MANCHESTER, England — Thomas Frank has stated that he has no plans to strip Cristian Romero of the captaincy, despite needing to defend the Argentine international for the second time within a week.
On Monday, Romero appeared to criticize Tottenham’s recruitment efforts during the January transfer window, remarking on social media that the dearth of squad options is “disgraceful.”
Following these comments, Frank defended Romero, who captained the team against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. However, he was sent off just 29 minutes into the match for a reckless challenge on Casemiro. Spurs ultimately suffered a 2-0 defeat.
When asked if he’d consider removing Romero from the captaincy, Frank replied, “No. He has expressed regret about the incident and apologized to his teammates in the dressing room. He is one of our key players.”
Romero now faces a four-match suspension after receiving his second red card of the season. Since his Tottenham debut in August 2021, he has been shown a red card six times across all competitions, which is the highest tally for any player in the Premier League during that period.
“Cristian, first and foremost, did not intend to receive a red card,” Frank stated. “His intention was to win the ball, but due to the letter of the law, it resulted in a sending off.”
– Frank: ‘No idea’ if Romero will remain at Tottenham next season
– Premier League table
In addition to his on-field indiscipline, Romero has also raised eyebrows with his social media remarks on two occasions. Following a 3-2 loss to Bournemouth in January, he commented, “At times like this, other people should come forward to speak, but they don’t, as has been the pattern for several years. They only show up when things are positive to tell a few lies.”
When questioned if such incidents might lead him to reconsider Romero’s captaincy, Frank simply replied: “No.”