Manager Thomas Frank likens his time at Tottenham Hotspur to running a gruelling marathon, saying he is trying to push through a “heavy mile” now that he hopes will pay dividends in the long run.

After their scoreless draw at Brentford on Thursday, Spurs are 12th in the standings with just one win in their last four league games.

During the stalemate, there were chants of “Boring, boring Tottenham” from fans, and Frank was greeted with a chorus of boos when he went to applaud travelling supporters.

Asked if he was enjoying his time in charge of Tottenham, Frank told reporters on Friday: “When you need to put in a big, big shift and it’s not smooth and it’s tough, it’s probably difficult to enjoy it.

“If I run hard I don’t enjoy that moment but I know I need to keep my head down and run hard to get through it. We are in a situation where you need to run hard, to stay in it.

“When we look back on this spell or maybe this first year when it was tough, you’ll think: ‘What a learning, what an experience, it made us so much better for the future.’ So the short answer is: no. The reality is you can’t.”

The Danish manager said he understood the frustrations of fans and believed success would change their attitude.

“When I put myself out of it and look down, I think: ‘What a privilege to be in charge of this fantastic club in a period where it’s a big transition’,” Frank said.

“It’s definitely a marathon and it definitely seems like it’s one of the more heavy miles I’m on now, but head down and keep going.”

On Sunday, Spurs host seventh-placed Sunderland.