The Broken Compass 

We have all heard the rumours, once or twice, those almost Chinese whispers, which slightly differ between Spurs fan and Spurs fan. The rumor that suggested Abramovich got lost on his way to White Hart Lane, with the hope to purchase Tottenham Hotspur and instead found who we now call, Chelski.

Since his arrival, they have lifted 13 trophies, which include one Champions League and four league titles, a bitter taste if you believe the rumours to be true.

To think the players we could have signed, the size the club could have become and the glory the fans could experience and without sounding biased, we bloody deserve it. Years after years of what can only be described as a curse on the club, which has seen us miss out on Champions League football because of some fluke win in Munich and some dodgy lasagna you could have bought from asda for a £1.

We are a club who never seem to have it easy or like to do things that way either. I used the word cursed and sometimes I believe this to be true. Even as I write the pain of Pedro Mendes what should have been winner at Old Trafford makes me shudder and cringe.  The money we have all seen Abramovich supply would have been a game changer, certainly one Chelski have enjoyed.

This money has been the start of a massive change to not only English football, but the global game we all enjoy and love. No longer are philosophies built on strong youth development or promotion, now into a world that money can buy you anything and certainly in the case of our London rivals, it’s bought their success.

This philosophy has been copied all over the world since the Russian billionaires introduction in 2003, with the likes of PSG and City more recently reaping the rewards of this seemingly cowards way out.

Now without diving into much detail, Abramovich has created an almost ripple effect on football, changing more than just the fortunes or unfortunes of clubs around the country as well as the world.

But in this time where success seems to be what everyone craves, with fans deserting their hometown clubs to support teams hundreds of miles away. As Tottenham fans, would you have wanted to win that way? Is the matter in which you win the game not important? And is purely winning its own satisfaction?

Well I say no, winning is not enough. Especially when you think about the way clubs like Chelski and City have won in recent years. Tottenham pride itself on playing the proper way, the football way, the Tottenham way. We are a club that build relationships with the players, ones that are not so easily squashed and though we have entered what many can call the financial big boys in recent years, it’s been achieved in an honest and well structured way.

It’s no surprise that Tottenham now boost the most capped England internationals ever and though Levy has sacked more managers than one person can count, it’s been a learning curve for all involved which now sees us in a position with a real future to be excited about.

Compared to Chelski, 13 titles since the Abramovich era started, we have only managed to lift one, but in terms of the pride it holds and the matter in which we lifted this trophy, I’d argue it tops the lot. We won that day with a real team performance, which saw our heroes get a chance to lift a trophy against the money grabbing superstars, we call our neighbours.

Many will argue, “you’re only saying this because you don’t have the money and you’re jealous” and to an extent they may be right. Tottenham could have done some magical things if we had the money to keep Bale and Modric, but jealous? Never.

Chelski is not a club of supporters anymore, it’s more of a tourist attraction which tilts upon the success and money the club spends. In this bleak time they currently find themselves in, it’s almost as if they, the fans, have crawled back under those caves they emerged from in 2003. But it’s only a matter of time, until a club which has been made from money, begins to spend its vast wealth again.

You could actually count the amount of current Chelsea graduates in their squad on one hand, with one of those being John Terry, compared to the nine who feature in Tottenham’s. Why bother wasting time developing your team, when not even a blip on the Abramovic billions could buy you a league winning squad.

Do you think it would feel as special seeing your £50M striker score a double against both the scum and Chelsea at White Hart Lane, or a local lad we all know has a special bond with the club?

Or how about beating Chelsea 5-3 on New Year’s day? Seeing products of our own youth, players we helped nourish and grow, tear apart a side who, after a summer of spending, looked certain to win the league. No amount of money can replicate that feeling, not even close.

So I asked the question earlier on, is winning its own satisfaction? I hope after reading this, you’ll all agree it is not. Call me old fashioned or maybe even a hopeless romantic, but I believe in the core values of football and splashing the cash, bullying clubs without it, is not one.

Plus Tottenhamski would never work.

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