Tottenham's Thomas Frank 'dilemma' as two former coaches could keep under-fire boss in job

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Thomas Frank could yet be handed a reprieve by the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy - partly because of a dearth of alternatives to replace him mid-season.

The Dane, 52, has only been in his role as Spurs' head coach for just shy of seven months after a superb spell at Brentford. However, Frank has found the move challenging and failed to win over supporters, some of whom chanted for him to be sacked during the chastening 2-1 defeat at home to West Ham on Saturday.

Frank's future has come under scrutiny following said fan backlash, with talks over his future taking place over the weekend . And a new report now claims a lack of realistic replacements is part of a 'dilemma' when it comes to what course of action to take next.

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As per The Times , Tottenham's top brass have discussed alternatives to Frank with the team struggling under him. He could yet be given the Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night, although that would not necessarily indicate the former Brentford chief is totally in the clear.

The report goes on to note that interim appointments have not been a resounding success in the past; something which could come into play given the current landscape at the club. Ryan Mason's two spells in temporary charge were underwhelming, while another former interim appointment, Cristian Stellini, struggled in the hotseat.

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John Heitinga, the former Everton defender and Liverpool coach, would be a possible contender to take charge temporarily if Frank is dismissed. However, the former Ajax manager only joined the club last week to help Frank.

In terms of permanent replacements, summer would appear more likely. Of the names touted, Xabi Alonso is thought to be keen on the idea of returning to the Premier League as a head coach but will not jump straight back into management after leaving Real Madrid earlier this month.

A romantic return for Mauricio Pochettino would also be complicated due to his commitments with the United States in their home World Cup this summer, while Andoni Iraola is contracted to Bournemouth until the summer and likely to see that commitment out.

If Tottenham were to dismiss Frank and get the next appointment wrong there is every chance they could be pushed closer to the relegation zone; they currently sit 14th in the Premier League, 10 points above West Ham.

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