Wednesday’s FA Cup elimination at the hands of a heavily-rotated second-tier Sheffield United means Spurs are likely to head into a 16th successive year without silverware.
Understandably, fans haven’t taken it well. There’s been a need for everyone associated with Spurs to go away and become a recluse in the middle of nowhere, to live in an abyss free of technology, to go on a retreat to another dimension, to detox to the point where every item of clothing in their wardrobe is beige and their favourite meal is a ham and cheese sandwich.
The Athletic’s James Maw wrote a great/miserable/cathartic (delete as appropriate) piece on Tottenham’s most humiliating cup exits of the modern era on Thursday, so do check that out.
This isn’t the same concept. Spurs, like all sides, suffer at least one crippling defeat which makes fans question their love of the beautiful game a season, brings existential crises to the surface.
Ignoring the importance of the cups and shooting themselves in the foot on big stages now seems ingrained in the DNA of modern Tottenham, but do they immediately respond well to such blows? Are they able to salvage seasons? Would anyone like to hear me out, lift the mood a little?
If so, read on. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.You’re probably still wondering what the point of all this is, or if there even is one. Why did I open up old wounds and rub salt into them like a certain influencer standing over a steak?
It’s impossible for Spurs fans to run away from the helpless feeling that the club’s trophy drought may never end, like they’re under some kind of medieval curse (I’m not categorically ruling this out).
But perhaps there is cause for optimism. Despite all the heavy blows over the last decade, Tottenham always land on their feet again relative to their goals and expectations, their resources and expenditure. As best pointed out by my good friend Tom Hayward on the Rule The Roost and The Tottenham Way podcasts this week, Spurs have never been driven to the brink like Chelsea this season or Arsenal and Man Utd in recent ones – even Sherwood ended his season with 69 points (though pre-pandemic Mourinho may have had something to say about this point).
Obviously, those more critical of ENIC’s ownership and Levy’s tenure will say more needs to be done with growing resources. That’s fair. But even when Tottenham are unravelling, they find a way to pick themselves up and dust themselves off, even if it takes a year or so.
Spurs are still in a really good position to finish in the top four again and set themselves up for another summer of rebuilding and retooling. A bit of Groundhog Day and deja vu, but that’s the best they can do right now. Either way, everything will be fine. Football is cyclical and always will be.
