Liam Duckstein
New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has declared the upcoming pre-season showdown against Arsenal in Hong Kong as “more than a friendly,” calling it his first “great challenge” since taking charge of the club.
The North London Derby, set for Thursday at the sold-out 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium, marks the first meeting between the two bitter rivals outside of British soil—an event packed with both prestige and intensity.
“It’s a great challenge,” Frank said during a press briefing at the stadium. “Besides being our big rivals and the first North London derby outside the UK, Arsenal are—unfortunately—one of the best teams in the world right now,” he added with a grin. “Against Arsenal, it’s never just a friendly. We’ll do everything we can to win.”
New Era Underway
Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou last month following the Australian’s surprise dismissal despite clinching the Europa League title, is already making his mark. The club recently completed a £55 million signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham. However, their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest has yet to bear fruit.
“We’re constantly discussing transfers, but those are private conversations,” Frank commented. “Overall, I’m happy with the squad, though we do recognize areas that could use reinforcement. Mohammed has already shown his class, and yes, we’re still looking.”
Focus on Fitness
Tottenham’s dismal 17th-place finish last season was marred by persistent injury setbacks, with Dutch defender Micky van de Ven among the long-term absentees. But there’s renewed optimism as the 24-year-old enters his first uninterrupted pre-season with Spurs.
“I haven’t had a full pre-season at Tottenham before,” Van de Ven told AFP. “Now I can properly prepare my body for the Premier League, the Champions League, and everything else that’s coming.”
Frank echoed the importance of having a fit squad, particularly with the increasing intensity of modern football.
“Availability is key—without it, even the best tactics fall apart,” Frank noted. “This extended pre-season gives us the chance to fine-tune our approach. We’ve made a few tweaks in training, and I’m hopeful those changes will translate into better performances.”
Tottenham fans will be watching closely on Thursday, not just for bragging rights, but to get a glimpse of what the new era under Thomas Frank might look like. One thing’s certain: this derby in the Far East is anything but a warm-up.