Thomas Frank reveals Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence apologised for snubbing manager after Tottenham Hotspur's loss to Chelsea - 'No disrespect'
Updated 03/11/2025 at 16:32 GMT
Tottenham Hotspur were booed off by some fans after their 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. Spurs duo Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence also appeared to snub manager Thomas Frank as they walked off the pitch. Frank has revealed what happened next with both players and has spoken about the fan reaction to the defeat against Chelsea and how they could help the team more.
'Extremely painful’ to hear boos at full-time - Spurs boss Frank after Chelsea loss
Video credit: SNTV
Thomas Frank says Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence both apologised to him for appearing to blank him following Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Chelsea.
Spurs were booed off by some home fans following a disappointing showing in a 1-0 loss.
Frank appeared to try to talk to Van de Ven and Spence on the pitch after the final whistle but the pair walked straight past him.
Frank says the incident was due to frustration and neither player meant any "disrespect".
"Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday and just said they wanted to say sorry for the situation," explained Frank ahead of Spurs’ UEFA Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen on Tuesday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
"They didn't want it to look bad or create any misconception that you can get in this beautiful media world.
"So there was no disrespect meant at all towards me or the team. They were just frustrated with the performance from us and the booing during the game."
Frank added that he was pleased that both Van den Ven and Spence came to see him.
"Of course, I am happy that they were coming in because that means they care - I think that is very good. They care about the team, the club and in this case me. I am happy with that.
"Then we just had a good talk about a lot of things and like everything we keep it internally.
"It would be very, very, very unusual if I would ever throw a player under the bus. We are all human, but I will always protect them."
'We need a little bit of help' from fans - Frank
Spurs have struggled at home this season, taking just one point from their last four matches in front of their own fans.
Frank says fans were entitled to show their frustration, but that the team also could have done with more support.
"The fans were fantastic for the first 30 minutes of the game on Saturday night. I think the noise was incredible and that carried us forward," he said.
"It seems there was a little bit of a turning point when we conceded the goal, when we all got a little bit frustrated, which is natural.
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Highlights: Spurs into top four with gritty win away to Leeds
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I think it is more than fair because we are in the performance business. If we can't deal with the pressure or deal with the negativity and the criticism we shouldn't be sitting here.
"We are in the football world because we love the game. We love to be part of something and we love to be part of a team. It's nice to be in the big occasions - but we play because we love football.
"I think the fans were fantastic the first 30 and after the game, if we perform badly and on top of that lost a game, then more than fair enough to boo us.
"But during the game we need a little bit of help, especially when it is not going the right way. They can be the turning point.
"We were down 1-0. The last 15 minutes they can carry us over the line. If we could have got it back to 1-1 - what a feeling. That point could be the difference at the end of a long season."
Despite their home struggles, Spurs are fifth in the table, eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
That is a far healthier league position than in the back end of last season, when Spurs were languishing towards the bottom of the table.
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Highlights: Spurs emerge from Monaco with a point
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Frank believes Spurs have laid "decent foundations" for the season ahead.
"Of course, we are coming on the back of a bad performance - there is a big flashing light right now," he added.
"Everyone has a little bit of a struggle to look past that to see some of the very good performances we have had this year as well.
"I also think we are coming in off the back of what was in many ways a fantastic season and also a tough season.
"If anyone had said that we would now be 17 points after 10 games, unbeaten in the Champions League - everything is not perfect, but there is a decent foundation.
"Everyone would have taken that situation where we are now in terms of 22 defeats last year and finishing 17th."
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