Thomas Frank says it is “business as usual” at Tottenham after Daniel Levy’s surprise exit, but can already feel the backing of the club’s majority owners.
Levy was invited to step down from his role as Spurs chairman last Thursday in an unexpected move by ENIC, which is owned and run by the Lewis family trust.
Majority shareholders ENIC had largely allowed Levy to be the key decision-maker and figurehead of the Premier League club since 2001, but the Lewis family has moved on the 63-year-old in an attempt to deliver “more wins, more often” at Tottenham.
Several changes behind the scenes could have been viewed in hindsight as a precursor to Levy’s exit, with Vinai Venkatesham hired as chief executive in April, while Peter Charrington joined the board earlier this year and has since been installed as non-executive chairman.
The decision to dismiss Ange Postecoglou – despite Europa League success in May – and appoint Frank was another big decision made at the north London club this summer. Even though Frank did not expect Levy to leave, he revealed it has not impacted his role.
“It happened (last) Thursday, I was back on the training ground on Monday and then we had four trainings. It was not that Daniel was out there on the training pitch or in the meeting rooms,” Frank said.
“It is basically business as usual for me because the transfer window closed when there was a lot of interaction.
“I don’t think it has changed too much for me personally so far, so maybe it is too early to ask about that, but of course there are people who have worked with Daniel for so much longer which it is most likely more different for them.”
Levy’s departure means more influence at Spurs for the Lewis family, with Vivienne and Charles two of the key figures with greater power and Frank confirmed he had met with members of the family trust, which owns 70.1 per cent of ENIC’s overall 86.91 share in the club.
“Yeah, I’ve spoken to a few from the Lewis family and Peter Charrington, the new non-exec chairman. I also spoke to him before, of course he was on the board, so there’s been good, constructive conversations and I feel the backing and they’re happy,” Frank said.
“I think it’s fair to say things have gone quite quick. I’m also quite convinced that the next couple of months I will be more aware of what is the future plans.
“Hopefully, we will make them together. I think that’s the best way to do it. So, yeah, everything I sense, I feel and I’ve been told is positivity and backing.”
Levy did ultimately give the green light to hiring Frank and the former Brentford boss admitted he would plan to have dinner with the former Spurs chairman, who still owns 29.88 per cent of ENIC’s overall share.
Frank added: “I could easily see myself doing that so yeah, that’s very likely.”
