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My Say: Why Spurs Need Stability
Lewis James Mathieson explains why Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur would be better off with some stability…..
05-Sep-2008 3:19:04 PM
The following are the views of the author and not necessarily of Goal.com.
When I think of Arsenal's fiercest local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the first thing that pops into my mind is Sheryl Crow’s song "Change would do you good".
That is the tune that Spurs manager Juande Ramos is dancing to since his acrimonious, 'eventful' arrival from Sevilla. Since his appointment as the manager, Ramos has taken a hacksaw to the previous Spurs side he inherited from Martin Jol and has severely altered it.
Previous first team regulars in the form of Chimbonda, Robinson, Robbie Keane, and Dimitar Berbatov have been shown the exit door in ruthless fashion; and the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Luka Modric, and most recently Roman Pavlyuchenko have arrived through the revolving door at White Hart Lane.
Despite the immediate tonic of the Carling Cup, known as the "Mickey Mouse Cup" among the Premiership's "big four", Spurs' form has been a shadow of what it used to be under Jol's regime. Jol preached "total football" and seemed less keen on making wholesome changes. Jol's Tottenham were rarely spectacular yet they were mechanically consistent in the league.
Jol developed a strong spine down the center of the team which made them difficult to beat away from home - they came a whisker away from piping Arsenal to fourth spot in the 2005-2006 campaign, only for the "good fairy" to come to the Gunners' rescue in the form of food poisoning.
Immediately after Ramos swapped the Cathedrals of Seville for the damp pavements of North London, Tottenham's league form kicked into gear. They quickly moved from the teeters of the relegation zone to mid table mediocrity, and the peak of this upturn in fortunes seemed to be those historic wins in the Carling Cup against Arsenal, and of course against ‘Chelski’ in the final.
But since then, Spurs have looked something close to shambles. Lackadaisical league performances towards the tail-end of the 2007-2008 season have been followed by two horror-show performances against Middlesbrough and Fulham, teams against whom even the likes of Stoke, Hull, and West Brom would be looking to get something from. Spurs, on the other hand, couldn't manage a single point.
And this brings me to the crux of my argument. The always-revolving door at White Hart Lane is the ultimate curse for Tottenham. Every season there seems to be a new manager from a foreign land and a batch of new players to accompany him; expectations are raised yet dismal league performances always seem to follow. Tottenham, in that sense, rarely disappoint.
Look at the most consistent and successful sides in the Premier League. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal. Those three sides rarely change their manager, maintain the nucleus of the playing staff, and hence occupy the impregnable "top four" in the Premiership.
True, Chelsea have had several new faces in the hot seat recently (but what good did that do them last season...?) and Liverpool and Arsenal have enjoyed intermediate success in the past 3-4 years. But, right on cue, take a bow Manchester United, they are by far the most successful team of recent years and it is because they do not change their managerial or playing staff. In the not so distant past Fergie had endured some rocky and indeed trophy-less seasons, yet despite the hungry werewolves in the unforgiving English press and a few fickle-minded supporters, Manchester United were spot on in sticking with Fergie. They gave him time, and boy has he repaid them!
Sir Alex is the best in the world indeed. Manchester United's investment in Sir Alex should be a lesson for all other inspiring clubs, including Spurs...
Lewis James Mathieson
If you are interested to get your article(s) published in the My say Section, please write to ckapil@goal.com with the subject "My Say"
When I think of Arsenal's fiercest local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the first thing that pops into my mind is Sheryl Crow’s song "Change would do you good".
That is the tune that Spurs manager Juande Ramos is dancing to since his acrimonious, 'eventful' arrival from Sevilla. Since his appointment as the manager, Ramos has taken a hacksaw to the previous Spurs side he inherited from Martin Jol and has severely altered it.
Previous first team regulars in the form of Chimbonda, Robinson, Robbie Keane, and Dimitar Berbatov have been shown the exit door in ruthless fashion; and the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Luka Modric, and most recently Roman Pavlyuchenko have arrived through the revolving door at White Hart Lane.
Despite the immediate tonic of the Carling Cup, known as the "Mickey Mouse Cup" among the Premiership's "big four", Spurs' form has been a shadow of what it used to be under Jol's regime. Jol preached "total football" and seemed less keen on making wholesome changes. Jol's Tottenham were rarely spectacular yet they were mechanically consistent in the league.
Jol developed a strong spine down the center of the team which made them difficult to beat away from home - they came a whisker away from piping Arsenal to fourth spot in the 2005-2006 campaign, only for the "good fairy" to come to the Gunners' rescue in the form of food poisoning.
Immediately after Ramos swapped the Cathedrals of Seville for the damp pavements of North London, Tottenham's league form kicked into gear. They quickly moved from the teeters of the relegation zone to mid table mediocrity, and the peak of this upturn in fortunes seemed to be those historic wins in the Carling Cup against Arsenal, and of course against ‘Chelski’ in the final.
But since then, Spurs have looked something close to shambles. Lackadaisical league performances towards the tail-end of the 2007-2008 season have been followed by two horror-show performances against Middlesbrough and Fulham, teams against whom even the likes of Stoke, Hull, and West Brom would be looking to get something from. Spurs, on the other hand, couldn't manage a single point.
And this brings me to the crux of my argument. The always-revolving door at White Hart Lane is the ultimate curse for Tottenham. Every season there seems to be a new manager from a foreign land and a batch of new players to accompany him; expectations are raised yet dismal league performances always seem to follow. Tottenham, in that sense, rarely disappoint.
Look at the most consistent and successful sides in the Premier League. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal. Those three sides rarely change their manager, maintain the nucleus of the playing staff, and hence occupy the impregnable "top four" in the Premiership.
True, Chelsea have had several new faces in the hot seat recently (but what good did that do them last season...?) and Liverpool and Arsenal have enjoyed intermediate success in the past 3-4 years. But, right on cue, take a bow Manchester United, they are by far the most successful team of recent years and it is because they do not change their managerial or playing staff. In the not so distant past Fergie had endured some rocky and indeed trophy-less seasons, yet despite the hungry werewolves in the unforgiving English press and a few fickle-minded supporters, Manchester United were spot on in sticking with Fergie. They gave him time, and boy has he repaid them!
Sir Alex is the best in the world indeed. Manchester United's investment in Sir Alex should be a lesson for all other inspiring clubs, including Spurs...
Lewis James Mathieson
If you are interested to get your article(s) published in the My say Section, please write to ckapil@goal.com with the subject "My Say"
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