What a season…well, so far anyway. As an avid Tottenham fan, it is a rite of passage that you are also a natural pessimist. Even in my relatively short time of supporting the Club there have been enough moments of disappointment to last me a lifetime. There have been too many occasions in the past where the team has promisied to deliver so much, but then has fallen at the final hurdle. It has led to the phrase ‘Spursy’ making an entrance into the dictionary, meaning “to fail consistently to live up to expectations.” In recent seasons, Tottenham have somehow thrown away top four finishes, firstly under Harry Redknapp in his final season at the Club, and then the following season under Andre Villas-Boas. Both times at this stage of the season Spurs looked comfortable in those spots, before crumbling and throwing all their good work away. Disappointment and a failure to meet the fans’ expectations have characterised Tottenham Hotspur for the best part of the last half-century. So, the word ‘Spursy’ has been fitting.
However, here we are with twelve league games to go and our club sit second in the Barclays Premier League table, two points off top-spot, and ten points above fifth-placed Manchester United. Added to that we are in the last-32 of the Europa League and are still active in the FA Cup. Even having said this, I shouldn’t be feeling positive. I should be overcome with a sense of anxiety, the feeling that the team have got themselves in this great position but will somehow conjure up a way to dash all our hopes and expectations. However, I am feeling the opposite. Sitting here, writing this I am feeling incredibly positive and optimistic about the future of our season. I genuinely believe that we can and will win the Premier League title this season. I also believe that we can go all the way in the FA Cup and give a great account of ourselves in the Europa League.
Why this sudden change you might ask? Without a doubt the main reason is to do with our Argentine Head Coach. Mauricio Pochettino, in just over a year and a half since being appointed as Head Coach, has transformed a pitiful side and a club going backwards, into one of the most exciting and original teams in Premier League history. Through a heavy emphasis on youth, and shrewd transfer business, Pochettino has got a team that fits exactly with his philosophy. Credit must go to Daniel Levy for trusting the Head Coach and giving him the freedom to make sweeping changes to the footballing side of the Club. Nonetheless, Pochettino has revamped and transformed Tottenham with the littlest of fuss. He has a presence about him, an aura of calm, but crucially he has proved himself to be a shrewd judge of ability and character, and a very impressive tactician. Added to this he has shown he can blend his calm and patient character with a streak of ruthlessness, a mark of any good manager. He inspires trust and confidence, and with him in the dugout there seems to be a genuine belief amongst the Tottenham fans and players that the Club can achieve success.
Furthermore, another reason for my optimism is that we have a team with such balance and commitment. More so than any other Tottenham team that I have watched. When Christian Eriksen scored the winner at the Etihad on Sunday, you could see what it meant to the players. At the final whistle, this was reinforced further, and crucially at that moment you could see that the bond between the players and the fans has never been stronger. This Tottenham team has great desire, great commitment, and great respect for the fans, but crucially this Tottenham side has an incredible team spirit. This, I believe will propel Tottenham to success that was unimaginable at the start of the campaign. Going into the last leg of the season, the players are fit, there is depth in every position, and belief and confidence has never been higher.
So, with twelve league games and many cup games to go, why shouldn’t we Tottenham fans dare to dream. Understandably, given the recent past, the majority are not daring to even talk about the ‘t’ word. But with this incredibly impressive manager and one of the most passionate and exciting teams in recent history, it feels different to previous years. Both the manager and the players inspire confidence that this could finally be our year. Why not…after all we have waited long enough!
Where do you think Spurs will finish the season? Have your say below
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