Every word Thomas Frank said on Liverpool, Van de Ven, Tottenham pressure and 'quick fix' claim

Here is the full transcript from Thomas Frank's press conference ahead of Tottenham's Premier League home clash against Liverpool on Saturday evening (5:30pm)

Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media ahead of Tottenham's home Premier League fixture against Liverpool on Saturday evening.

The Dane is under increasing pressure at Spurs, though he insists he feels supported by the club's hierarchy.

It's been a busy week off the field too as Micky van de Ven sat down with The Overlap for a far-ranging interview with Gary Neville.

Here is every word Frank had to say on Friday as he looks to get Tottenham back to winning ways ahead of Christmas.

Team news?

Everyone is doing fine. [From the] Last game, I think it's the same players available. No one new is available for the squad, yeah.

Reflecting on Forest, tough result, what have you learnt about your team from the game?

I think it was a bad performance, no two ways about it. I think there were a couple of things in it, it seems like we lacked energy to produce again. That was one element. And I think it was not a particularly good football game for any of the teams until our mistake [opening goal]. So when you lack energy and you maybe don't play the best game and then unfortunately make a mistake, that happens in football. And then struggle to come back from that in terms of handling that setback. And then you come out in the second half and do another mistake and back 2-0. So that's also part of the narrative around the game. So the big thing here is there is always something to learn. You learn more about the players, more about the team. And we need to have that bounce-back mentality and come flying out tomorrow against Liverpool.

Do you feel support, have you had conversations this week?

I feel supported. I've done that the whole time. And as I said, also after the game, that hadn't changed my mind. This is not a quick fix. This will take time. That's not to say that we're not going to do everything we can to beat Liverpool. I believe we have a good chance of doing that. But this is something where we are building. And I've said it many times. We, of course, first and foremost, are the most critical of myself. So that's one thing. But I think it's fair to say that there are a lot of people in it that need to perform well together. With me in charge, of course, and taking the right decisions.

What do you identify as the main missing elements in this team at the moment?I don't know if there's one main thing. But there's no doubt that we can't run away. We need to create a bit more. And that's both principles and good training. And it's been nice to have a good training week where we could actually focus a lot on that. So that definitely helps. But also, how can you say? I've said it a few times. I think we have a few good players out with a lot of goals and assists in them. And we have a very good, talented group of players that haven't produced the same numbers yet. So that's part of it as well.Rare week of full training, have players recovered better physically this week?

Yeah, definitely. A full week definitely helps a lot. So I'd be very surprised if we don't have the energy. I think it's quite normal. No one wants to speak about it. But when you play in Europa and in the Premier League at the same time, it's just a massive physical and mental load. No excuses. That's what we want. That's what we want to do. But being able to produce every third game, that's also a development in individual players' mentality and physicality. And there's not many in this squad that's used to doing it every third day. I know we played Europe last year. I think it's fair to say that managing both the Premier League and Europa League didn't go particularly top. And now we just added that extra layer in terms of our Champions League level. So that's part of it. Sometimes you can lack a little bit of energy. And then when you lack that little bit of energy, and you maybe make a mistake in a game, then it maybe drops a little bit more, make another mistake. Then it's just very difficult to come back. Other times you play an average game and you maybe put it to the top corner. You gain more energy and then you don't think about whether you actually have lower energy going into the game. So that's part of it.

How has Archie been this week, he was in the spotlight after Forest?

He's been good. Also, when I watched the game back, I think actually he was the one that wanted the ball instant after the mistake. So I like that mentality, wanting to get on the ball. It's part of it. Everyone who played football at this level or any level made a mistake. You make a mistake in life, you need to go back on it and go again. The beautiful thing about football, especially at this level, and in Tottenham, if you make a mistake, you can be pretty sure there will be a few questions about it. But you, of course, need to be able to manage it and he will do that.

What have you made of Liverpool and how Arne Slot has handled the season?

I think Liverpool is an excellent team. They are the champions, the well-deserved champions last year. They started very well. I think they've got fantastic players. I think Hugo Ekitike, what a season he's having. [Alexander] Isak, we know, is a top striker as well. He will come [good]. [Florian] Wirtz is a fantastic player with a big potential, adapting to the Premier League. I think last year they had one of the best midfields in the league, maybe the most complete, in [Ryan] Gravenberch, [Alexis] McAllister and [Dominik] Szoboszlai is a beast, so he will play tomorrow, of course. It's a very good team that we're facing. But also, we're at a high level. We can compete very well. I believe we can do something good and we'll go for the three points.

