Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann has revealed his friendship with Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank as the two teams prepare to meet in the Carabao Cup tomorrow night.
The 45-year-old will take his team to the capital to face the current Europa League holders and a chance to play at one of the best stadiums in the country. It’s another highlight for the South Yorkshire based team, who have enjoyed an excellent 12 months following their successful League Two campaign last season.
Returning to the third tier as champions, Rovers have begun the season well, although back-to-back league defeats have seen them fall to just below the League One play-off places. The pressure will be off in North London though, as they hope to cause an upset in front of the Sky cameras.
McCann Lauds Thomas Frank Rise
McCann is preparing to reunite with Thomas Frank, who first crossed paths whilst the former was in charge of Hull City in the Championship. The Dane has emerged as one of the hottest managers in European football after not only guiding Brentford into the Premier League but sustaining their place in the top tier.
This earned the 51-year-old the job at Tottenham in the summer after the club decided to part ways with Ange Postecoglou. McCann though, isn’t surprised. Speaking ahead of the tie, the former Peterborough United boss was full of praise for his counterpart:
“It doesn’t surprise me. I remember playing against his Brentford side when I was at Hull. I remember going into the office for a beer after one game with him and he was just a genuine guy. I’ve kept in touch a wee bit with him on and off over the years and he was speaking to me about signing Keane Lewis-Potter (from Hull) at the Football League awards recently.
“So he’s a really good guy and has a really good way about him and his teams are exciting to watch. And it looks like he’s changed his style slightly in terms of how he plays from a 3-5-2 at Brentford to more of a 4-3-3 and expansive at Tottenham and that shows his capabilities and that he can adapt to what he’s got.
“It’s great to see the journey he’s gone on from the Championship to one of the top teams in the world. He did an unbelievable job at Brentford and they got better every year. So it was nice to see him get the opportunity at one of the biggest clubs because he certainly deserved it.”
Writer’s View
There’s no denying that Thomas Frank has proved his credentials in the English game since being handed the Brentford job in 2018. He has also started life at Spurs well, renewing optimism that they can return to the upper reaches of the Premier League after last season’s 17th-placed finish. Grant McCann will be hoping he can cause an upset at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium though and get one over his old friend.
