Tottenham Hotspur

That's your lot from today's pop-up live page as we brought you all the breaking news and reaction as Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the sacking of manager Thomas Frank.

We may be off but if you want to stick around and catch up on all the top lines from today, you can do so below:

• Spurs confirm the departure of Frank after eight months in charge
• In a statement, the club said it was a "necessary" change to make with the combination of results and performances not being good enough
• Frank makes unwanted history with his Spurs record
• Former England and Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle believes Spurs are "in a relegation fight" while ex-Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson claimed Frank deserved time
• Has former manager Harry Redknapp put his name in the hat for the interim role?
• "The beginning of a painful journey to the end" - Phil McNulty
• Watch: A BBC Sport special news stream on the sacking of Frank
• And finally, the best of your reaction to the news

You heard that right.

We've recorded an emergency football daily podcast for you off the back of the news of Thomas Frank's departure from Spurs.

Aaron Paul is joined by former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson and BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel.

They discuss the ins and outs of how the decision came about and what Spurs do next.

You can listen to that in full here.

Tottenham Hotspur

Whoever is next for Spurs has a mightily tough job on their hands with a testing run of fixtures on the horizon.

With that said, if there's ever an opportunity to make yourself a hero - it would be that first match in the dugout.

Tottenham's next six:

• Arsenal (h)
• Fulham (a)
• Crystal Palace (h)
• Liverpool (a)
• Nottingham Forest (h)
• Sunderland (a)

If you missed it earlier, watch our reaction show after Thomas Frank's departure from Tottenham.

Hugh Ferris is joined by BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel, football tactics correspondent Umir Irfan, and Chris Cowlin of the Spurs Chat podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Of the contenders being linked with the Tottenham job, Mauricio Pochettino is leading the poll at the top of this page to return to north London after Thomas Frank's departure.

The 53-year-old managed Spurs between 2014 and 2019, leading the club to a second-place finish in the 2016-17 Premier League season, the 2015 EFL Cup final and the 2019 Champions League final.

Pochettino has said he eventually wants to return to the Premier League and in March last year expressed his desire to manage Spurs again one ay.

"After six years or five years, feel in my heart. Yes, I would like one day to come back," the 53-year-old said.

But how realistic is that?

Pochettino is currently head coach of the USA men's team and his contract runs until the end of this summer's World Cup.

Despite his previous comments, he is said to be fully committed to leading the US at a home World Cup.

If he were to leave the role before the tournament, the United States Soccer Federation would be owed what has been described by a well-placed source as "one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history".

Image source, Getty Images

An interim appointment until the end of the campaign makes sense for Tottenham, as the managerial landscape will change drastically at the end of the season.

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood believes Harry Redknapp would do a good job of steadying the ship.

In January, Redknapp told BBC Sport he would take the job on a temporary basis.

"Course I would, definitely until the end of the season, I’d love to do it," he said.

On what Spurs are missing, Redknapp added: "Confidence is key - make them feel confident, put them in the right position. Tell them to start performing really.

"You’ve got to be strong with them at the same time. They’ve got some good players, they just need to start performing don’t they."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur aren't having a great season by any means but, incredibly, it could have been worse.

According to statistics provided by Opta, Spurs have over performed on their expected goals (xG) more than any other side so far this season.

They have scored 36 times in the Premier League from an xG of 27.4 - giving them a differential of +8.6.

The next closest team to them is Fulham, who have outperformed their xG by 5.39.

Had they scored 27 as their xG suggests - only Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and Crystal Palace would have found the net less times this season.

And, ironically, of those four; Wolves, Forest and Palace have all underperformed on their xG's.

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent speaking to the BBC live stream

For all clubs, your next managerial appointment should be the most important appointment in the club's history.

Whether or not Spurs get that right now remains to be seen. What they need immediately is someone who can galvanise the squad so they can climb up the table because they are in a relegation fight.

Moving forward, making an appointment who isn't an interim they will look for someone who is in more in line with what the fans want.

Tottenham Hotspur

Image source, Getty Images

Thomas Frank gave the impression of feeling secure in his job when he spoke to the media after Spurs' 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday, the team's 11th defeat of the season.

"I spoke to them [the owners] yesterday, so no," Frank told TNT Sports when asked if his job was under threat.

"I understand the frustration and the easiest thing is to point at me. That's part of the job unfortunately.

"I will work day and night to turn this around but it is not just one person. There is no doubt we need to improve and I need to be part of that."

Frank later told BBC Radio 5 Live: "We are all aligned and we know what needs to be done."

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Well, why don't you decide ladies and gents?

We've got a poll running at the top of this page that you can have your say on.

All the names included are the "popular" ones being banded about right now.

I'd go with 'Someone else' personally - brilliant track record.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Thomas Frank's dismissal means he joins a list that includes proven winners Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, along with Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou, who brought back long-awaited silverware last season.

The Dane ultimately could not get to grips with this most testing of tasks. It consumed him, ending with him looking a broken, beleaguered figure.

Frank failed to produce a side with any sort of clear identity, dragged down by muddled thinking and, when it mattered, a safety-first approach.

When the history of Frank's time at Spurs is written, defeats at home by Chelsea and at Arsenal in the north London derby will assume something close to notoriety.

It was Frank's timid approach - almost as much as the loss - that drew such fierce criticism after the game at Arsenal - a five-man defence effectively a damage-limitation exercise that allowed the Gunners to win with ease.

Only a combination of wastefulness from the visitors and the heroics of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario prevented it from being a hammering.

It was the beginning of a painful journey to the end.

Read more on what went wrong for Frank at Spurs

Image source, Getty Images

Spurs XY YouTuber Anna Howells speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live:

"One of the things that annoys me most is when a manager doesn't use the squad. I understand that there's a lot to be said for our squad depth and the transfer policies we've had over the years - this is not unique to Frank.

"However we do have academy players and other players that we've signed, but he seemed to insist on playing the same people over and over again - regardless of their form - but also wearing them to the ground.

"The Newcastle game was just the epitome of players not knowing how to play with each other. Everyone said it looked like we'd picked eleven people off the street, complete strangers who didn't know each other. It was so weird.

"They didn't seem to be playing for themselves, the badge, the manager - nothing."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur sat in third in the Premier League under Thomas Frank after matchday seven, just two points behind leaders Arsenal.

With only one defeat in that time and impressive victories over the likes of Manchester City, a top four finish looked an early banker.

However, since then, only Burnley and Wolves, who sit 19th and 20th respectively, have picked up fewer points than them.

Taking away the first seven games, Spurs would sit 18th, five points adrift of safety.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Spurs defender Stephen Kelly speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live:

"I think that transfer strategy is huge, there’s been so much talk at Spurs about their business and their lack of willingness to compete financially.

"When you qualify for Champions League, you go into a bracket where you could potentially bring in a higher quality player and I don’t think Spurs have gone about that in the right way.

"It’s about attracting the type of players that can bring you on and improve you. There’s been quite a few players that have come through the door that haven’t been able to hit the ground running.

"I think with recruitment strategy I’d say take a look at the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth, the quality of players they’re bringing in."