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Managing Expectation: The Views Of A Fan Old Enough To Know Better

By The Boy -

It’s a funny old game. Only a few years ago I was routinely chastened by my moral overlords within the Spurs fanbase for not being much of a fan. This is was based upon unchecked contempt for the ENIC regime that was more interested in making money than lifting trophies. Nobody wanted to read about Daniel Levy’s hands-on involvement in the non-football related purchases stretches of Haringey, nor about the manner in which it was all done. A small local business had the audacity to get in the way and such levels of hate began to pressurize, that an arson attack took place. Anyone that was against the Big Hurrah was an enemy.

Nobody wanted to read about the debt which in the final analysis had become generational. Instead, the Stubborn mixed it up with the Millennials and it was decided that things had never been so good.

Pochettino was emotionally overinvested in by supporters, but underfunded financially by his master. That was another situation that gradually blew up like an old boiler; despite me spending years telling you that Levy did the buying, it took Mauricio to blow his last gasket in a presser and reveal that the Hurrah Fans had been wrong all along. There was no committee. Maybe they should change his job title to avoid further confusion.

Regrettably, I was right, and everyone that wasted their time arguing with me was grimly wrong. The stadium build before trophies has proved to be classic cart before the horse moment as predicted, saddling us with a debt that has eclipsed all imaginings. This is wholly separate from the Coronavirus business which of course very few had predicted, although I remain utterly bewildered that insurance against such a pandemic was freely available as a commercial product, as subscribed to by the tennis bods down in Wimbledon, and yet THFC, whose largest sponsor was and still is… an insurance company, declined it. The most valuable things in my life are insured, aren’t yours?

Pochettino of course, was left to swing in the breeze, unfunded and left to serve up some extraordinarily dysfunctional football with a squad of players who had truly had their moment and missed it. The Champions League final was so bad a spectacle, that a certain band of Harrah Fans adopted a bizarre psychological coping strategy, and chose to pluck out the come-back game against Ajax as the everlasting memory of another nearly moment – instead of the reality.

The later football under Poch, I repeat, was awful. The players had run their race and truth be told, after some three and half years of hearing the same messages from the same faces, the squad was mentally tired of the whole wretched shebang and the side that lost to Liverpool in Madrid was finished before the teams stepped out to play. Jeez, Pochettino even dropped the heroic Moura for the off-colour Kane. That told us where the club’s head was at the time. So much for enjoying the ride. Spurs were just going round in circles, occasionally making one a bit queezy.

The swinging Pochhtino was finally cut down from the beam he had once trodden quite deftly. Enter stage left the panto villain, José Mourinho. Part-time serial winner, full time divisive.

The All or Nothing television shows made uncomfortable viewing for lots of people. One was Daniel Levy, who would have undoubtedly involved himself in the production with the same meticulous detail he applies to everything in his professional life. Only a handful of Pochettino minutes avoided the cutting room floor. That filming would have undoubtedly shaped his thinking.

Hurrah Fans were instead presented with a whole series of unedifying stuff that didn’t fit in at all with the Hurrah Brief. Dele Alli was tragically lazy, a boy more interested in a puerile debate over chocolate bars than impressing a coach whose haul of trophies ought to have instantly commanded his respect. Harry Kane was troubled by the lack of collective responsibility in the group. Finally, the bubble was well and truly burst when Mourinho told the nice boys that they needed to stop being nice boys and start being a bunch of [insert industrial naughty word here].

Fast forward to this season and we witnessed some absolutely fantastical moves in the transfer window, which either indicated that Steve Hitchen had been locked ina broom cupboard for the duration or that Mourinho had managed to comprise a wishlist of players that he felt matched the objectives he needed to achieve, but on a budget that was realistic. After all, the Special One would have sat and watched like the rest of us over the years, as Levy routinely failed to secure transfer targets. José’s list had to be so easy, that even a man who regularly practiced peeling a Terry’s Chocolate Orange in his pocket in his spare time, would be capable of securing the names.

The players arrived, and Spurs looked more than occasionally reinvigorated. Sonny and Kane produced so many goals and assists it was breathtaking just adding them all up. Despite this quite firey rebirth, there remained grave doubts over the style of play that achieved it. Manchester City, for example, were beaten by two clear goals in a game that was rather like one of those cheffy deconstructed dishes where the rhubarb, the crumble, and the custard are all served on the same plate, but in three odd-looking spheres. Spurs even topped the table on and off for a few days.

