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There are some things you don't live down...

6 images that embattled managers never lived down after Frank’s Arsenal cup

Nestor Watach •

Tottenham’s Thomas Frank is in danger of joining former Manchester United, England and Blackburn Rovers managers in failing to live down an unfortunate image.

One awkward snapshot threatens to harden into something more enduring for the under-pressure Danish coach — the kind of image that quietly outlives context, nuance and explanation.

We’ve taken a closer look at six football images that these managers would really rather forget.

Thomas Frank – The Arsenal cup

“I definitely did not notice it,” Frank responded when asked if he realised he was drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup prior to Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat in Bournemouth.

“It would be completely stupid of me to take it if I knew. It’s a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked about it. I would never do something that stupid.

“I think we’re definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to worry about me having a cup with another logo of another club.”

All completely fair enough. The requisite shortest of shrifts for such a trivial non-issue.

And yet… Football is extremely silly. Given Spurs’ dire form, you can see this one sticking if he’s given the boot in the coming weeks.

We’d be amazed if it doesn’t get a mention in The Athletic’s inevitable deep dive post-mortem on his surely-soon-to-end spell in charge of Tottenham.

Is that fair? Of course it’s not. But, hey, we don’t make the rules.

Ruben Amorim – The tactics board

The funny thing is that Amorim actually, sort of, turned things around from the nadir of Grimsby. That could’ve been the end there and then, but he stuck around for another half a season.

The Portuguese coach got Manchester United challenging for the Champions League spots, while the underlying numbers behind their performances were encouraging.

While results were undoubtedly sketchy, it seems evident that he lost his job for falling out with the higher-ups as opposed to dropping points against Wolves and Leeds.

That may be true, but still, when we come to look back at Amorim’s 14-month stint at Manchester United, we won’t be able to look past him fiddling about with his little magnets while his billion-pound squad were 2-0 down in the p*ssing rain in Grimsby.

He never really lived it down.

Steve McClaren – The umbrella

The archetype. The daddy of the genre.

Look up ‘beleaguered football manager’ in a football encyclopedia and it’ll be accompanied by McClaren holding that umbrella.

Did the former England boss really deserve all those pelters for shielding himself from the rain? Probably not.

But the tabloids needed extra ammunition for both barrels after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008. Again, we don’t make the rules.

David Moyes – The Grim Reaper

One of the defining images of the Barclays era.

Unfortunately, a bit like Sutton United keeper Wayne Shaw and his pie-eating escapades, there’s a bookie-sponsored grubbiness behind this one.

This would be extra special if it turned out to be the actions of a fan, equal parts inspired and unhinged, but it turned out Paddy Power were behind the stunt. We do have to give them some begrudging respect for this one, though.

Moyes, of course, was sacked by Manchester United days later.

Sam Allardyce – The pint of wine

Unlike the others in this list, Allardyce is in no way embattled in this one. Look at the body language.

He’s at the peak of his powers. Master of his domain. Poppadoms presumably en route. Even more in the prime of his life than the time he was filmed dancing to Rihanna in Marbella.

This one’s all about the hubris. Big Sam’s short-lived England reign became synonymous with a pint of wine.

Paul Ince – The notepad

Ince’s managerial career spans 17 years, seven different clubs and almost 300 matches.

But we’ll never be able to look past him being the guy who idly doodled “shoot” next to the penalty box on his notepad. That’s his legacy.

Tactical genius.

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