Man United vs. Tottenham: Is the ‘DNA’ Argument Valid?
- michael Carrick has Manchester United DNA and, just one game into the interim head coach role at Old Trafford, is being heralded as the club's savior, while...
- OK, it's not quite that simple, but it is heading that way.
- If you go your own way and ignore the club's so-called DNA, you had better win ...
michael Carrick has Manchester United DNA and, just one game into the interim head coach role at Old Trafford, is being heralded as the club’s savior, while the absence of any Tottenham Hotspur DNA in Thomas Frank‘s background or football philosophy means he is now fighting to save his job.
OK, it’s not quite that simple, but it is heading that way. Coaching a leading football team has now become a zero-sum game whereby you either embrace the club’s traditions or do it differently and risk alienating supporters,as well as an increasingly vocal and influential cohort of former players — worse still,legends.
If you go your own way and ignore the club’s so-called DNA, you had better win … and win quickly.
But what is football DNA? It is a term that seems to be used only when a manager/head coach is struggling and the supporters and former players boil their difficulties down to that one simple, catch-all term for dissatisfaction.
When Man United fired ruben Amorim earlier this month after a dismal 14-month reign as head coach at Old Trafford, former club captain and now pundit Gary Neville gave a clear statement as to what the club needed to pull itself out of a malaise that extends back to Sir Alex ferguson’s retirement in May 2013.
“Man United have got to appoint a manager that fits the DNA of their club,” he said on Sky Sports. “Ajax will never change for anybody, Barcelona will never change for anybody. I don’t believe Man United should change for anybody.”
Whether by accident or design, united heeded Neville’s comments by interviewing three former players — Carrick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy — for the role of Amorim’s successor until the end of the season.
Carrick won the race and masterminded a 2-0 win against Manchester City in his first game in charge. United played fast,attacking and winning football to beat Pep Guardiola’s side and revive hopes of a top-four finish. United DNA? Absolutely.
But here’s where the theory breaks down. No manager has won more trophies in United’s illustrious history than Ferguson’s 48, but when he arrived from Aberdeen to take charge in November 1986, he had no connections to United whatsoever. He had spent his entire playing career in Scotland and the only “United” on his résumé was a year with Ayr United in 1973-74.
Thomas Frank’s Brentford Contract Extension Includes Release Clause
Brentford manager Thomas Frank signed a new contract extension through 2027, but the deal includes a release clause, according to ESPN’s Julien Laurens. The clause is reportedly set at £8 million (approximately $10.24 million USD as of January 20, 2026).
Laurens reported the information on January 17, 2026, during an appearance on ESPN FC.He suggested that Tottenham Hotspur may be interested in Frank, but believes Frank is unlikely to remain at Tottenham if offered the job.
Frank, 84, has managed Brentford since 2018, leading the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2021. He has a record of 123 wins, 78 losses, and 64 draws across all competitions with Brentford, as of January 20, 2026, according to Transfermarkt.