Tottenham coach Thomas Frank 'unfazed' by facing former side Brentford

Frank, who took charge of Tottenham in June 2025, admitted this weekend's meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will feel different but stressed that his focus is entirely on Spurs ending their poor home form. Tottenham have won only one Premier League home match this season, a run Frank has openly described as "nowhere near good enough".

"It's a little bit more special facing Brentford where I'd been for nine years," Frank said. "That's almost a quarter of my life. I had a fantastic time there and I enjoyed every second of it. There are a lot of people I will see on Saturday that I haven't seen for a long time.

"But during the game, it's just about competing and winning a match. It's the same as when I play padel, when we're playing, we're playing. It's competitive, not for fun."

Frank also confirmed he will not hold back if Tottenham score against his former club. "Yeah, I will celebrate," he said. "I think everyone respects the respect I have for Brentford. Before kick-off and after the final whistle I'll be happy to see people, but for those ninety minutes, it's about doing what we can to win."

Tottenham's players drew attention last weekend when they held an on-pitch huddle after going two goals down against Fulham, before responding with a convincing finish in what became a dramatic draw with Newcastle. Frank insisted he has no problem with the players taking responsibility.

"The more they encourage each other, the more positive the body language, the better," he said. "They're the ones in the middle of it. When they need to sort something out, they can only do it together."

One player facing scrutiny is Xavi Simons, who joined Spurs for a fee worth around fifty-one point eight million pounds in the summer but has been named among the substitutes in Tottenham's last four matches. Frank, however, has said the Dutch midfielder remains firmly in his plans.

"Xavi has trained fantastic," Frank said. "The last five or six sessions, his attitude has been very good. We've played different games with different line-ups, but he's getting closer and closer. It's the same for him as it is for Mathys Tel, train well, keep the right attitude, and the opportunity will come.

"It's also fair to say that he's come on in all four games we've played."

Spurs now turn their attention to Brentford, with Frank determined to earn a statement home victory against familiar faces, and to prove Tottenham's season is finally gaining momentum.

READ MORE: Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi targets Ligue 1 glory