Thomas Frank, Steve Cooper shoot down Tottenham Hotspur links

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 10 March 2023

Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper both play down speculation linking them with the Tottenham Hotspur job.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper have both rubbished reports linking them with the manager's job at Tottenham Hotspur.

Current Spurs incumbent Antonio Conte is now widely expected to depart when his contract expires at the end of the season in the wake of Tottenham's last-16 Champions League exit.

The Lilywhites were defeated 1-0 by AC Milan in the first leg at San Siro, and they put in an uninspired second-leg display on home soil in a goalless draw to crash out with a whimper.

Barring a sensational run to the top of the Premier League, Tottenham will end another season without silverware for the 15th year running, having also been knocked out of the FA Cup in the fifth round by Sheffield United this month.

Conte joked after the Milan draw that Spurs may see reason to sack him, and while the club are not thought to be planning such drastic action, the chances of him signing a new deal are minimal.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte pictured on March 8, 2023 © Reuters

With Frank's Brentford side now challenging for Europe just two years after earning promotion to the Premier League, the Dane is understood to have admirers within the Spurs hierarchy.

However, Frank has affirmed that he remains "very, very happy" at Brentford and "massively" admires Conte, telling reporters this week: "First, they have a manager which is a manager I have studied for years and I admire massively.

"I think he has achieved some fantastic results so I hope he will do well and I hope Spurs do well. Secondly, I am very, very happy here at Brentford."

As well as Frank, Forest boss Cooper is thought to be well-liked at Tottenham, who welcome the 43-year-old's Tricky Trees to North London on Saturday, and he also shot down such rumours ahead of the match.

"I'm not so sure about any speculation, I certainly wouldn't comment but what I do know is that I have a huge amount of respect for him [Conte] and what he's done and what he's doing," Cooper said.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper before the match on February 18, 2023 © Reuters

"I said what I said last week, I don't want or need to say it again. The most important thing for me is the game, the guys I am working with every single day and I am trying to be at my best and do a good day's work and try and get them to do the same.

"The moment I am not thinking about Nottingham Forest or the players or the staff or how I can be at my best is the moment I am not getting it right, that's not what I want to be, I want to be all-in, that's what I am and I am not looking further than going to Tottenham on Saturday."

Cooper led Forest to Premier League promotion via the playoffs last season, but his squad initially struggled to adapt to the big time following no fewer than 23 summer signings.

However, the Tricky Trees have since found their feet in the division and occupy 14th place in the Premier League table, four points clear of the relegation zone thanks to a nine-game unbeaten run at the City Ground.

At this moment in time, ex-Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino is seemingly the frontrunner to make a return to Tottenham nearly four years after his sacking, with players and staff supposedly begging him to come back.

Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel are also thought to be among the candidates to replace Conte, although Spurs will struggle to convince the latter to return to the Premier League.