The Social Experiment
Spurs are moving in the right direction. The disagreements will be over the pace of that progress. I expected a little more in this window, however, I also expect more from Ange from a coaching perspective and perhaps the young players will evolve at a pace we find agreeable. One thing that is amplified in press conferences is Ange owning the transfer ideology we have. He keeps reminding us that he has the final say. That Daniel Levy (defo still signs the cheques) has stepped back and Lange and Munn are running the football. From a club perspective, we can all agree that things are healthy if the players we do sign fit the manager - because ultimately the manager HAS to fit the club. This gives us a consistency, a constant hook from one appointment to the next. No need for identity shake ups with the likes of a Jose or Conte. Stick to what we want THFC to be.
Why has it taken this long for us to wake up to this?
Longevity, as ever, has been the crux of all the issues at Spurs, with Levy and the board often rattled by their own indecisions in the short term. But alas, the past is the past. Oh boy what turbulent past it’s been. But I retain my stance. We must commit, in the moment and for this current short term objective (Ange’s contract). This includes the output from resetting things. It’s only been one season since we escaped the previous four, so we have to forget about the emotional baggage we carry across from one coach to the next, because it’s not the same path we’re now walking.
I know, we have been here many many times. Long time readers of this blog, back in the golden era of blogging, will know with our countless attempts at reinventing how to be successful. We have tried all types of styles and managers and directors of football. Rather than stick with the single blueprint and allow it mature over time. Have we finally caught on? Perhaps. The reality is very simplistic; even if you are the best version of yourself, you still need to compete against Manchester City. Them lot down the road have closed the gap but the context with their journey is that it took them a decade, two, to get back in amongst it. Lock-down FA Cup win aside, it’s not an easy task. Fluke seasons aside (I’m referencing that God awful fairy-tale), being a top top club isn’t easy. But you have to attempt to be it. You have to be hungry, ruthless. I imagine Levy and co don’t have this trait. They made us a Top 4 team, yet to make that big leap forward to make us a Top 2 contender.
How’s that done? You need to be obsessive. All of the time.
We have never quite being able to break that door down and get a seat at the table, on a permanent basis. But where we are, mostly, is always there or thereabouts. We’re not fleeting. We’re just not enough of what we need to be to make others concerned.
This is season two, perhaps the second phase. We might not yet see full Angeball until next season (always with the ‘next’).
Yes, it's mad to be thinking ahead to next summer (lol). One step at a time. Need to get the possession stats to equate to more goals when we're on the front foot and also vastly improve how we work as a collective to get control back if we conceded or lose the ball. Gaffer time.
Additional brain dump: I often over commit and get emotionally hurt by it. Which is perfectly absolutely fine because if football doesn't have you feeling the highs and lows then you're doing it wrong. But yeah, I'm cautious. I expect a lot. Time to enjoy the ride. Again.
ffs re: Solanke. We are cursed. The social experiment of THFC persists.