Now we are looking at a team that isn’t quite satisfying any examination. Tottenham is neither nice boys nor a bunch of [insert industrial naughty word here]. The Hurrah brigade have been in like Flynn, spouting inexorable outrage about the lack of ride enjoyment to be had under the prehistoric Portuguese Pulis. The same coach that in his last impossible role at Old Trafford lifted 3 pieces of silverware. The same coach that started so comparatively brightly, on the results front, anyway.

As for style; this, as in life is an incredibly subjective area, and those who cannot cope with José’s ought do as I prescribed previously, and stop watching us live, and opt instead for the highlight reels. That way, you get all the sweetie and very little of the wrapper.

We would be told that Mourinho has been found out and much darker shades of fruitcake theories are to be found on Twitter, the home of the unrelentingly hysterical vox pop.

The truth, if there are those who can cope with another dose, is that uniformed yelps and squeals are unhelpful. They must be ignored. As ought any form of weirdo propaganda that is based upon fantasy. What is useful is context and healthy doses of the stuff.

Harry Kane is playing too many games because Carlos Vicinious isn’t good enough, and beyond that blindingly obvious fact, the squad still has far too many of Pochettino’s ghouls haunting it. Eric Dier is fundamentally unreliable. Erik Lamela is still threatening to play at an acceptable level some 7 years after first signing for us. Harry Winks’ role remains unfathomable. Dele Alli has become a Dele Alli tribute act. The most obscene inconsistency is without a fraction of doubt, is Gareth Bale. Never has so much cash been set fire to with just one Dunhill lighter. Another box office blunder from Levy who, when he does occasionally does dig deep, he spends with all the aplomb of drunken lottery winner. He blew the Bale money on players that didn’t work and didn’t win anything. He blew a billion on shopping centre with a football pitch in the middle of it (which wasn’t comprehensively insured) and is now blowing a quarter of a million pounds a week on a player that is inarguably well past his sell-by date. All 3 if these decisions smack of refusing to take reasonable and sound advice from anyone, and after 20-years in charge you can bet there is no one left to provide such guidance.

Mourinho must be compared to ensure context, and surely fair example is that of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, who too had a squad which needed licking into something with an identity. It is fair comment that many of us would manage to spot Tottenham in a crowded street, given how indistinct they can occasionally be. Klopp started his tenure at Anfield in 2015. Perhaps the German’s early years were dogged by naysayers who missed Gérard Houllier or Rafael Benítez, who won them trophies? I don’t know, I don’t follow that team. I would welcome anyone who can make a substantive contribution to that part of the conversation.

Where does this leave us now? The only credible pathway is that of reason and this requires an acceptance that in football there are no such things as overnight successes, and that that past is a place occupied by the discarded and the dead. If Mourinho is to deliver trophies, which is what any normal fan of professional sport wants, then he must be given the time and the tools with which to work. Instead, we are a year in, and in the main, all I have heard to date is an awful lot of bleating.

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Jedi Mangler
Jedi Mangler
3 years ago
Reply to  The Boy

That’s my point. He seems to be very stubborn and almost intransigent about changing his defensive strategy, and things are not bad enough yet for him to employ an Imodium fix. As for 3 more games, no, I think we need to give him at least to the end of the season, look how excited we have been about the team up to the Liverpool game. After years in the doldrums, I think we all need more of that non-Spursey nectar.

Will
Will
3 years ago

After ENIC sacked GG and brought in Hoddle before an FA semi and you could hear the cheers from goonerland (who were certain they would lose) all to appease the GG haters my opinion of ENIC hit bottom and has remained there ever since. They have delusions of joining the Euroleague without spending anywhere near what the others with similar ambition, do and really think that they can compete.

Jedi Mangler
Jedi Mangler
3 years ago

The short answer to your question HH is “No” because Jose doesn’t believe carrion men are groaning for burial. If you take Shakespeare’s Mark Anthony’s quote a little further – Jose will believe that (figuratively) its not quite” havoc”,  and carrion men are not quite “groaning for burial”. 
Yet.
 In other words I don’t think Jose is quite ready to let slip the dogs of war and fire up our attack, unfortunately, until it gets significantly worse. I’ve got my fingers crossed I’m wrong, but I agree with Cali’s comments that we need to give Jose more rope before we hang him – but I do hope we can get it right over the next 3 home games Fulham, Leeds and Brentford.
 

