Michael, what have you done? Every old Spurs legend—Hoddle, Ardiles, Klinsmann, Ginola—just about everyone except Tim Sherwood, is probably waiting by the phone, half-expecting a call from the club. All of them feel like a better fit for Tottenham than Thomas Frank and his mind-numbing football.

Honestly, after watching what Carrick has sparked at Manchester United, even the most patient Spurs fan is dreaming of a miracle at home. United just outplayed City with all the passion and style we keep saying we want. Meanwhile, Tottenham lost at home again—this time to West Ham, who have their own problems. It’s not just another defeat; it happened the same day United reminded everyone what a little belief and flair can do. You can almost hear the board thinking, “Why not us?”

Frank’s numbers look as bad as they feel. When Spurs lured him from Brentford, the idea was to bring some excitement back—make matchdays fun again after the grind under Postecoglou. But look where we are. Out of both cups. Nine league defeats, and it’s still January. If Frank sticks around, he could even break Big Ange’s record for losses in a season. Fans are already dreading what comes next. When West Ham scored the winner in added time, the groans said it all. Spurs can’t even hold on for a draw these days.

It’s been eleven weeks since that moment when Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven just ignored Frank after the Chelsea loss. Who can blame them? Faking gratitude for fans after rolling over in a derby? No thanks.

Frank’s style—so neat at Brentford—just crashes and burns at Spurs, a club built on the idea that football should be bold and beautiful. Go back to Arthur Rowe in the fifties, pushing and running, setting a standard for English football that still haunts the place. It’s not nostalgia—Spurs fans really want a team that’s fun to watch. Sure, there’s value in Frank’s discipline and organisation, but not when it sucks the joy out of the game.

At Brentford, Frank had a manageable environment. Tottenham is a different beast—a bigger club, bigger expectations. Mid-table isn’t good enough. Frank knows his football, but he’s out of his depth here. His methodical, stripped-back approach just doesn’t fit, no matter how sharp he looks on the touchline.

Look at United. Sticking with a failing coach only dragged things out. Amorim got another year when everyone could see it wasn’t working. Carrick, on the other hand, just put players where they belonged, tightened up the defence, and—most important—gave them a reason to care. He reminded them of what it means to play for a club with real history. That bit of pride brought them together for the derby and made them believe they belonged on the same pitch as City.

Spurs have none of that right now. There’s no sense of unity, no mission. Frank never tapped into what makes this club tick, and now he’s lost the dressing room and the fans. It’s obvious to everyone—the owners included—that it’s time for a change.

Paul Scholes fired back at Lisandro Martinez after the Manchester United defender called him out over some comments before the Manchester derby. Martinez basically told Scholes, “If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face. Come to my house if you want.” Scholes didn’t seem bothered. On Instagram, he posted, “Someone’s had a good game; was really happy for you... Tea, no sugar, please, @lisandromartinezzz.”

Martinez played a solid game in Michael Carrick’s first match in charge, helping United keep a clean sheet alongside Senne Lammens, Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, and Luke Shaw. United deserved that 2-0 win, and after the match, Martinez wasn’t about to let the words from club legends slide.

When reporters asked him about the comments from Nicky Butt and Scholes, Martinez didn’t hold back. “Honestly, he can say whatever he wants. I told him already that if he wants to say something to me, he can come wherever he wants. My house, wherever. I don’t care. I respect when people want to help the club, but anyone can talk on TV. Sit here, face-to-face, and no one says anything.”

He shrugged off the criticism, saying, “I just focus on my performance and on the team, and I give everything to this club until my last day.” When asked if the comments fired him up, he shook his head: “No, nothing. Doesn’t give me anything. My motivation is my family. That’s it.”

Scholes and Butt didn’t exactly have high hopes for Martinez before the game. On The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Butt admitted he wasn’t looking forward to watching United’s young players face Erling Haaland. Scholes jumped in with, “Martinez against Haaland,” and winced. Butt joked, “Haaland would pick Martinez up and run with him. Like a dad running with a toddler.” Scholes added, “He’d score, then throw him in the net.”

After the win, Martinez said he was proud of how the team fought against City. He believes if United keep playing with that kind of passion, the Old Trafford crowd will get behind them. “It’s about the connection,” he said. “It’s about how we represent them on the pitch. If they see us fighting like today, they’ll be with us.”

He gets why fans expect more. “Sometimes our performance isn’t the best. They want attitude, tackles, that Manchester United DNA. I totally get it—sometimes you wonder what we’re even doing out there. But today set the standard for this club.”

He doesn’t care about the scoreline as much as the effort and connection. “I focus on performance, on connecting with the fans, with the team. Today, I think they only had one shot at the goal. You could feel something different. The mentality was there. I’m happy with that.”