Tottenham Hotspur were rocked by a dramatic development at their home ground on Saturday evening, announcing a major internal exit just two hours after a painful 2–1 defeat to relegation-threatened West Ham United on January 17, 2026.
Already under heavy pressure, Thomas Frank’s Spurs suffered another damaging blow in a fiery London derby. West Ham struck first when Crysencio Summerville’s 15th-minute effort took a deflection and beat the goalkeeper. Tottenham responded after the break, with skipper Cristian Romero rising highest to head home the equaliser and restore hope among the home supporters.
But heartbreak followed deep into stoppage time as substitute Callum Wilson capitalised on a corner to snatch a dramatic winner for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side — a goal that earned the Hammers a crucial three points in their relegation battle and ended a 10-match winless run.
The defeat sparked fury among Spurs fans, with angry chants ringing around the stadium as scrutiny on Frank intensified. Appointed in June 2025 to replace Ange Postecoglou, the Danish coach now finds his team languishing in 14th place, still without a win in 2026 and struggling for consistency amid a growing injury list.
Shortly after full-time, the club dropped a bombshell. At around 7:00 PM, Tottenham released a statement confirming the immediate exit of a senior backroom figure — understood to be a prominent coach or executive closely linked to recruitment and tactical planning. Insiders suggest the decision followed internal disagreements over the club’s direction, compounded by supporter unrest and a bleak run of just two wins in the last 13 league matches.
“This is a massive moment for Tottenham,” one source revealed. “The fact it came so soon after that defeat underlines just how fast things are unravelling.”
While Frank defended his players’ commitment after the match, conceding they have not met expectations, calls for his removal continue to grow, with fan groups such as Change for Tottenham stepping up protests.
West Ham, on the other hand, enjoyed a morale-boosting triumph under former Spurs boss Nuno Espírito Santo, whose tactical approach — aided by January reinforcements — proved decisive.
Now reeling from both defeat and disruption, Tottenham face serious questions over stability. With a Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on the horizon, the coming days could prove decisive in determining whether Frank can halt the slide — or if further changes are imminent.
