The real story behind the dismissal — and who actually pushed to retain Thomas Frank.

The turmoil at ENIC is laid bare by the latest leak from Paul O’Keefe, whose track record on Tottenham matters is second to none thanks to his connections within the club and across the football world.

Although it was initially suggested that the board made the call to dismiss Frank, the decisive authority actually lay with the Lewis family — Joe Lewis’s heirs and family trust, who remain the club’s controlling owners. The ultimate push to remove Frank came from them, not from Vinai. Both Vinai and Lange were reportedly reluctant. While Lewis himself is no longer hands-on, his family now effectively exercises that control.

This represents the first major managerial sacking of the post-Daniel Levy era at Spurs, underlining a clear shift in power towards the Lewis family.

The club has already begun the search for a successor, weighing up both interim options — potentially through to the end of the 2025–26 season — and permanent appointments. According to Alasdair Gold, Spurs hope to have someone in place swiftly, possibly as early as Monday, to oversee training.

Mauricio Pochettino remains a sentimental long-term favourite for a return. He has been seen in London, is believed to be open to the role citing unfinished business, and is either already offered the job or strongly desired after the 2026 World Cup, where he is currently managing the USA national team. However, an immediate appointment appears highly complicated — if not impossible — due to his current commitments, making an interim solution a possible bridge to a summer move.

Roberto De Zerbi is admired internally and would welcome a return to the Premier League, with talks reportedly advancing. Meanwhile, Igor Tudor has rapidly emerged as a serious contender over the past 24 hours. Initial contact has already been made, according to respected Italian journalist Matteo Moretto, and his candidacy is said to be gathering momentum.