chrism090861
chrism090861
3 years ago

Spot on H. Just would like to add my tuppence worth.. I wonder if the players are actually misinterpreting the message that Mourinho is getting across to them. maybe ‘Keep it tight’ doesn’t just mean sitting behind the ball and allowing the other team to run you round the pitch for 85/86 minutes , whereby a mistake/quality play from the other team will occur,and bang, there goes 85 minutes of good defending. But, to add, when we went to Southampton, we destroyed them, same as Old Trafford. We destroyed West Ham, then sat back. At Anfield, every time we attacked them we looked like scoring, at palace, they scored, sat back, Palace equalized, then they started running rings round Palace but couldn’t get a winner, and again last night, after Wolves scored we played lovely attacking football, and again, too late, no winner… Against Leicester at home, we showed them far too much respect, for gods sake Fulham beat them at home, and again, when it was too late we went in search of goals. I guess the bottom line is ‘Balance’, of defending and attack, i think that’s where we need to get it right. We have the players to beat anyone, but that’s the key word, ‘Beat’, not as Blanchflower said, wait for them to die of boredom by letting them play in front of us until the final whistle blows… I am still hopeful this season, as there is still so much to play for, and don’t forget, if we get past Brentford, we have beaten both the teams waiting in the final this season already…

Paul
Paul
3 years ago

It is wonderful to have the power of the pen and control the narrative, discard those that disagrees as cheer leaders while at the same time distracting from the gawd aweful football been served up from N7. Am a life long fan close to 50yrs, USA via Jamaica with family living within walking distance of the stadium. Been there while it was under construction grabbing some stuff from the old shop across the street, and I have seen the best from the Old Lane with a few FA cups and other trophies. All the other stuff leading up to the last close of business does not matter right now. This is what we have until the window reopens. This was lauded as the best window in ages and while we stumble out the blocks the race is still winnable. Dele Alli, Winks and Aurier are not the posts you remove and the building calapses, they are basic rafters on load bearing beams. Singing Mourhino praises when all seems great is one thing, but to revert to the shiny object is another when things are not going right, and just as i lay the blame at Pochinto for not evolving as a manager, the same can be said of Jose being as stubborn as a billy goat on a wet rock. (Shout out to the farmers, they know billy ain’t budging until he say so). The system currently is not working, and has not worked for the last 7 or 8 games. This has nothing to do with the big house being erected, the debt, Covid19, Levy as the mad scientist or anyone outside the dressing room. How can a team expected to win when we cannot string 2 passes together pass the half line without going back and sideways, because taking a risk driving the ball is too risk. Hello Dele, no flicks and tricks needed. Pass 2 yards behind you keep moving. How can the manager ended the last 5 or 6 games without a play maker in middle of the park? That has absolutely nothing to do with players, but should squarely at the manager’s feet. My biggest gripes were awfully late substitions with Pochitno, and he did not see a lead he could not add to. Contrast that to Jose who is dead set on grabbing one and defending it to the death. I get the article which were great insights at the time, i read most if not all of them. I like HarryH because he is factual and support his arguement, but this is not the time to go strolling down memory lane for the HH greatest hits. On your man’s watch the football is unbearable to watch. Show the same “fairness” you claim when we had the other guy. Happy New Year!!!

coys1882
coys1882
3 years ago
Reply to  The Boy

Thank-you H!

coys1882
coys1882
3 years ago

I think a fair and balanced assessment H, however there are distinct caveats to be applied to the Mourinho regime and its ‘modus operandae’. Yes, Jose is a serial winner and his CV deservedly commands considerable respect, however it can’t be overlooked that his recent managerial tenures, at Chelsea and United, both unravelled fast and deteriorated into fractious factionalism, whereby he lost a significant portion of both dressing rooms, thus hastening his demise.

This doesn’t occur when he is winning, even if the occasional player might become marginalised, like a Dele Alli. However, once the team stops winning and Mourinho’s relentless perfectionism finds more targets within the team, as objects of his ire, the situation can deteriorate quickly. I am sure that most of the squad are still ‘on board’ with the manager, however in the last two EPL games the levels of performance have dropped off considerably, especially worryingly from Son and Kane,

Players, especially top players, want to win and Sonny and Harry in particular have bought into the Mourinho footballing ethos. Whilst we are winning, there is no problem in maintaining cohesion and harmony within the group. However once the team falters, inevitably attention starts to focus on the pragmatic but negative defensive tactics that Jose habitually employs. Shackling world class strikers like Son and Kane, with defensive duties, is a concern to me as fan and I feel the fall out from the West Ham draw has had undesirable repercussions.

