THOMAS FRANK ADDRESSES CRISTIAN ROMERO’S "DISGRACEFUL" SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS ON SPURS
Thomas Frank faces a leadership crisis at Spurs as Cristian Romero’s social media outbursts win the support of frustrated fans.
Cristian Romero is still Tottenham’s captain, even after taking another shot at the club’s higher-ups on social media—twice in a month, actually.
“Leadership means a lot of things,” Spurs boss Thomas Frank said, trying to make sense of it all. The timing wasn’t great, since Spurs had just pulled off an impressive comeback to get a point against Manchester City, stretching their unbeaten run to four games.
“I’m 52,” Frank went on. “I think I’m pretty good at leadership. Can I get better? Sure. Do I make mistakes? Not daily, but probably every week.
“Romero’s 27. He’ll continue to make mistakes as a leader. He also does a lot of things right.”
Romero’s latest outburst came right after the transfer window closed on Monday. He posted that it was “disgraceful” that the Spurs only had 11 available players. Frank said they handled the situation behind closed doors. It wasn’t the first time, either—last month Romero posted a cryptic message about people at the club who “show up when things are going well to tell a few lies”, but he avoided any punishment.
Romero’s frustration is hard to ignore. He just signed a new four-year contract in August, pushing him into the club’s top earners, but now there’s fresh talk about Atletico Madrid being interested. When asked about Romero’s future, Frank shrugged: “I have no idea. He’s our captain; he has a long-term contract. We just signed him.”
A lot of fans agree with Romero. They’ve watched transfer windows come and go, always ending with more excuses than new players. This time, the captain himself is saying what they’re all thinking.
Romero is in his fifth season at Spurs. He joined from Atalanta in 2021, first on loan, then permanently. He’s seen nine transfer windows, and, honestly, he sees a pattern.
Spurs always talk about ambition and having cash to spend, but the players they want usually end up somewhere else—sometimes even going to direct rivals. Maybe Spurs don’t offer enough money, or maybe players just think they’re less likely to win things here. Probably both.
Look at last summer: Eberechi Eze, Bryan Mbeumo—missed. It’s been happening for years. Willian? Gone. Virgil van Dijk? Nope. Liverpool hijacked Luis Diaz. Gabriel Jesus went to Arsenal, and just last month, Antoine Semenyo slipped away. Spurs can outbid Wolves for Kevin Danso or beat Brentford to Archie Grey, but when it comes to battling the really big clubs, they rarely win.
Romero left the Man City game at halftime because he was feeling unwell, but you can bet he’s heard all the promises before. Maybe his teammates' liking his posts has, too. The fans definitely have, which is why they back Romero for speaking up—it just adds to his cult hero status.
On Wednesday, Spurs put out an interview with sporting director Johan Lange on the club’s channels. Lange talked about how tough the January window was. He pointed out that only 33 signings happened across the Premier League, blaming it on the new European competition format, fixture congestion, and injuries forcing clubs to hold on to players.
Lange has been at Spurs since October 2023. The club’s spent £420 million on 15 players over five windows, plus four loans that haven’t become permanent yet.
No one’s really made a huge impact. Dominic Solanke, who cost £65 million, is probably the closest, and he might have done more if he hadn’t missed the first half of the season injured.
Now Solanke’s back, and Spurs look better with him up front. Xavi Simons is starting to shine. Mohammed Kudus looked promising before his injury. But really, it’s all still about potential and patience—waiting on Grey, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, or Mathys Tel.
“I know the club wants to win, and so do the owners. I’ve got no doubt we’ll see that moving forward,” Frank said. He mentioned Simons and Kudus as good signings from last summer and Joao Palhinha as a solid loan. But for now, it’s still more talk than trophies.
“It’s not like we’re against loaning players to beef up the squad,” he said. “And if you look at the other top six clubs, bringing in Conor Gallagher was a pretty big move for us.”
But let’s be honest—there’s no blockbuster signing here. Nothing that shakes things up or sends a message, like Arsenal grabbing Declan Rice to show they mean business. Or Liverpool swooping in for Isak from Newcastle.
People say actions speak louder than words, and it’s true. Spurs needed a winger, but they couldn’t pull Jarrod Bowen away from West Ham, so they settled for Kudus instead.
Frank, just like Ange Postecoglou last year, has had to deal with injuries. He’s complained about juggling Europe and the Premier League, but come on—Spurs have played in Europe in 18 of the last 20 years. By now, they should know what it takes to build a squad that can really compete everywhere. If they don’t, will they ever?
That’s the heart of what Romero’s getting at. He’s echoing what a lot of fans—especially the ones fed up with ENIC—have been saying for ages.
Managers before Frank ran into this same wall, and even now, with Daniel Levy gone and new faces in charge, you’ve still got players in the dressing room raising the same issues, led by their captain, who seems untouchable.
TOTTENHAM BOARD TO HOLD EMERGENCY IGOR TUDOR TALKS DURING INTERNATIONAL BREAK
Igor Tudor faces an uncertain future at Tottenham after a 3-0 loss to Forest leaves Spurs in 17th place.
After that brutal 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest, there’s quite a bit of chatter coming from Tottenham Hotspur insiders about Igor Tudor’s future. The confidence around his leadership is wavering, especially given how Forest’s Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Taiwo Awoniyi all found the net.
Forest went ahead just before halftime thanks to Jesus, who got a free header from a corner delivered by Neco Williams. Then, in the second half, Gibbs-White, whom Spurs had tried and failed to sign last summer, added to the pressure. Callum Hudson-Odoi made a clever play down the wing before setting up Gibbs-White, who was unmarked inside the box, and with a relatively simple finish, put Forest further in front. Questions will definitely be raised about Spurs’ goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, after that.
Williams wasn’t done either, providing the assist for Awoniyi late in the game. His cross was volleyed home after the striker fended off Kevin Danso. That goal sealed a tough night for Spurs, pushing Forrest two points clear of them. Spurs now sit precariously in 17th place just above the relegation zone. The only slightly bright spot is that West Ham, another team struggling near the bottom, was also beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa.
Our transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey has been hearing different takes from Spurs insiders on Tudor’s situation. One source hinted that the players seem unresponsive to his coaching, making it difficult to see him continuing for much longer. If the club believes the squad has lost faith, they won’t hesitate to make a change. Yet another contact suggested there’s no immediate plan to replace him, though discussions are expected during the upcoming international break.
Spurs’ next challenge is Sunderland on April 12, which could be a critical moment for Tudor’s tenure.
Meanwhile, on social media, a group calling themselves ‘five elite reporters’ with a significant following claimed that Spurs legend Harry Redknapp has offered to step in as temporary manager until the season ends. Redknapp has a history with Spurs, having taken charge in 2008 when the club was struggling at the bottom of the table. He turned things around impressively, even earning Premier League Manager of the Year in 2009-10. His strong connection with the fans could help steady the ship, though it’s worth noting he’s now 79 and hasn’t managed since 2017.
Another potential option might be Robbie Keane, who is younger and already building a coaching profile while enjoying support from the Spurs faithful. Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi, Oliver Glasner, and Marco Silva are also mentioned as candidates.
However, Spurs face two significant hurdles in appointing a new top-tier coach. First, no ambitious manager wants to jump into such a tough situation mid-season. Second, if Spurs were to be relegated to the Championship, the whole dynamic changes, forcing the club to look at an entirely different pool of potential managers. The coming weeks will be crucial for everyone involved.
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
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