Manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that Cristian Romero will not be stripped of his captaincy after receiving an early red card against Manchester United, staunchly defending the Argentine defender’s character and leadership.
Despite the defender being sacked just 28 minutes into this high-stakes game, Frank was quick to deny rumors of a coaching change.
“No, I think it’s fair to say he’s not going to get a red card after 28 minutes,” the manager said (as quoted by the Guardian).
Frank stressed that he had “no regrets” about giving the armband to Romero, noting that the player had already apologized to his teammates.
“I have no regrets about making him captain and am sorry for the incident. I have apologized to my teammates.”
“He is one of the most important players. We haven’t talked about this specifically, but he has apologized. That’s enough for now. If you look at the number of red cards he has, if he played with passion and aggression, he wouldn’t have had so many red cards.”
Cristian Romero achieves an unexpected feat with latest red card
The red card against United added another chapter to the defender’s controversial disciplinary record.
Romero has been sent off six times in all competitions since making his debut for the club, the most ever by a Premier League player in that period.
His aggressive, front-footed style is often a double-edged sword for the North London side.
While his “passion and aggression” are qualities Frank admires, his tendency to find himself in the referee’s books often left the team vulnerable.
Against United, an early sending off forced a tactical reshuffle and ultimately hurt the team’s competitiveness.
But Frank was quick to point out that such incidents are a byproduct of the intensity required to play at England’s highest level.
Will Romero leave Tottenham this summer?
Despite the manager’s public backing, speculation regarding Romero’s long-term future at the club continues to grow.
His recent social media rants hint at growing frustration, leading many to believe he may be looking for a new challenge.
Top clubs in Europe such as Real Madrid have been linked with him and there is a good chance this will be his last season in North London.
The appeal of the Spanish giants, combined with the World Cup winner’s desire for consistent silverware, could prove impossible to ignore.
