“This Is Not a Quick Fix” – Thomas Frank Warns Spurs After Forest Collapse

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank made no attempt to sugarcoat the situation after his side was dismantled 3-0 by Nottingham Forest, insisting patience will be required to fix problems that run deeper than one bad afternoon. Speaking after the final whistle at the City Ground, the Dane was blunt about both the scale of the challenge and the time he expects to be given.

The defeat was as alarming as the scoreline suggested. Spurs were second best from the opening minutes, punished for errors, outplayed in midfield, and exposed defensively by a Forest side that looked sharper, hungrier, and better organized. For a team that had shown signs of recovery in recent weeks, this felt like a sobering reality check.

Forest struck first when Tottenham were caught trying to build from the back. A risky pass put teenager Archie Gray under pressure, allowing Callum Hudson-Odoi to pounce and punish Spurs ruthlessly. Hudson-Odoi doubled the lead in bizarre fashion, his intended cross looping over Guglielmo Vicario, who had strayed too far from his line. Any hope of a response was extinguished when Ibrahim Sangaré unleashed a spectacular long-range strike that left the visiting supporters stunned.

The result was particularly damaging given the context. Tottenham had drawn away at Newcastle and followed that up with wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague, performances that hinted at momentum under Frank. Instead, this was arguably their worst display since his appointment, and one that reopened uncomfortable questions about consistency, identity, and resilience.

Asked directly whether he believes the club will afford him time to implement his ideas, Frank did not hesitate. “I can’t see why not,” he said. “If no one gets the time, no one can turn this around. This is not a quick fix.”

It was a revealing answer, not just for what it said, but for when it was said. Managers under pressure often talk about long-term projects. Frank did it after a heavy defeat, fully aware that fans and pundits rarely have much appetite for patience in the Premier League.

Despite his calm demeanour on the touchline, Frank admitted the frustration is intense beneath the surface. “I do everything to control my emotions, which are a hurricane inside me,” he explained. “It is deeply frustrating that we are not doing better today after three good performances.”

Frank was clear that honesty with his players is non-negotiable. He labelled the display “a very bad performance” and stressed that there were “no two ways about it.” At the same time, he pushed back against the idea that wholesale change can happen overnight, even if supporters do not want to hear that message.

One decision that drew scrutiny was Frank’s defense of Vicario following the opening goal. While the goalkeeper’s pass led directly to danger, the Spurs boss refused to single him out. According to Frank, these situations are part of modern football, especially for teams committed to playing out from the back.

“You see that every week in the Premier League,” he said, pointing out that the error was more about execution than philosophy. The lesson, he added, would be learned.

While the focus inevitably centered on Tottenham’s failings, Forest deserved significant credit. Under new manager Sean Dyche, they delivered their most complete performance of the season, combining defensive discipline with moments of real quality. The win moved them five points clear of the relegation zone and offered a glimpse of what Dyche is trying to build.

“Overall, it was probably our best performance because of the balance of play,” Dyche said. “When we had to defend, we did. When we could play, we did.”

Even the famously reserved Dyche could not entirely hide his enjoyment of Sangaré’s goal, joking afterward that he would need VAR to check whether he had celebrated.

For Tottenham, however, the bigger questions remain unresolved. Frank is asking for time, but time in this league is a fragile commodity. With tougher fixtures ahead and expectations still high, the coming weeks will test not just Spurs’ tactical progress, but the club’s appetite for patience. Whether this really is the start of a long rebuild, or simply another false dawn is a debate that is only just beginning.