Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has lauded his team's character and fighting spirit following their dramatic 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday. Spurs, who were playing away at Aspmyra Stadion, had to rely on an 89th-minute own goal from Jostein Gundersen to salvage a point against a Bodo/Glimt side that they had previously defeated 5-1 on aggregate.
Frank acknowledged that his team was second-best for significant portions of the match. Speaking to TNT Sports, Frank said, "I felt first that the positives were the mentality and character". He further added, "We stayed in the game and kept fighting, and that gave us a very good point away from home. When you are 2-0 down in the Champions League against a very good Bodo team here, I am happy to take that".
Tottenham found themselves trailing 2-0 in the second half before mounting a comeback. Micky van de Ven scored to reduce the deficit, and the late own goal ensured that Spurs would leave Norway with a point. Frank admitted that Bodo/Glimt were the better team in the first half, stating, "They were better than us in the first half, it was clear to see. They are exceptionally good at what they do and are very well coached". However, he also noted that his team improved after going down 2-0 and were the better side in the latter stages of the game.
Frank addressed the team's sloppiness during the match, but he refrained from blaming the surface. "I don't want to complain about the surface, it is what it is," he said. "We could have kept the ball better, no doubt about that. Sometimes it is what happens on the day. We just need to keep trying to do the right thing". He highlighted the importance of the team's resilience in coming back from 2-0 down, referencing similar comebacks against Brighton and Wolves. "It's extremely important that we got back from 2-0 down at Brighton and against Wolves, and again today. It's extremely important to show that mentality," Frank stated.
When questioned about Richarlison's isolated performance, Frank explained, "First half we could have kept the ball better, but that was not only on Richarlison. Perhaps it was a bit to do with the structure of the team. I'm in no doubt that we will improve". Despite the challenges, Frank remained positive about Tottenham's start to the Champions League campaign. "To take four points from two games is good. Also, today when we get a point, it's a fine start. We need to work from here," he concluded.
