'Very sad news' - Arteta expresses sympathy for sacked Thomas Frank

Tottenham Hotspur announced Frank's departure on Wednesday following a dismal run of form in the 2025-26 season.

Despite a successful Champions League group stage that saw them finish fourth, Spurs have failed to secure a single domestic win in 2026, leaving them just five points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Frank's tenure at Tottenham ends with him holding the unfortunate distinction of being statistically the worst-performing manager of any "big-six" Premier League club. With the team on an eight-match winless streak in the league, the board decided to act.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Arteta was asked about the sacking of his rival manager.

"Well, always very sad news when you have a colleague that doesn't continue doing his job," the Arsenal boss responded.

"Thomas is an excellent coach, he's an extraordinary man as well, and he's proven that in the league."

Arteta acknowledged the harsh realities of the profession, adding, "We know where we are.

" We know that our responsibility is beyond just performance. Sometimes results dictate what happens with us. We wish him all the very best for whatever he decides to do next."

When questioned about the high turnover of managers at Spurs—eight during his time at Arsenal—and whether the league was becoming more impatient, Arteta was reflective.

"I don't think you can just take every example in the same possible way. I think in the context of every club it is very different, but it's always a possibility," he said.

"It depends on many factors," Arteta elaborated. "In my opinion, the first one is if you have the players right behind you and they enjoy what they do and they believe in what you do, it's a big thing. Then you have to win a lot of games because at the end, if you don't do that, you're not going to continue in the job."