Following Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea, former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp questioned the club’s ambition amid the threat of relegation.
It has been nothing short of a disastrous season for Tottenham Hotspur, who still have not secured their Premier League status heading into the final week of the campaign. For a club that was regularly competing in the Champions League not long ago and lifted a European trophy only last season, the decline has been staggering.
This campaign has been filled with major changes behind the scenes. Ange Postecoglou was surprisingly dismissed despite delivering silverware, while long-serving chairman Daniel Levy also stepped down following increasing pressure from supporters.
Many fans had long argued that Levy prioritised Tottenham’s business growth over football matters, pointing to the club’s huge commercial revenues generated through the stadium, NFL games and concerts compared to relatively modest spending on wages and squad depth.
However, despite those changes, very little has improved this season. If anything, things have become even worse, with Spurs now battling relegation while enduring one of the worst injury crises in the club’s history.
That situation has sparked criticism from several figures within football, including former Spurs captain Jamie Redknapp.
Jamie Redknapp tears into Tottenham and questions club ambition
Speaking on Sky Sports following Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, Jamie Redknapp strongly criticised the direction of his former club.
“Everything is in place. Incredible fanbase, amazing stadium, amazing training ground, but if you haven’t got the players to fill that,” Redknapp said.
“I said it last year, Tottenham has become a brilliant entertainment business. They get the best American Football, they get Beyonce, but it’s the only club that does that. And everyone says, ‘Oh, that’s great business,’ but it’s a football club. In England, we do football, we don’t do the American-style entertainment.
“I don’t see Arsenal doing too many things like that. They’re a business and a football club, I don’t look at them and think you’re a serious football club right now.”
The comments are likely to resonate with many Tottenham supporters, who have repeatedly questioned whether football decisions at the club have matched the scale of their commercial ambitions.
Jamie Redknapp believes Tottenham’s problems go beyond the managers
Thomas Frank has received criticism from sections of the Tottenham fanbase this season, particularly due to his pragmatic style of football and difficult relationship with supporters and players toward the end of his spell.
Igor Tudor also struggled to improve results during his short stint in charge before departing the club. However, Jamie Redknapp believes the problems at Tottenham go far deeper than the coaches themselves.
“I played there, I was in the dressing room, and I felt there was a lack of ambition at the club and it hasn’t changed. If they do get relegated it’s nothing more than they deserve.
“They’ve been awful all season. It’s not right to blame Thomas Frank, it’s not right to blame Igor Tudor. The people that employed them are those you should be looking at because they haven’t worked out.”
With Tottenham’s survival now hanging by a thread heading into the final weekend, scrutiny on the club’s overall direction is only continuing to grow.
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