You said this isn't a quick fix, how confident you can be the man to fix it? Postecoglou said the same and won a trophy? How long can it be to fix it?

I'm very comfortable and confident. That I will, how can I say, fix it. But just to make sure it's not me. When this club comes out on top, there will be a lot of good people working together, aligned at the same time through the years. I just know one thing I'm pretty good at. I'm good at analysing things. I know what good looks like and I know where we should get. And one thing is I'm 1000% sure we haven't seen any club be successful unless they had key people in the right decisions for a long time. And I'll back myself to be one of those key people to be in that position. So for whatever reason that I was not here, when you said whatever, the number of head coaches were sacked. I don't know the reason why. I just know that if you want to have success, you need to have the right people aligned and go forward together. And there will be good times and there will be bad times. And that's part of it.

What's your message to the fans, they were key to your success at Brentford?

No, I think there will always be, no matter where you are, I think definitely 10% of the fans will always question the head coach, no matter where they are. And then there will be a big group that are the loyal ones or the ones that can see a little bit bigger perspective. But I would say to the Spurs fans, I would say that first and foremost, it's a privilege to be part of this fantastic club. And I think it's a fantastic club with a fantastic potential that we haven't fulfilled yet. So it's a club with a top potential that we need to fulfil. And to fulfil that, there's a lot of stages we need to go through. And one thing for sure, I'm working 24-7. I've never been thinking so much about football in my entire life. And I think a lot about football to make sure we get everything right.

How much reward do you get from playing out from the back? Vicario has made two mistakes in past few months?

I think it's two completely different situations. I think one is a missed clearance. So that happens. And the other one is a situation where I think it's, you know, for me, that's more on Archie. I've spoken to him. He knows next time it's a one-touch bounce. And there's no situation there. And it's a situation that we have seen a thousand times in this league and across Europe. And we see a thousand times after this game where you play that bounce and you get out. So it's like the same thing. My big philosophy is that you can't play long and direct all the time or can't play short all the time. You need to find a good balance. So it's all about that.

Back to a quick fix and how long it will take. Are the players just underachieving? They won the Europa League but it seems when they lose, they lose badly but when you’re good, you’re not and when you’re not, you’re not?

I think that is probably a fair comment and the best teams create a stamina where they are very resilient to setbacks and that is something we’re working very hard on, but it’s not a quick fix. That is small, good habits in training and in games. Sometimes you see things that some may think is a crazy example, but the Fulham game was not the best start. Clearly struggled for the next 30 minutes and then we found a way back and second half bit by bit there were bits where they stuck with the game plan, stuck with the structure and did the right things. OK, we didn’t get the fantastic comeback that would be fantastic and beautiful, but that would be a good step as an example. There is no doubt that demands and we’re working with the characters, with the leaders, with the culture and everyone that has done that before knows it is not a quick process.

Sounds like only so much you can do on training pitch?

Yeah, you can say that. Psychologically, mentality, character-wise, yeah bit by bit.

A word on Solanke?

I will probably say the same that I look forward to naming when he is in the squad, but he is progressing forward.

Micky van de Ven did a revealing interview this week, saying he still believed in Ange’s system, what did you make of it, have you seen it?

I haven’t seen it, so… I’ve talked (with press officer) about the interview, but I haven’t seen it.

It came across how much van de Ven believed in Ange’s system – I wondered has buy-in from the players been difficult given the contrasting styles?

No, I think it has been a good buy-in. You could say that from the beginning of the season we started quite well without being sensational. I thought we were very good in some games and good in other games. And then like in every season, you have some setbacks and spells where it is maybe not going the right way, but I don’t see anything that they are not with me or going in the same direction. I think Micky it is fair to say scored more goals, played more consistent minutes and been more fit than he has ever been, so looks like he is buying into it.

Had a clear week of training, how much has been spent on what Tottenham can do to hurt Liverpool versus what Liverpool can do to Tottenham?

I think it is very important that we do both and we work hard on what are our strengths and principles are. And if you are not respectful of a team that won the Premier League and what kind of threat they pose, then I think you don’t do well. As far as I know, in the last four times we played them, we got a good 1-0 win and then I know the three other scores you can check them. We conceded a few goals in those games. Probably a good idea to also defend a bit, I think that’s fair, but we work very hard on our breakthrough phase. We work very hard on our positions and how we do that this week and then also worked very hard on our defensive side of the game.