Martin Ho on meeting Thomas Frank, seeking inspiration from Kobe Bryant, and returning to the WSL

Tottenham Hotspur's new manager has been doing his homework as he looks to improve the struggling WSL side’s fortunes

Credit: Tottenham Hotspur

It’s rare that you get an outcry of jealousy from rival fans when a new manager is appointed at a club.

Back in July, that’s exactly what greeted Martin Ho when Tottenham Hotspur revealed the former Manchester United assistant would be replacing Robert Vilahamn as head coach.

Ever since Ho departed United in June 2023 to pursue other opportunities, fans have longed for his return. However, United fans didn’t expect it to be in the dugout at the club that finished second bottom of the WSL last season.

Not long after Ho left United, he became head coach of Norwegian side Brann, leading them to Champions League qualification and a quarter-final spot in the 2023-24 season. Brann lost to eventual champions Barcelona in a run that caught plenty of attention across Europe.

The highly rated coach is now back in England and with big ambitions to fulfil what has been a long promise of success at Tottenham Hotspur.

Within a few minutes of meeting Ho at Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground you get a sense of the way he’s endeared himself to fans and players. He quickly mentions the “passion” and “desire” he wants to see from his squad and how he will be “kicking every ball with the players on the touchline”.