Clinton Morrison on Thomas Frank, the Club World Cup and Crystal Palace in Europe
Will Jackson 
The club season may be over but there is still plenty going on in the footballing world, with managerial changes and the Club World Cup fast approaching.
We caught up with Clinton Morrison to discuss the impending arrival at Tottenham of Thoams Frank, players to watch at the Club World Cup and the prospect of Crystal Palace not being allowed to play in the Europa League.
So, looking ahead to the weekend, here's what Clinton had to say when speaking exclusively to Free Bets.
Q: Tottenham got rid of Ange Postecoglou last week. It wasn’t that unexpected, and you predicted it would happen some weeks ago, but there seems to have been a backlash from supporters.
Have you been surprised by the reaction?
A: Yeah, I'm a bit surprised, but not totally because he's just won a trophy.
We know how long it's been since Spurs have won a trophy. He said he would win a trophy in his second season, and he did it.
I just think the hierarchy looked at the amount of games he lost in the Premier League and thought, we can't really have that.
I probably am still surprised that after winning a Europa League and getting them in the Champions League, I think the least you could have done is give him until Christmas, that's my opinion.
I did think he would lose his job regardless of whether he won the Europa League or not, but thinking about it afterwards, maybe he should have been given time to see if he could turn it around in the league this season.
I think they had it in their head that they were going to make a change, but he can go with his head held high after winning a big European trophy. He’s got them into the Champions League and I’m sure he will get another job very soon.
The timing is not really right though. They couldn’t get rid of him before the a final like they did with Jose Mourinho because that disrupts the team, but then getting rid of him after winning it isn’t right.
I can see why fans are disappointed, and I’m disappointed for Ange, but he did lose a lot of Premier League games. They were focusing on the Europa League a lot so it is understandable from both sides, but just a bit disappointing in all.
Q: And Thomas Frank looks like he will be the man to replace him. It’s not always worked for managers from mid-table clubs stepping up, how do you see Frank going at Spurs?
A: It can be difficult because of the big expectations of managing big football clubs, because you’re expected to win every game whereas at Brentford the pressure is just to survive.
He is a very good manager though. I’ve seen him on the training ground and he is very detailed, all the players will know their jobs and be comfortable but it will be a hard job. He has to hit the ground running because there will be pressure, but it will be good to get him in now so that he can have pre-season with the squad.
I have always said he deserves a chance. The job he’s done at Brentford has been first class and he deserves the chance to go and manage a big team.
I’m glad Tottenham are going to take a chance on Thomas Frank and I wish him well.
Q: The Club World Cup starts this weekend. Will you be watching it?
A: Yeah definitely. There are some good teams there, and some quality players so I’m really looking forward to it.
It looks like Manchester City are going to take it really seriously with all their new signings that they’re taking, even if it means Jack Grealish stays at home.
It looks like Jack will probably move on now which is probably best for his career because he is a special player, and good luck to him.
But Chelsea too, both clubs look like they’re taking it seriously. Liam Delap was supposed to be with the under 21s but he’s going - it’s the same with Jobe Bellingham too - so the top teams are all taking their best players, so it will be a serious tournament.
If you win it, you’ll be buzzing. I don’t know how the players will deal with recovery because this runs on for a few weeks, then it’s only a short break before the start of the next season. But that’s just the way football is going at the moment.
Q: If you were a player, how up for it would you be? With international tournaments you usually get a summer off every other year so they’re not getting that, and burnout could really be a factor couldn’t it?
A: It will be a factor, but I think once you’re there, you will take it seriously because you can’t go through the motions.
It will benefit teams like Liverpool and Arsenal who are not in it, and they will be stronger come the start of the season. So Man City and Chelsea will have to manage their players over there, but there will be occasions when they can give squad players a few opportunities.
It will be interesting to see how Pep and Maresa manage their squads. Pep’s is brilliant with the new players they have added, but it will be interesting to see the sides they name in the group stages and how they rotate.
It will be fantastic for someone like Rodri though. Players who need minutes to build up to the new season, so that’s a bonus for City.
