Thomas Frank is optimistic about his Tottenham Hotspur side in the wake of a dramatic defeat to Paris Saint Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night (August 13).
After leading 2-0, thanks to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven getting on the scoresheet, Spurs were pegged back by two late goals from the French side, which forced penalties to decide proceedings.
Despite taking an early lead in the shoot-out, the current Europa League holders lost their grip on the trophy, as van de Ven and Mathys Tel both missed from the spot.
Nuno Mendes successfully dispatched the last penalty to hand the Champions League holders a fifth trophy for this calendar year.
While losing in the manner they did will be tough to take, Frank's men showed plenty of promise throughout the contest in Udine of the levels they can reach under the new Spurs boss.
The Spurs side were a solid collective as they were well organised off the ball, while the team found the right moments to break forward and trouble the PSG defence.
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Frank's honest assessment of Spurs' display in Udine
Speaking with TNT Sports post-match, Frank reflected on his first competitive game in the Spurs dugout. In particular, he was satisfied with how his team coped before Lee Kang-In and Goncalo Ramos' goals.
"I think we played a very good game against one of the best teams in the world, maybe the best," said the 51-year-old.
"We had (PSG) exactly where we wanted them for 80 minutes. Then it shifted the momentum but I'm so proud of the players, club and fans."
Frank then made a bold statement about the level his new side can operate at
"In one game, I think we have shown we can play against any team in the world. I'm not in doubt about that and that's a positive to take away from this," the Dane claimed.
The Spurs manager also touched on the positive tactical elements of his side's encouraging performance at the Stadio Friuli.
"We showed we can be adaptable and pragmatic. We needed to be that against a team like PSG, with the way we wanted to defend with both high pressure and a low block."
As a manager, Frank typically gives his players 24 hours to deal with a loss before preparations have to properly begin for the next game.
Spurs kick-off the Premier League season with the visit of newly promoted Burnley on Saturday (August 16).
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