LONDON (Reuters) -Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence have apologised for snubbing manager Thomas Frank after the weekend's home defeat by Chelsea, the Dane said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters before Tottenham's home Champions League game against Copenhagen on Tuesday, Frank said the players had come to see him 'unprompted' on Sunday.
"Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday and just said 'I want to say sorry for the situation'," he said.
"They didn't want it to look bad or disrespectful or all kind of perception youcan get in this beautiful media world.
"So that was not their intention at all towards me or the team or the club. They were just frustrated with the performance, the lossand the booing during the game."
Van de Ven and Spence headed straight down the tunnel, seemingly ignoring Frank's request to acknowledge the crowd, after Saturday's 1-0 defeat as fans booed the team's performance.
The manager remained on the pitch, applauding the fans. Spurs have won one of five home games in the Premier League this season under the Dane.
Frank said he would have asked the players about the incident and how they were feeling had they not come to see him.
The details of the broader conversation would remain private, he added: "It would be very, very, very unusual if I would ever throw a player under the bus. We are all human, but I will always protect them."
The coach urged Spurs fans to help lift the team for the full 90 minutes and said he was well aware play had not always been free-flowing.
Frank, a previous manager of Copenhagen's local rivals Brondby, said he still followed Danish football and expected Tuesday's game to be difficult, regardless of form.
Copenhagen have yet to win in the Champions League this season and have conceded eight goals in three matches while Tottenham remain unbeaten in Europe.
"The next game is the one everything can change," said Frank.
"So we prepare like normal, very aware of the strength of Copenhagen and areas we would like to exploit. They have a very good coach and I expect a tough challenge and a tactical challenge."
(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Christian Radnedge)