Q: Part of the intrigue of the tournament is about seeing teams from around the world that we don’t usually get to see. Who do you think will be some players to watch out for, or people you’re looking forward to watching?
A: There’s a lot of Bayern Munich and PSG players to look out for. The likes of Musiala, Barcola, Kane and Vitinha are quality and they’ll be good to watch, Julian Alvarez too who I reckon City are regretting selling.
But in terms of the other teams, there are some fun players to watch out for.
I think Edinson Cavani will be there, and Al Hilal will want to prove that the Saudi Pro League is a good league. They’ve got players like Koulibaly, Milinkovi-Savic, Mitrovic, Malcolm, Ruben Neves. There’s a lot of quality and talented players in there.
It’s a good chance for them to show if there is a big gap or not between the Saudi Pro League and the others.
There are a lot of good teams in there. I’d look out for Dortmund, and Gittens. He’s been linked to Chelsea and is a very good young player, and that deal could still happen.
I would have PSG are the favourites with betting sites to go on and win it because they’re just riding the crest of a wave at the moment.
Q: And you have Inter Miami and Messi too…
A: They haven’t named their squad yet but I’m hoping he plays! Don’t rule Inter Miami out. They’ll have Messi, Busquets, Alba and Suarez, but you can’t have four players carrying the rest of the team.
They’ll surprise a few teams I think. Los Angeles too, they’ll have a few good players so it should be good fun.
Q: There’s been a bit of conjecture about Crystal Palace playing in Europe next season because of the ownership issue. What’s your view on it, it’s not a great situation to be in is it?
A: No, it’s not. It looks like UEFA might come to a decision where Palace are allowed to play in Europe because Textor only owns 30% of the club, if that, so it’s not the majority.
But from what I’ve seen of other clubs, they’ve been allowed to play in the tournaments so hopefully common sense comes in because Palace deserve it. They beat Manchester City, they deserve to be in the Europa League.
It will be a lesson learned because they probably didn’t think they’d ever be in this position, but next time you can be sure it won’t happen again! But they deserve to be playing Europa League football and hopefully the decision comes soon because it would be devastating for the club and the fans, the players, the management, the chairman and everyone if they’re not playing in the Europa League next season.
Q: And finally we’ve just had a disappointing international break for England. There’s been a bit of criticism around Harry Kane and his ability to press in a Thomas Tuchel side, with some people saying England would be a better side without him.
Do you think England would be a better side without Harry Kane?
A: No, I don't think England are better without Harry Kane. No chance.
I get it that they want to press and that’s not Harry's game to go out and press, press.
But Thomas Tuchel has worked with him at Bayern Munich, so he knows what Harry Kane is about, and if Harry Kane is not in the team, who is going to score the goals? Because he's an out and out prolific goal scorer.
We have this debate so many times. Is England better without Harry Kane? No, they're not better without Harry Kane. Harry Kane is one of the best strikers there is in world football.
I get it, it's frustrating when you watch England and he drops so deep, but that's Harry Kane's game. I don't think you can take that away from him. I think it's just that's how he is.
I think sometimes it gets to a stage where other players have to go and do the pressing, and then you supply the likes of Harry Kane, who can go and win you a football match just like that.
I know one player is not bigger than the nation but if Harry Kane is not in that side and he leads by example as a captain, then who's going to score the goals?
I'm not saying England don’t have a lot of goal scorers, there's a lot of strikers. If you look at Ollie Watkins, he can go and press like that without a shadow of a doubt and we know he can score goals, but Harry Kane has plenty of years left in him.
There will always be criticism when England don’t do well and it doesn’t look like Kane is pressing enough, but he scored two goals in this international break - both England’s goals. You can’t be too critical of him, he’s in the team to score goals and he did that.
It makes me laugh when you see people criticising him.
To be fair, at the last Euros he wasn’t anywhere near where he should be, and that was probably because of injuries. He would be the first one to hold his hand up with that, but he still has a lot to offer for England.
England are a better team with Harry Kane in it than without.
