S2E27 | 'Thomas Frank Was Never This at Brentford'

We’re back with Harry Brooks and we get stuck into Conor Gallagher to Spurs, why he’s basically plug and play, and why managers love him. We talk about what he actually gives Spurs off the ball, how he can become the press trigger we’ve been missing, and why his engine and discipline make him such a reliable week to week performer. There’s also a bit on Valiz likely heading back to Brazil, a quick Souza check in, and the bigger question of squad balance and what this means for Sarr, Gray and Bergvall. Plus, yes, Villa fans catching strays after Gallagher picks Spurs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Brazilian fans are brutal… the training ground is being invaded… any kind of malcontent he will see in N17, he’s already been through it all in Santos.” We’re joined by South American football expert Tim Vickery as Spurs close in on 19-year-old Santos left-back Joao Souza. Tim explains why fans feel trepidation about South American imports, then makes the case for why this one’s different: Souza came through a brutal relegation scrap with training-ground invasions and still stood out because he doesn’t hide. We talk rawness vs readiness, how he compares to Udogie, what his game looks like (driving runs, cutting in or going outside, low deliveries), and whether Spurs should throw him in immediately. Plus Brazil’s wider issues at full-back and central midfield, and a big Richarlison chat about Ancelotti, and criticism in Brazil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We sit down with The Athletic's Dan Kilpatrick to talk about the weird new Spurs emotion: numbness. Dan explains how a decade in the press box switched off the “fan brain”, why he’s now trying to work out what kind of supporter he even wants to be, and why watching Spurs can feel like booking time off just to be annoyed. From Romero’s captaincy posts and the club’s outside image, to Frank’s grip on the squad, the lack of leadership, and the muddled structure behind the scenes, it’s a proper zoomed out look at a club that feels riddled with Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with Anatole Pang to talk about the bit of Spurs you never really see: the structure, the decision-making, and why everything keeps looping back to the manager taking the heat. We get into the missing director of football role, how long proper turnarounds actually take, why the squad feels like it was built without a plan, and what has to change in the next 6 to 12 months if Spurs want a real football identity again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Adam Rosenbaum, Brentford season ticket holder and fan culture photographer, after a grim nil nil where Spurs looked like they had no interest in winning. We talk about what Thomas Frank’s Brentford actually were, why none of it is showing up at Tottenham, and whether this is tactics, players, confidence, or just the job swallowing him whole. Plus we get into Brentford fans turning on Keith Andrews despite being ninth, why football discourse has gone fully binary, and the moment we knew Spurs were cooked when Vicario started time wasting after an hour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with coach Harry Brooks to deep-dive on wunderkid Luka Vuskovic and why the hype is getting silly for an 18-year-old centre-back on loan at Hamburg. We chat through what makes him so dominant, why his aerial numbers are outrageous, how he plays off both feet, and why he keeps popping up with goals like he’s a striker. We also get into the one obvious weakness in his profile, whether he can handle the Premier League right now, and what Spurs even do if he comes back when Romero and Van de Ven are already nailed-on starters. Plus a quick detour into what smart development actually looks like and why rushing the steps is rarely worth it. Sign up to Harry's incredible work here on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with Harry Brooks to talk about what football’s turned into, why so many players default to the safe option, and how control has started squeezing the life out of decision making, even at youth level. Then we drag it back to Spurs, what Thomas Frank might be getting wrong, why “process vs outcome” matters, and why the club feels like it’s trying routes and patterns without a real foundation underneath. We also get into what “risk” actually is, why U-shape football drives us mad, Brennan Johnson’s place in the system, and why every player Harry speaks to says the same thing about Archie Gray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by journalist Tom Barclay for a look behind the curtain. We start with Mo Salah’s explosive mix zone interview, the panicking Liverpool press officer and what life is really like in those corridors after full time. Then it’s Spurs: Vicario getting booed, Thomas Frank calling out “true Tottenham fans”, the tension around performances and why supporters still crave moments and vibes as much as XG. We finish on Brentford, Xavi Simons, Spurs’ search for a left winger, January rumours and a quick plug for Tom’s Spurs book Miracle in Bilbao. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We got Kish from LilywhiteLab on to dig into Thomas Frank and the big question around Spurs right now. Why are we so blunt in attack? Why are the tactics so conservative when we have the talent to play a more ambitious brand of football? We go through the double pivot obsession, the back five against Arsenal, and what Frank got wrong with Bentancur and Pallinia sitting in front of it. We ask whether this is about the manager, the personnel, or the hangover from finishing seventeenth last season. And most importantly, we talk about what needs to change if Spurs are going to look like a team that can create big chances again. Can Frank do it, and what would it take to unlock this squad? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back in 2021, Spooky and Flav sat down to try and figure out something that’s been baked into supporting Tottenham for generations: why do we hate Arsenal so much? This episode digs into the roots of it all, from the early days of the rivalry to how it plays out in the modern game. What’s interesting now is listening back with a bit of distance and asking whether anything has really changed since we recorded it. The context has shifted, the clubs have shifted, but that feeling between the two fanbases is still very real. We thought it was worth bringing this one out again because there’s still loads in here that stands up. If you’re into the history, the culture, or just the raw emotion of Spurs Arsenal, you’ll get something out of this. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices