LONDON: Thomas Frank said he can handle the pressure to win trophies with Tottenham as he prepared for the start the club’s League Cup bid against Doncaster on Wednesday.
While many of his fellow Premier League managers use the League Cup to blood youngsters, Frank has pledged to pick a strong team to face third-tier Doncaster in the third-round clash in London.
Frank is well aware that Tottenham’s Europa League triumph under his predecessor Ange Postecoglou last season has raised expectations among fans.
Postecoglou was axed despite ending Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought because he presided over the club’s worst top-flight finish since 1976/77.
Improving on that 17th place is crucial for Frank in his first season after arriving from Brentford, but putting more silverware in the trophy cabinet would also be a feather in his cap.
“I’m very aware of the expectation,” said Frank. “I think it’s that balance. I would like us to get there where we can compete in all four tournaments throughout the year.
“If you want to compete in all four tournaments, you need to be good enough to pick the right team every single time.”
Tottenham last won the League Cup in 2008, while their most recent FA Cup success came in 1991.
They have not been crowned English champions since 1961.
Frank has won three of his first five league games and kicked off Tottenham’s Champions League challenge with a victory over Villarreal.
The Dane will be without Ben Davies and Randal Kolo Muani against Doncaster, but Dominic Solanke could be on the bench after the England striker trained on Tuesday.
“I think we’re aware that no players can play 60 games of 90 minutes. So, it’s that balance we need to hit throughout the season. Not only because we are facing Doncaster,” Frank said of his plans.
“We need to hit that perfect number of players that rotates and then a strong team. It will be a strong team.”
Frank unfazed by trophy expectations at Spurs
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Frank unfazed by trophy expectations at Spurs
- “I’m very aware of the expectation,” said Frank
- “I think it’s that balance. I would like us to get there where we can compete in all four tournaments throughout the year”
Medvedev to face Griekspoor in bid for second Dubai title
- Former world No. 1 Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinal
- Despite an injury, unseeded Dutchman Griekspoor beat 5th-seed Andrey Rublev in the other semifinal
DUBAI: Daniil Medvedev reached the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Friday and will face unseeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor as the Russian attempts to achieve something that has eluded him throughout his stellar career — winning the same tournament twice.
Former world number one Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 in an 83-minute semifinal, setting up a title clash that could see him claim a second Dubai crown to go with his 2023 triumph.
Medvedev, who has won 22 titles at 22 different tournaments, arrived in Dubai with a point to prove after early exits in Rotterdam and Doha.
However, the third seed has been in scintillating form in Dubai, dispatching Shang Juncheng, Stan Wawrinka, Jenson Brooksby and Auger-Aliassime — all in straight sets.
“It has been an amazing four matches, probably playing better and better each match, today being the best performance,” said Medvedev.
“If I can put in an even better performance tomorrow, I will have my chances to win and that is what I am going to try to do.”
Griekspoor battles injury to beat Rublev
Standing in his way will be Griekspoor, who continued his giant-killing run by beating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5 7-6(6) in the other semifinal.
The Dutchman denied the 2022 champion, who also finished runner-up the following year, another shot at the Dubai trophy, saving two set points in the second-set tiebreak.
“No idea how I pulled off this one, I could barely walk at the end of the first set,” said Griekspoor, who took a medical timeout for treatment in the opening set.
“He served extremely well. I got very lucky in the tiebreak to win it in two sets ... I landed with a serve and felt something in my hamstring.
“If he had won the tiebreak, I don’t know if I would have continued.”
It marked three consecutive top-20 wins for Griekspoor for the first time in his career after he beat second seed Alexander Bublik and Jakub Mensik en route to the final.
Griekspoor, who has won three ATP 250 titles in his career, will be looking to add a first ATP 500 trophy to his collection when he faces Medvedev.
