Opinion: Why Tottenham fans should not necessarily stop booing

This has been a piece in the making since Nuno Espirito Santo was given the boot, and before Antonio Conte sat in the dugout for the first time, during Thursday’s victory over Vitesse and the draw against Everton on Sunday.

Rather than dispel these feelings, the two subsequent performances since Nuno’s departure have only made this message more relevant for me.

It was only a matter of time before fan displeasure reared its head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Manchester United a couple of weeks ago.

This performance, like most this season, was lifeless, and as a result, fans expressed that they had had enough. Fast forward 48 hours, and the mood in the fans’ camp became wildly different after the sacking of Nuno and the hiring of Conte.

But should it be?

The reaction to the appointment of Antonio Conte as manager has been nothing short of giddy, and in my opinion, prematurely so.

I, like so many others, am absolutely ready for the Italian’s cut-throat style of management, where only the best will be good enough. It’s exactly what this limp squad needs, following the cluelessness of Nuno Espirito Santo’s dismal reign. 

But I was of the understanding that the boos in the stadium on this particular day were about more than simply poor management.

For it wasn’t just at the Lucas Moura substitution when the fans made their voices heard, but at other points too, such as boos towards both Harry Kane and Ben Davies, at particular moments in the game.

On top of this, there were audible ‘Levy Out’ chants throughout. So there are clearly a variety of figures who fans hold responsible for the shambles in which Spurs currently find themselves.

At the end of the day, Daniel Levy is yet to show that, despite this exciting appointment, he will back Conte financially, and invest in a greater calibre of player than he has been known for.

And perhaps moreover, this group of players, who have stunk the place out for so long, still retain the ability to lose their appetite whenever they see fit. 

Of course, if the team were to experience a ‘new manager bounce’, as is so often the way, then we would all be happy.

But as with a multitude of different coaches, it’s as if the players sipped hot chocolate at half-time against Vitesse – for they came out for the second period half asleep.

And against Everton, despite a greater degree of desire on the pitch than we are used to, these players showed next to no ingenuity, creativity or quality, merely encapsulated by the unwanted stat, regarding minutes since a shot on target in the league. 

There’s a new man at the helm, yes. But we’ve seen how this same group of players has reacted to other recent changes at the top.

So perhaps the cries of certain fans saying that ‘we are in the endgame’ is slightly laughable, given the rotten state of the team. Let’s just see if the arrival of Conte really sparks major change within the heart of the club.

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