Tottenham manager Thomas Frank proposes changes to football’s rules, including adjustments to penalties and timeouts.

Thomas Frank, the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, has suggested several changes to modern football, aiming to improve fairness and coaching opportunities. The Danish coach, who took charge of Spurs in June 2025, shared his ideas in an interview with a club sponsor.

Technical Timeouts for Coaches

Frank believes that introducing a timeout in each half would help managers communicate with their players during matches.

“From a coaching perspective, it would be great to have an opportunity during the game to talk to the players and adjust things,” he said.

This concept, commonly seen in sports like basketball and American football, would allow managers to offer tactical guidance and make mid-game adjustments without disrupting the flow of play.

Proposed Penalty Rule Change

Another idea Frank supports concerns penalty kicks. He suggested that penalties should only be awarded for intentional handballs, rather than any accidental contact.

“If a handball touches your arm inside the box, it gives the opponent a better chance to score just because it touched your arm. That’s not correct,” Frank explained.
“Of course, if you’re on the goal line defending like a goalkeeper, that’s different. But a ball just hitting a player’s arm shouldn’t result in the biggest scoring opportunity.”

The manager believes this change would make the game fairer and reduce controversial penalty calls that can significantly impact matches.

Thomas Frank’s Coaching Career

Thomas Frank began his coaching career in 2008, managing Danish youth teams before taking his first professional role at Brøndby in 2013. Between 2018 and 2025, he led Brentford in the English Premier League, earning recognition for his tactical expertise. Tottenham appointed him after a challenging season in which the club won the Europa League but underperformed in the league.

Tottenham’s Upcoming Fixture

Tottenham will face West Ham United this Saturday (13), at 1:30 pm (Brasília time) in the Premier League. Spurs currently occupy fourth place, with two wins and one defeat in the early rounds of the season.