Thomas Frank's Silent Masterclass: How He Convinced Mohammed Kudus to Choose Tottenham Without Speaking

Throughout his carefully considered career journey, Mohammed Kudus has made pivotal choices using a distinctive combination of gut feeling and careful evaluation. When selecting Tottenham Hotspur, manager Thomas Frank satisfied both criteria.

"He aligned perfectly with my vision and felt absolutely right instinctively," the club's summer signing reveals to Sports Illustrated.

Kudus had multiple chances to enter the Premier League before finally accepting West Ham United's proposal in 2023. After becoming arguably the most potent attacking force in east London, the dynamic playmaker attracted plenty of interest this summer. Yet, as he explained in his inaugural interviews as a Spurs player, it was "exclusively" Tottenham.

This decisive thinking originated from Frank's impressive standing. The accomplished Danish manager's proven success proved more persuasive than any words he could have shared with Kudus.

The Thomas Frank Factor

When discussing his confidence in Frank, Kudus explains: "Observing his achievements at Brentford with forwards. I can mention numerous players; [Bryan] Mbeumo, Ivan Toney, [Mikkel] Damsgaard. The progress I've witnessed with so many attackers under his guidance has been truly remarkable.

"I believed he would be the ideal coach to assist my growth. The way he wants his forwards to perform matches my abilities, and that's exactly how I aspire to play."

Frank supervised three generations of strikers who thrived under his guidance at Brentford. Players like Ollie Watkins and Saïd Benrahma improved so dramatically that Premier League teams acquired them before the Bees had even reached England's elite division.

Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo made the transition from the Championship alongside Brentford and both achieved 20 Premier League goals in individual seasons under Frank. Yoane Wissa arrived in west London in 2021 with only one complete top-flight campaign under his belt and joined Newcastle United on Deadline Day for £55 million ($74.1 million), over six times his initial cost before collaborating with Frank.

What Thomas Frank Demands of Tottenham Players

The offensive evolution players experience under Frank's tutelage doesn't happen without effort. As Kudus notes: "He's an extremely demanding manager, both offensively and defensively.

"One of my key strengths is receiving the ball in one-on-one situations and challenging defenders. The squad works to position me where I can utilize this ability, which is tremendously helpful. I simply try to generate as many opportunities as possible, but defensively he naturally expects excellence as well."

Kudus isn't the only one contributing without possession. "We apply high pressure, regardless of our opponents," he describes Tottenham's approach. "We press extremely high, which requires significant running demands and complex positional movements. His expectations are exceptionally high, but it genuinely benefits the team, as evidenced in several matches already."

Manchester City, typically comfortable operating in tight spaces, appeared visibly unsettled by Tottenham's pressing game in an early demonstration of how Frank's rigorous methods can maximize Kudus and his teammates' potential.