Ex-Tottenham coaches Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou to be rival World Cup pundits

Frank will be part of the BBC's coverage of the tournament, while Postecoglou has joined the ITV punditry team. Richard Heathcote / Getty Images Share articleThere will be a particularly Tottenham Hotspur flavour to the UK coverage of this summer’s World Cup, with the club’s former head coaches Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou confirmed as leading pundits for the BBC and ITV, respectively. Frank is among the names adding “global insight and international edge” to the BBC’s coverage of the tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, while his predecessor at Spurs, Postecoglou, will be part of the team at rival ITV. Frank has not spoken publicly since he was sacked by Spurs in February following a run of eight league games without a win, and his view of the club’s annus horribilis — as well as Brentford’s rise under his successor, Keith Andrews — should be insightful for supporters. The Dane’s win ratio of 34.2 per cent was the worst of any permanent manager in Tottenham’s history and Roberto De Zerbi, the club’s third permanent coach of the campaign, has quickly made the squad appear more confident and accomplished since replacing Igor Tudor in March. Frank, 52, is unlikely to be so bold as the lay the blame for Spurs’ struggles at Postecoglou’s door but there is a case that their irreversible slide down the Premier League began on the Australian’s watch during the second half of last season, when he prioritised winning the Europa League — a milestone that came at the cost of a 17th-place league finish. Postecoglou has already had a say on Spurs, offering a damning assessment of the club during an appearance on The Overlap podcast (which was released on February 12, the day after Frank’s sacking), during which he described them as “not a big club”. The 60-year-old also addressed his 39-day spell at Nottingham Forest, which ended without a win from eight matches, although there is likely to be more to come from the outspoken former Celtic boss, who should also have a view on the dramatic revival of his former club in Scotland. Frank and Postecoglou were diametrically opposed in their ideas on football — the former a pragmatist, the latter an idealogue — but are likely to agree that Tottenham’s deep malaise is far bigger than any coach. Their first appearances this summer will be particularly compelling if Spurs are relegated, they are two points clear of the relegation zone ahead of their fixture against Chelsea on Tuesday. While Postecoglou is a compelling and persuasive rhetoricist, who will not be afraid to offer some punchy opinions (expect a tirade about VAR at some point), Frank is likely to be more low-key in approach. His time at Brentford, when he was in a far greater position of strength than any point at Spurs, suggests he can hold a room when necessary, however. Two former Chelsea and Spain team-mates will also go head to head for ratings, with Juan Mata lined up for ITV and Cesar Azpilicueta part of the BBC team. Former Arsenal and France players Oliver Giroud — whose goal in the quarter-final of the last World Cup eliminated England — and Gael Clichy will also be part of the BBC line-up, along with Ashley Williams and Benni McCarthy. Regulars including Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Steph Houghton will reprise their roles on the national broadcaster’s coverage, which will be fronted by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott from studios in Salford, Greater Manchester. ITV, by contrast, will base all of its World Cup coverage, to be presented by Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods and Semra Hunter, from a New York studio. Along with Mata and Postecoglou, former Arsenal stars Patrick Vieira and Ian Wright will be part of the team, along with familiar faces Gary Neville and Roy Keane. A U.S. flavour will be provided by Emma Hayes, the U.S. Women’s National Team boss, and Wright’s son, Bradley Wright-Phillips, who played for a number of clubs in MLS and is currently a studio host on MLS Season Pass. The BBC and ITV share UK rights for the tournament, although the only game they will both broadcast live will be the final at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms