Thomas Frank believes Tottenham have made a clear statement of backing him ahead of a big derby against fellow strugglers West Ham.

The Dane has faced a tough time at the north London club with long-term injuries galore, the team sitting 14th in the Premier League and just two wins from their past 13 matches. The Spurs supporters have booed Frank on occasions and sung chants such as 'Boring, boring Tottenham Hotspur' and 'Sideways and backwards, everywhere we go' in reference to the football being played under the 52-year-old.

However, it has been a positive week inside the club for Frank, with Spurs moving quickly to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in a £34.7million deal. The head coach played his part with a key phone call to the 25-year-old midfielder, explaining his role within his team and the project going forward under him.

Frank also led the drive to bring in John Heitinga as his assistant manager this week, getting the man who helped Arne Slot and Liverpool to the Premier League title last year before...