Not only is it disingenuous of Mourinho now to blame the players, for an overly cautious approach, it is dangerously counter-productive. I don’t believe it was the players who authorised the tactical change after the West Ham debacle, it was undoubtedly Mourinho. As a result, the devastating fluidity of our counter-attacking football in the second half against Southampton, against United and the first 15 minutes against West Ham, that garnered 14 goals, is now a distant memory.

We have a chance in the next three matches, all at home, against Fulham, Leeds and Brentford to really go for the jugular and ‘let slip the dogs of war!’ Let our world class strikers off the leash and attack these inferior teams, make our quality count. Any more defending 1-0 leads from the first minute, with 11 men behind the ball, especially if we ultimately don’t win and the disenchantment will grow, certainly from the fan base but one suspects also from within the team. Over to you Jose, remember the famous old club motto, “to dare is to do!”

Marbella Spur
Marbella Spur
3 years ago

A good article but it leaves more questions than it answers. I generally agree with most of HHs blogs but have never agreed with his somewhat condescending critique of Poch’s achievements. I thought he did a very good job with limited funds at his disposal. You only have to read Andros Townsend’s as to the mess Spurs were in before Poch arrived and what a great job he did. Coming for someone who was sold by Poch, it speaks volumes. I do not like Mourinho’s style of play, but contrary to advice , I will continue to watch as many games as I can in their entirety. I find it disingenuous of Mourinho to complain the the players were not adventurous enough against Wolves when we set up the same way in nearly every game. Blaming the players for your tactics inevitably leads to losing the dressing room which has happened at the last three clubs he managed. Whether Mourinho will stay at Spurs to finish the job of winning silverware is a moot point. He generally does not stay more than three seasons at any club he has managed as his ego finally rubs everyone up the wrong way, and I doubt that there has been a Damascene conversion in his personality. Inevitably, the focus always switches to Levy. Everything you have always written about him has been spot on and I will not dwell on the copious failings he has inflicted on the club. One trophy during Levy’s reign is a poor return for the supporters and if he was the CEO of a public company, he would have been escorted off the premises a long time ago. If we cannot achieve success under a serial winner like Mourinho, you would think that the supporters would lose patience with Levy, but I am yet to be convinced.

SpursGoliath
SpursGoliath
3 years ago

I’d sacrifice 6pts in the league for the Carabao Cup at this point – we need to lift a pot, these players need to win, to feel like winners even if deep down we know that almost half the squad will need to be cycled and shifted over the net two transfer windows.

Those that remain will be better for that experience and it will get the monkey off the back of the club and banish ‘Spursy’ talk for at least a couple of seasons where the press can go and do one and find another joke club for a change (Newcastle?). Just win the thing and then we can focus on the next step up.

CzechSpur
CzechSpur
3 years ago

Great balanced read, thanks H.

Klopp failed to win anything until the 18/19 Champions League, followed by the Supercup and the PL in the next season, so it took him 3-4 years to produce. He has bought 38 players (including the world’s most expensive defender and goalkeeper at the time) and sold 37 during his 5 years in charge (as per https://www.anfield-online.co.uk/stats/jurgen-klopp-lfc-transfer-signings.html).

Granted, there are some wonderful deals there (Robertson for 8M stands out), but a cursory look shows that even squad players at LFC such as Keita are often bought for fees rivalling what we paid for our record signing, which should provide a bit of perspective of what we’re competing against. Also, they kept their squad fresh and competitive throughout, which we haven’t.

Mourinho has the track record of success unlike most of our players and now it’s time to back him and give him the sort of time and support Klopp got. The players had the chance to “do it the right way” under Poch and failed. Time to let the Special One have a proper go.

Last edited 3 years ago by CzechSpur
Cali
Cali
3 years ago

Fair and balanced assessment Mr HH, let’s give time Mourinho and the fact is I don’t know any other manager out there who achieved as much as he did except Pep Guardiola. This season Mourinho will be very successful if he wins any cup and finishes top4, for me a top 4 finish will be enough till Mourinho gets this window and the next one in the summer to get his players after that he will have no excuses he has to deliver before that happens I agree with you 100% nobody can blame Mourinho on anything he came when the team was 14th place he finished top6 and now he was top of the league for a month and still in the mix of top6 that is very good job for me and a progress thanks for the well written and balanced article.

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