Every word Thomas Frank said on sack chants, why he took off Tel and his Tottenham future

Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said after the derby defeat to West Ham on Saturday in the Premier League

Thomas Frank faced the questions at his press conference following Tottenham's 2-1 defeat against West Ham on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs found themselves behind just 15 minutes in. First Ben Davies suffered what looked like a bad injury to his left leg following a challenge and in the aftermath, West Ham winger Cyrsencio Summerville cut inside Pedro Porro and new signing Conor Gallagher and hit a low shot that deflected into the net off Micky van de Ven.

Tottenham huffed and puffed and finally found a leveller on 64 minutes when Cristian Romero headed home Pedro Porro's cross but they did not do enough to find the win and it was the visitors who gratefully grabbed it instead.

Substitute Callum Wilson scrambled home the ball in added time for Nuno Espirito Santo's side's first victory in 11 Premier League games as the Tottenham fans in the south stand sang 'you're getting sacked in the morning' towards the downbeat Frank.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Frank after the defeat. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

How do you assess a game like that?

Emotionally, extremely tough. Try to assess it with a calm brain. I think there’s a lot of the same things in this game, like the Bournemouth game. I think we played a very good second half, pushing, coming back in the game, closest to win it, on top of it, creating chances, opportunities, dangerous situations in the box. Without having the cutting edge to score. Both games would have been, with two wins there, would have changed so many things.

Both games, if you can't win, don't lose. So of course we need to do more, in the two goals we conceded in Bournemouth we already spoke about that, and today as well, of course. We gave them nothing away for 45 plus five minutes of injury time, second half. And then we gave a chance away, and a corner, and a goal there. Which of course we can't do.

I think the boys worked so hard. Did everything right second half. I think first half we started well, the first 15, vey well. Then, typical in this spell we are in, they scored on a deflected shot. We can always discuss a few bits we could have done better before. But still a deflected shot. And then I think we lose control, and a little bit coolness and calmness, I think we were rushing too much, we were throwing the ball away too quick. But I think all that we got addressed and changed second half. Unfortunately it couldn't drop for us.

You've had a full week to train and you've spoken about working on the attack in sessions so why is there still no cutting edge?

I think you could see signs of it. That has really looked right. But of course, we can only talk about it here, but Kolo looked sharper, Xavi got in some top positions, Mathys as well, Wilson as well. It's good to have Dom on the pitch. But I also think it's a sign that the goal is scored by Cuti, our captain and centre-back.

And we didn't have enough chances, or the cutting edge from the offensive players on the day. And that of course is no criticism, it's just reality. We didn't have the cutting edge, the perfect weighted pass, the sharp finish. And that we need to keep working on. And keep going.

How difficult was it to hear 'you're getting sacked in the morning' from the whole south stand?

Of course, I've probably had better times, it's probably not the best time of course. But I understand, I'm the man in charge. So the blame will go to me. That's fair, no problem in that sense. As long as they are backing the players, doing everything they can, to support them and drive them forward, that's what we do, and we will keep going forward.

You've had eight defeats in 14, why do you think you deserve more time when the fans have turned?

If you're not winning enough, we know you will not get enough support from the fans. But when we're winning, it will change, when we start winning again. Which we will do. I'm not in doubt of that. I think also you can look a little bit at the performances. Let's say the Bournemouth and the Villa and this game here, if the players stop running, or stop doing anything, or not working hard, and we are not the team that's closest to winning, then you can say OK. But I think the team is working very hard. And I still think, and I know it sounds a little bit crazy, that we are close to something very good, than further away.

I think you all saw the game today, we could easily have won this one 2-1. I think it's no excuses. But also the reason we're a little bit down to the bare bones with players. And we also need some of the offensive players to score a goal or two. All that is difficult for me to do like that and click with a finger. But I can promise that I'm sitting here, giving everything, every single day. I feel the trust from everyone and there's only one way, we need to keep going.

You took off Mathys Tel when he appeared to be one of the best attackers out there and the decision got booed as well from the fans. Why him?

Yeah, but I need to take decisions, of course. So I had to take one offensive player off. And I feel Wilson is a bit better to the right and wanted two strikers on the pitch. So that was the decision. There was nothing wrong with Mathys' performance.

Are you aware that your team selection was doing the rounds on social media last night?

Yeah, my press officer told me.

How do you feel about that? Because it's happened before as well this season and ii feels like there's a leak somewhere?

It's not optimal. I don't think it's the first time in world history or football history, it happened also in other clubs. Of course, I prefer it not to happen.

Your predecessor last season talked about there being a mole inside the club? Are you worried about that?

No, I'm not.

You talk about how the players kept fighting in the second half. Is that what gives you the most hope that you can still turn this around, that they still appear to be putting in the effort for you?

Yeah, but I always, we say that they play for the head coach or me. I hope the players are playing for the club, the team, each other, the fans, me, the staff, ownership, everything. They play for their families. That's what I hope.

But I also know, and that I know very well, if you are building a good culture and someone who can get through tough times, you need to see the team running, and especially in tough times. I see a team that is running in tough times. I also see a team that's doing everything they can to turn this around. I also think you can see that in quite a bit of the performances, even when it's very tough.

What's your message to those fans who were overwhelmed by the frustration in the end?

I think it also seems to be the perfect storm at the moment in many ways. We have a last-minute defeat. I think when everyone feels that everyone has given everything, including the fans, to back the team, and you get nothing out of it and you get a sucker punch in injury time, it's unbelievably tough to take.

It's unbelievably tough to take for the fans, for the players, for me, everyone involved. And football is emotion, so I understand why it's tough. I can promise everyone it's extremely tough for me as well. So I think everyone involved in football knows this is just tough. But there's only one way. It's keep going. You can't feel sorry for yourself.

Of course, I think probably tonight you're a little bit down, but then you should go again. There's only one way. That's going forward.

Yves Bissouma was back, that felt like last throw of dice and also what did you make of Vinai Venkatesham’s open letter and the tone of that letter? He spoke of the disconnect between the team and the fans?

Two things, first good to see Bissouma back. He has been injured for a long time and then he was in the Africa Cup of Nations and came on the pitch and did well. Two, yes I have seen the letter and I took six to eight positive things out of the letter. Not apparently the negative thing. What I take out of that letter is that a club and an executive team with Vinai on top that are aligned and know this is a big transitional phase.

It’s a super-tanker we’re turning in the right direction and there are a lot of good signs behind the scenes and also in some of the performances, but of course when you lose last-minute to one of your rivals, it is very emotional football and there will be noise. That noise we need to keep out there (away) and get head down and keep walking, keep doing the right thing.