Tottenham dressing room mutiny? Expert hits out after Djed Spence and Van de Ven ‘stormed off’
Thomas Frank is coming under fire from both fans and players at Tottenham following disappointing recent performances and on-field controversies.
Tottenham lost 1-0 to Chelsea on 1 November, raising concerns among the supporters after what was a dismal performance from Frank‘s side.
Despite their lofty league position of fifth, frustrations have been growing about Spurs‘ style of play, with the fans’ grievances seemingly now spilling over onto the pitch.
Those issues were made clear after footage showed Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven ignoring Frank and heading straight down the tunnel rather than applauding the fans.
It has since been suggested that Spence and Van de Ven were frustrated with the Tottenham fans booing, and rather than ignoring Frank, were snubbing the fans.
Tottenham concerns emerge after Thomas Frank snub
It has been suggested Spence could be axed by Tottenham with Frank “furious” as a result of the public conflict, while questions are still being asked.
While the real reasons for their frustrations has not been made clear, the hostile attitudes of two key players towards the manager has been highlighted as an issue.
That is according to former Tottenham and Man United senior scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Tottenham must resolve any dressing room concerns behind the scenes.
“I saw the incident after the Tottenham game,” he told Football Insider.
“It’s the type of situation you want to avoid at all costs, because it can be a major concern if the players aren’t showing respect to the manager.
“It looked to me that the manager wanted them to acknowledge the fans, but after the defeat the players were obviously frustrated.
“But the fact it played out on the pitch and has been made public, that makes it a problem.
“Whatever the reason was, the players storming off the pitch like that puts them in a bad light.
“It isn’t a good look for them, and if there are any issues in that dressing room, it’s something they need to nip in the bud immediately so those issues don’t grow.
“That needs to be sorted out behind the scenes because ultimately the manager is in charge and the players have to respect that even if they are frustrated.”
The atmosphere was toxic after the final whistle against Chelsea, which was to be expected after also being kicked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United, leading to more frustrations.
Tottenham eye new strikers amid Frank concerns
Following the defeat against Chelsea, a number of concerns have emerged surrounding the style of play, particularly their lack of a consistent attacking threat.
Richarlison and Mathys Tel have shared the responsibility of being Spurs’ number nine so far this season after Dominic Solanke underwent surgery on an ankle injury.
As a result, Football Insider revealed on 11 October that Porto striker Samu Aghehowa is on Tottenham’s radar, with scouts keeping a close eye on his performances.
Meanwhile, Richarlison has been linked with a move away from Spurs in a move which would likely force them to bring in a replacement given their lack of depth.
Football Insider revealed on 17 October that Tottenham are reluctant to sell Richarlison mid-way through the season given his current importance to the side.
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