In the high-pressure world of the Premier League, few seats are hotter right now than the one occupied by Thomas Frank at Tottenham Hotspur. Following a string of disappointing results that have left the North London club languishing in 14th place, many supporters and pundits are calling for a change at the top.
However, Keith Wyness, the former chief executive of Everton and Aston Villa, is standing firm as a rare advocate for patience. Speaking with the authority of someone who has managed elite clubs from the boardroom, Wyness suggests that firing the Danish manager would be a major mistake and would only serve to hide deeper, more structural issues within the organization.
The recent 2-1 loss to West Ham United served as a painful low point for the club, leaving them only ten points above the relegation zone. While a spirited 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League provided a temporary “stay of execution” for Frank, the domestic form remains a cause for serious alarm.
Despite this, Wyness argues that the blame being placed solely on the manager is misplaced. He believes that the issues at Tottenham go much deeper than the tactics used on the pitch or the decisions made on the touchline.
To him, the problems are systemic, rooted in the management and ownership structures that have seen several managers come and go without lasting success.
Wyness points to the recent signing of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid as a clear sign that the board intended to back Frank’s vision. To abandon that plan now, just weeks after making such a significant investment, would signal a lack of direction. In his view, sacking Frank would simply be “papering over the cracks.”
He insists that the players themselves must take a large portion of the responsibility for the current situation. When a team underperforms so drastically, it is often a sign of a deeper malaise in the squad or a lack of accountability among the athletes, rather than just a failure of coaching.
The stakes for Tottenham are incredibly high. Last season’s 17th-placed finish was a disaster by any metric for a club of their stature, and failing to qualify for the Champions League again this year could lead to a devastating “mass exodus” of talent.
Modern football is driven by the desire to play on the biggest stages, and Spurs risk losing their most valuable assets if they cannot provide that platform.
| Player | Position | Potential Status |
| Cristian Romero | Centre-Back | Attracting European Interest |
| Micky van de Ven | Centre-Back | Heavily Scouted by Elite Clubs |
| Conor Gallagher | Midfielder | Recently Signed to Support Frank |
| Thomas Frank | Manager | Under Significant Pressure |
Rumors are already swirling that the club’s premier defensive partnership, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, are considering their futures. These are world-class players who would walk into almost any starting eleven in Europe.
If Tottenham continues to slide down the table, keeping hold of such talent becomes nearly impossible. Changing the manager yet again might actually accelerate these departures, as it creates an environment of constant upheaval and uncertainty.
The “lone voice” of Keith Wyness reminds us that stability is often the most underrated currency in football. He argues that the club needs to have a “real hard look at themselves” before making another impulsive change.
If the fundamental issues within the club’s hierarchy aren’t addressed, any new manager will likely face the same hurdles that have tripped up Frank and his predecessors. For Spurs, the choice is between hitting the panic button once more or trusting the man they chose to lead them through this transition.
As the January window enters its final phase, the pressure on the Tottenham board will only intensify. Every match feels like a final, and every loss brings the noise of the “Frank out” campaign to a roar.
Yet, the perspective of a seasoned executive like Wyness offers a sobering counter-argument: the problem might not be the man in the dugout, but the foundation upon which he is trying to build.
