, agent. Hopefully in the most cases everyone is happy in the end of the situation.”

We spoke a little bit about bench last night - two goalkeepers, not a lot of options. Does that show how difficult it is for you right now and how important this transfer window is?

Thomas: “It's my job, my responsibility is to find a solution when there are some tough times. I'll never run away from that. But of course it's easier to have a fully fit squad and you just know you have these five tools. I can do this in the midfield. I can do that on the wing. I can do that on the striker. I can maybe change the full-back or whatever it is. Yes, we were limited last night, but that's part of it, there are some games you will have like that in a season. You need to do those spells, and I think that's another thing, those spells, I know it's not popular to talk about, but those spells, if you then don't lose and you get a point and you're very solid defensively, that's a good thing. That could be a very good point in the end of the season. Do you want to play better? Yes. But that's the unfortunate situation right now.”

What made you pick two goalkeepers rather than another youngster?

Thomas: “That could also have been the case, but it wasn’t last night. “

On Wilson, so much raw potential, what does he have to work on?

Thomas: “I think take the positive away from the Crystal Palace substitution role, where he was so lively and they couldn't catch him. He should have scored. Last night, I think there were still some very positive glimpses. I think he's in the situation where he can make a little bit better decisions, let's say three times a touch, that will just get him in a top position, turns and we’re three-on-three. Instead of, it's a bad touch and then we go the other way, for example. So just keep learning that. That's just a normal part of football. Unfortunately, there's a little bit of extra focus in the Premier League, but hey, that's part of it.”

Can you be successful at Tottenham without the fans behind you?

Thomas: “I will try to maybe turn that question around and say, ‘if you are successful, the Tottenham fans will be behind you’. The fans will get behind us and I'm pretty sure that. Yes, some boos last night, I'm still pretty sure there's a lot of fans behind us.”

You’ve four points from two away derbies, four points, clean sheets – at the end, they’re booing, chanting ‘boring, boring Tottenham’. Is there a misalignment here with what you see as success in terms of results and the sort of style of football that they need to see but they're not seeing yet?

Thomas: “Yeah, I think the expectation is good. I also think we are probably in a bit of a transition. Not that we don't want to play a lot better, but the club, the squad, the injuries, all that, taking into consideration is part of that. In a transition period when not everything is perfect and you don't get the win or we don't play as good as we want or I want, I'm very aware that Palace, I’m happy with that because it's very important to have the ability to do that, but also very aware that we didn't play as good as I want in that aspect, but also I acknowledge where we are, so it's just that understanding of that and that's fair that I understand it a little bit better and the fans want more.”

I think the fans are struggling with what the plan is for this season and yourself long-term. I know you're talking about competing in all competitions, but what for you would be success this season and what would be success in season two and so on?

Thomas: “I think what we are 100% sure will happen is that although we will be able to score a lot of goals, I know we will be much more dominant in a lot of games, but with the current situation with too many of the top players out, playing a lot of games that just make it more tricky, also with no time to train, it's just reality. I think there's not one coach that will not say that. Then we need to manage everything between that, and that's just small steps in the right direction every day. Keep walking forward, keep improving, and then things will take care of itself. Probably answer a few more questions in press conferences like this, improve a little bit, get the wins, and then it will be forgotten because it goes like this. Right now, it's the talk of the town, fair enough. Tomorrow it will be forgotten for a new thing. We just behind the scenes need to be calm, work on the things very hard, and keep improving.”

Would a top-half finish be success? 12th? Does it have to be Europe?

Thomas: “I think for me to name a position where we should end and want to end. I think there are so many things you don't control in that aspect. I promise that we are very ambitious, we know exactly where we want to go, but I think it's about improving next step in front of me, make sure that we come out flying Sunday against Sunderland, look more in sync. Can we see good glimpses of more offensive attacking threat, and get the win? That would be a step forward.”