The former Tottenham Hotspur head coach once survived the season thanks to having one title left to cling to. So where will Thomas Frank find inspiration, when all the supports are gradually taken out of his hands?
The 1-2 defeat at home to Aston Villa closed Spurs' FA Cup journey right from the third round. They were eliminated from the Carabao Cup, are ranked 14th in the Premier League, and although there is still hope of reaching the Champions League knockout round, even the most optimistic fans can hardly believe Tottenham is capable of reaching the bottom in Europe's harshest playground. In that picture, Frank becomes clear of fragility.
Ange Postecoglou once had a Europa League shield to delay the storm of criticism. That campaign ended in glory, when Spurs won their first title in 17 years with the Europa League trophy in May. But even such a historic moment could not save a long declining trajectory. The hot seat still changed owners.
And now, Frank is bearing the most difficult "heritage": an unbalanced squad, uneven quality, an impatient number of fans, and a defensive system so fragile that even an acceleration from the opponent can turn everything into panic.
Worse, it is increasingly difficult to see sufficiently convincing signs of progress.
What used to be Tottenham's foundation at the beginning of the season - solidity in the lower line and set pieces - has vanished. Villa entered Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as if playing a favorable match that had been scripted. Emi Buendia and Donyell Malen helped the away team lead 2-0 in the first half. Spurs gave them too much space and time to handle.
After the break, Tottenham rallied. Wilson Odobert narrowed the score with a shot in the 54th minute, spirit and intensity were pushed up, but the dispersal in the attack was still clearly revealed. Spurs finished the match with a handicap of only 0.55. Not as disastrous as some lackluster performances before under Frank, but also not enough to create the feeling that they could continuously break down a well-organized opponent like Villa.
And that bit of rise creates two opposite understandings. It may just be the remnant of a failed cycle, a late reflex when everything has slipped out of reach. Or it is a small glimmer of hope that Frank can still build a more sustainable foundation if there is time.
The problem is, time is never something Tottenham has plenty of.
The upcoming 2 Premier League matches against West Ham and Burnley - both in the bottom three teams - are like a survival test. If Spurs do not win at least one of the two, Frank's seat will begin to shake in an undeniable way, regardless of explanations about the process or philosophy.
The context is even more ironic as Tottenham is celebrating 125 years since winning the FA Cup in 1901. A season that should have evoked pride in tradition, is turning into a story of breathlessness and eroding faith.
Frank talked about a brighter future, about the day Dominic Solanke fully returned after ankle surgery, about the day Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison reappeared, about a squad "deeper" than his ideas. Solanke returned, but only for the last 7 minutes of the match. This is like a symbol of the current situation - there is hope, but too little and too late.
Looking back at the past and the future is one thing. But reality is becoming the biggest problem, because it creates a feeling that Spurs' season is over as soon as the decisive stage has not really started.
Of course, very disappointed. We are all very sad. What we want most is to continue, regardless of who the opponent is. We play at home, we have a good opportunity.
Unfortunately, we couldn't win. We played with the strongest possible squad. We all looked back at the match and thought we could have played better in both the first and second half" - Frank said.
