Thomas Frank has come under growing pressure after a tough start to his Tottenham reign, with Alan Shearer warning that his spell in North London could end as soon as this weekend.
Shearer has also shared his thoughts on Spurs’ latest signing, Conor Gallagher, who joined from Atletico Madrid on a five-and-a-half-year deal worth £34.7m.
Frank is in urgent need of a positive response, with Tottenham winning just one of their last seven matches and languishing in 14th place in the Premier League. The pressure has intensified ahead of this weekend’s clash with West Ham, and Shearer has made it clear what he believes the consequences could be if Spurs lose.
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer said Saturday’s match is massive for both the club and the manager. He pointed to Spurs’ improved second-half display against Aston Villa as something they must build on from the first whistle. However, he admitted he would “fear the worst” for Frank if West Ham leave North London with all three points.
Shearer praised the arrival of Gallagher, describing him as a smart and well-timed signing thanks to his experience, energy and Premier League know-how. He believes Spurs have done well to beat competition from other clubs and suggested the move could help Gallagher revive his England ambitions ahead of the World Cup. If the midfielder impresses for the rest of the season, Shearer feels international recognition will be firmly on his mind.
That said, Shearer warned that breaking into England’s midfield will be no easy task, with the likes of Elliott Anderson, Declan Rice and Adam Wharton already established. Gallagher, he said, will need to perform at an exceptionally high level from the outset to displace any of them.
Gallagher could be thrown straight into the starting XI, with Rodrigo Bentancur sidelined for at least three months following hamstring surgery. Richarlison is also facing a lengthy spell out with a similar injury, while Mohammed Kudus is expected to miss significant time as well.
Confirming Kudus’ situation, Frank revealed the forward has suffered a serious quad tendon issue and is unlikely to return until after the March international break. On Richarlison, he added that the Brazilian will be out for up to seven weeks.
With Spurs hit hard by attacking injuries, Brennan Johnson would likely have seen increased minutes, but he was sold to Crystal Palace earlier in the window. While Tottenham are dealing with turmoil of their own, Palace are also facing uncertainty, with Oliver Glasner set to depart at the end of the season and captain Marc Guehi reportedly having played his final game for the club ahead of a move to Manchester City.
