Somehow, Tottenham Hotspur decided to give Thomas Frank one more game despite embarrassing himself again with a 2-1 loss to one of the worst teams in the Premier League, West Ham United. Frank then lucked his way into beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League, and, now, he undeservingly gets new life as Tottenham manager.
Frank has been horrendous this season, but so as the man who was largely responsible for hiring him, Johan Lange. The former Aston Villa executive was so bad at his old club that they have now down a literal 180 since firing him, whereas Spurs are now close to the relegation zone. Lange gifted Tottenham Frank, beating Fabio Paratici in a power struggle to hire the Danish coach.
His decision to hire Frank has only been outdone by his jocular transfer strategy, which has included some of the worst recruitment of any club in the January transfer window. The players Tottenham are going after this winter are truly abysmal, and the latest transfer links with relegation candidates West Ham are somehow even more mind numbing.
Tottenham are about to make a bad deal
Not only are Spurs thinking of signing Crysencio Summerville as a clear downgrade on Mathys Tel, but they are also about to swap in one of the very worst goalkeepers in the Premier League. Journalist Paul O Keefe confirmed reporting from West Ham insider ExWHUEmployee that Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are in talks for a goalkeeper swap deal.
Tottenham would send young promising backup Antonin Kinsky, who has already been in talks with clubs like West Ham over a possible loan this winter, to the Hammers in exchange for their backup keeper Mads Hermansen.
The positive of the swap is obvious, because there is only one conceivable positive out of this deal for Tottenham. Kinsky would get regular starting minutes with the Hammers, as he would be their clear best keeper. He would finally get to play every week, whereas Tottenham never play him even though he might actually be a better option than the horribly mistake prone Guglielmo Vicario.
Meanwhile, the downsides are several. Kinsky could be so good he swings the relegation battle in West Ham's favor over Tottenham. He could love West Ham more than Tottenham and ask to go their permanently. But the most guaranteed negative is Hermansen, who is apparently liked by Thomas Frank, which tells you all you need to know about how dreadful Lange and Frank are at recruiting. The guy is a terrible keeper, and if he is the new main backup to Vicario, Spurs are even more screwed.
Tottenham are going to become the new West Ham if they keep at this. They are recruiting players from the only team in the Premier League more dysfunctional than they are, and they just lost to that team. Spurs are on a negative trend, and going for players like Hermansen tells you all you need to know about why that is.