When Mauricio Pochettino arrived in 2015, no one expected the upheaval he wrought and the standards he brought to a club that had been floating in mediocrity. The only stigma that remained, despite the height of the Champions League final in 2019 was the lack of silverware and after a meltdown, the quest for "managers who know how to win" brought a tirade that swept up the club. In the process, the key identity and essence of Tottenham both on and off the pitch was lost.
From a team that offered excitement, progression, togetherness and hope, the team became one of individuals, shadowboxing and fighting for the ego-polishing ambitions of their "winning" managers. Daniel Levy eventually got disillusioned with the whole thing. He sacked Jose Mourinho just six days before a Carabao Cup final. So much for wanting to win. The soul of the club was then lost in the bleakest five-month period under the ill-fated tutelage of Nuno Espirito Santo.
A rebuild was starkly required at that point but the Portuguese had been caught in the mess of a club that wanted to win and yet was wanting in excitement, unity and direction. It was a soupy mess and Nuno could not replicate the success he had achieved in Wolves. He was swiftly replaced by another experienced winner in Chelsea's former boss, Antonio Conte.
The Italian was able to make everyone concede that poor recruitment had been the Achilles heel of the club. The new problem however will be about "how" to recruit and "who" to recruit. The expectation was that Conte knows how to win and would instil that winning mentality. But, Conte was never fully convinced about Spurs' ambitions. He has always believed that the best way to compete is to sign big players. Despite the throes of qualifying for Europe, Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium became a gloomy place again. Conte was sacked.
Tottenham has considerably fallen off from the top of English football. From being one of the exciting young teams with strong principles, they have become a side just tagging along. Pep called them the "Harry Kane team" back in 2016 but in the last few seasons, they have come to rely on the England skipper's consistent output for relevance. They have fallen apart and St. Totteringham's Day saw a return last season with Tottenham finishing well behind their North London rivals in eighth place. For the first time in eight years, there will be no European Football of any sort for the Spurs.
Postecoglou is obviously new on this border but his track record of building exciting teams is appealing. He has swept aside the Scottish League but the Premier League is a much tougher test. However, he and Levy must have come to a realistic compromise to accept that the DNA of the club is lost. Ange may just be the man to return the club to that era of unity, excitement, hope and progression. The emphasis on entertaining, high-energy football and his penchant for youth development and academy player progression will appeal to fans.
What will be the collective goal? It should be to return to relevance. A return to the Champions League, a return to mixing it with the big boys despite their smaller budget. A return to providing energy, passion and excitement. These are the things Spurs fans will hope this new journey brings.
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