Thomas Frank

The sacking of the Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou came as a surprise to many, but that’s for the fairies. A Premiership record of 22 defeats during the season and a position of one slot above the Prem’s relegation spots, abject failure. Does the winning of the Europa League paper over the cracks? No, it has not, exit Postecoglou.

Chairman Daniel Levy has adopted pragmatic in appointing the Dane, Thomas Frank to be Thomas the Tank Engine with a conservative ideology. Jump on board it will be creative, no lunatic speeds with the Aussie 4 XXXX’s, just the Danish pastries, more appetising. Akin to Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Sven-Goran Erikson of note, Frank entered the fray with no professional playing career of note to be coaching in one’s early twenties in grass roots football. A branded eighteen years followed in youth coaching as the marker culminating with coaching under the Danish Football Association for five years, Under Twelves to Under Nineteen levels. The former Denmark manager Morton Olsen scouted Frank as a futuristic major coaching talent. In 2013 Frank got his breakthrough to be the manager of Brondby. The CV read, hard lined, detailed preparation, always looking to evolve, can tough it out if required with dissenters, a strong self-belief.

In 2016 Frank’s reputation was stretching far and wide to become the assistant manager at Brentford in the championship having guided Brondby to third and fourth placed finishes. Two years later, in 2018 Frank was appointed as the Rees manager, and at the end of the 2020-21 season, Frank became only the second Brentford manager to achieve promotion to the top flight of English football. The 4-3-3 tactic sits more favourably with the Dane to switch to a 3-5-2 system on defending with a mid to low block, of recent times a switch to the 4-2-3-1 tactic has been prevalent, success at dead ball situations alongside counter attacking football has proven to be the fundamentals behind establishing Brentford in the Premiership, time will tell if Thomas Frank can handle the Spurs hotseat.

The Manero Quiz 5, Sport Mix

1. Can you name the former tennis player who during the 1970’s was the first male to female (transition) on the women’s tour.
2. Can you name the boxer who was termed as ‘The great white hope’ having claimed boxing’s biggest prize in the heavyweight division in 1959 and the boxer who subsequently afforded ‘The great white hope’ attached during the early 1980’s
3. Who was the first black footballer to represent England in November 1978, a clue will be given, a cluttered right back, the first at full international honours.
4. This Formula 1 driver was nicknamed ‘the shunt’ and won the 1976 World Drivers Championship, can you name him.
5. Snooker – this player remains the only player to have been World Championship runner up in both disciplines, snooker and billiards without winning the titles. An Australian player revered as ‘steady’.

Manero on X

@chestermanero
Sometimes free speech needs to be garnered with the L plates on as a disguise, points, views can be forwarded without fully meating the bone, I certainly do not concur to a full muzzle.

@chestermanero
Linekar is a very talented broadcaster not restricted in mindset to pale beyond the football fraternity, whether rightly or wrongly.

@chestermanero
Not everything clicks into gear all the time, you will be challenged and defeated, accept the defeat, move on and look for more consistency next time. (The Manero comments to Sabalenka’s post-match comments following defeat in the French Open final)

@chestermanero
That’s the case with many clubs, technical directors bringing in players over the manager’s head. (Manero responding to Louis van Gaal’s comments on Manchester United)

Parody Videos

New videos out mid July, Seven (Brad Pitt), The Krays, and Heat (De Niro), the 1970’s pop band (funk) Raydio with the and B band the Pasadenas on queue to feature.

Quiz 5 answers to June’s edition

1. Brian London and Richard Dunne
2. Jimmey Armfield
3. Bjorn Borg and Jimmey Connors
4. Ian Woosam
5. Viv Richards and Joel Garner