Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has outlined his vision for steady improvement in 2026 as Spurs prepare to face Brentford on January 1.
Speaking to club media in a statement released via the club’s official X handle, Frank stressed the importance of competitiveness, resilience and incremental progress as the team looks to improve its win record in the new year.
Reflecting on recent results, Frank pointed to the narrow 1-0 victory away at Crystal Palace as a key example of the mentality Spurs must continue to develop. He described the performance as a necessary step forward, even if it was far from perfect on the ball.Frank said:
I think slowly bit-by-bit adding those layers so we are competitive in the games. Where not everything is perfect and that was a big step against Palace. I think it was a beautiful, ugly win. To go away to a very difficult away ground and win 1-0 is definitely a quality you need to have if you want to achieve something big. You won’t play 38 perfect games… but can you win three or four of them 1-0 on a rainy day, then there’s a lot of quality in that.
While pleased with the result, the Spurs boss admitted there is still work to be done, particularly in possession and attacking threat, issues he partly attributed to the absence of several key creative players. He explained:
We need to be better on the ball — it wasn’t the best game on the ball against Palace — it’s one area we’re working really hard on. And also being a more offensive threat. We were still without Xavi, Maddison, Kulusevski and Solanke. Others are stepping up and doing everything they can to help the team but that’s also part of it.
Frank also addressed growing speculation surrounding Brennan Johnson, whose minutes have fluctuated this season following increased competition in wide areas. Despite the rumours, the Tottenham manager was emphatic about the winger’s importance and professionalism. He stated:
Brennan is a very important player for us. Sometimes things change if another player comes in. Unfortunately, Kudus came in, played on the right side and did well, so it has been a little bit more tricky to get enough starts. He has a lot of attributes — very good running in behind, scoring goals, working hard for the team. Brennan has been a top professional. He trained very well today and he is ready for Thursday.
On Johnson’s availability for the Brentford clash, Frank confirmed the winger is fully fit and in contention after contributing to the win over Crystal Palace. He said:
He contributed to a very good and important win against Crystal Palace. He trained very well today. I expect him fully to be available and able to play against Brentford.
However, when pressed on transfer speculation linking Johnson with a possible exit, Frank refused to be drawn into the conversation. He stated:
There are rumours out there but, in general, I won’t comment on that, No matter if we want to sign or sell a player… I have no interest in commenting either way.
Softfootball earlier reported that Brennan Johnson could be on his way out of Tottenham, with Crystal Palace and Bournemouth both understood to be monitoring his situation closely. Despite that, Frank’s comments suggest the forward remains very much part of his plans heading into the new year.
Away from the pitch, it has also been a notable period for the club hierarchy, with Tottenham’s former boss and long-serving CEO Daniel Levy recently receiving a CBE award in recognition of 24 years of service to the North London club.
As Spurs welcome Brentford to kick off 2026, Frank will be hoping his side can combine resilience with improved attacking fluency to start the year on a winning note.
