Micah Richards, a former professional footballer turned pundit, has called on Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank to drop Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven following their post-match antics after a 1-0 defeat against Chelsea. The North London side lost narrowly to their city rivals on Sunday, but it was the events that unfolded after the final whistle that garnered significant attention.
As they headed for the tunnel following Tottenham’s third defeat of the Premier League season, Spence and Van de Ven appeared to snub Frank while he tried to direct them towards the home supporters. The Danish tactician was then seen glancing back at the £160,000-a-week pair as they walked off the pitch instead of applauding the crowd. Richards branded this moment an 'absolute disgrace', highlighting a clear lack of respect shown by Van de Ven and Spence towards their manager.
Urgent call for action ahead of Champions League clash
Speaking on "The Rest is Football", Richards urged Frank to make a decision over this duo ahead of their next game - a Champions League clash with Copenhagen on Tuesday. He stated emphatically that he ‘wouldn’t play’ Spence and Van de Ven in Tottenham’s next game following Sunday's incident.
Micah Richards, Manchester City legend, said:
"But if they're disrespecting the manager like that, it's an absolute disgrace. And if they did, I wouldn't play in the next game. I really wouldn't, because Thomas Frank's not that sort of person who causes that confrontation, so that's just a lack of respect."
Tottenham were booed off the pitch following their 1-0 loss on Sunday with Joao Pedro’s first-half goal proving decisive for Chelsea. The North London side struggled significantly in creating chances during this match-up; they registered just three shots on goal compared to Chelsea’s 15, including nine which were directly targeted at goal. Spurs have secured just three wins in their past 19 games at home and will host Manchester United next Saturday after Copenhagen's visit in Tuesday's Champions League match.
Slip in Premier League standings
Following the defeat, Tottenham has dropped to fifth in the Premier League standings, level on 17 points with Chelsea and trailing eight points behind leaders Arsenal. This recent performance and subsequent drop in standings have only added to the mounting pressure on Frank's management.
Richards' call for action against Spence and Van de Ven's disrespectful behavior is a reflection of growing concerns over team discipline at Tottenham. It remains to be seen how Frank will handle this situation ahead of their upcoming Champions League clash.
