By Martin Graham
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank believes Cristian Romero shows strong authority on the pitch but insists the defender needs to improve his discipline after another dismissal.
The Spurs skipper picked up his second red card of the campaign during Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat Manchester Unitedafter a challenge on Casemiro.
As a result, the 27-year-old Argentina international will now serve a four-match ban, ruling him out of domestic action until mid-March.
Frank supports the captain despite the suspension
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Newcastle UnitedFrank described Romero as a developing figure within the squad, highlighting his intensity and commitment.
The Tottenham boss explained that leadership evolves over time, using his own experiences to highlight that understanding and composure grow with age.
Frank acknowledged that the high emotion and physical advantage can sometimes lead to mistakes, but stressed that Romero needs to reflect on the incident to improve moving forward.
No changes to the armband and the injury list growing
Frank reiterated that Romero will retain the captaincy as he defended him after the Manchester United defeat.
Tottenham will also be without Destiny Udogie for the next four to five weeks, with the club confirming the 23-year-old Italian has picked up a hamstring problem.
These setbacks add to an already stretched squad, with Spurs only having 11 senior players fit for their recent game against Manchester City.
Uncertainty about returns and pressure from the league
Frank admitted there is no clear timetable for Dejan Kulusevski’s comeback, with the midfielder still recovering from a knee problem and awaiting further medical assessment.
Tottenham’s struggles have left them 15th in the Premier League table, six points above the relegation places after seven games without a win.
While avoiding definitive labels, Frank acknowledged the urgency of the situation, stressing the need for results and warning that a lack of desperation would show a misunderstanding of the club’s current reality.
