Thomas Frank calls for Carabao Cup change to ease schedule pressures | OneFootball

Thomas Frank wants Tottenham Hotspur to go all the way in the Carabao Cup this season, but questioned why the semi-finals were still two-legged.

Spurs travel to holders Newcastle in the fourth round on Wednesday, eager to stay on track for more silverware after they ended a 17-year drought with Europa League success in May under Frank’s predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham played 60 matches in the 2024-25 campaign and the midweek trip to St James’ Park will be the club’s 15th of this season, which has led Frank to suggest a change-up for a domestic competition often under scrutiny amid an ever-growing football calendar.

“By the way, one thing I’ve been thinking about is that there should only be one semi-final,” Frank said.

“I think two reasons. For the smaller clubs, if you want to beat a bigger club, it’s much much easier to play only one game, so we really want someone to break out and it’s not the same boring same teams winning – of course except from Spurs!

“Then we need to skip one semi-final for everyone else that plays so many games. It should only be one.

“If it’s about money, then someone needs to fix it. If it’s Premier League paying money to EFL (English Football League), because as far as I understand it, it’s because of that. So someone has to fix it. It should be very, very easy.”

Frank missed out on the semi-finals last season after Brentford lost 3-1 in the last eight away to eventual winners Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Newcastle went on to win the competition and secure a first domestic trophy in 70 years as Eddie Howe made history as Magpies boss.

There are similarities between Howe and Frank, given they both established unfancied clubs in the Premier League in the shape of Bournemouth and Brentford respectively before they earned jobs at teams with greater resources.

Spurs head coach Frank added: “I admire Eddie massively.

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Thomas Frank (right) is an admirer of Eddie Howe (PA)

“Remarkable job in Bournemouth. I followed his team, followed what they did. Fantastic.

“And then he got the big job or the bigger job in Newcastle and the way he turned that around to qualify for the Champions League twice I think, and of course when the cup came out, he transformed the club.

“I think that’s quite impressive. He’s a clever tactician, he clearly knows what he wants, very consistent and I think he’s done very well.”

The Carabao Cup was the first major trophy won in Howe’s career.

When it was put to Frank that the Newcastle boss could now be declared a winner, he countered: “What is a winner?

“Is a winner one that wins something? Or – now I’m not talking about football coaches, just people – is a winner who’s getting up every day relentlessly doing a job, setbacks, keep going. Is that a winner?

“But the perception is always that big trophy. I would love to win. We would love to win.

“I think it’s easier to call it a winner if you win something – so that’s the aim.”