An End of Season Ramble, and Thanks for Dropping By This Season

Endings matter. Settle with the past to move on. I’m not so bright with endings. Leaving dos are important, and I advise people I manage to always hold one, except I don’t go to mine. So here’s an ending to this season, it’s the right thing to do. Less of an analysis, more a ramble through events and emotions. Let’s see where this goes.

It’s been an odd season. It hasn’t, really, but it feels like an odd season, cluttered with mixed emotions. It occurs to me that early in my ramble, I have stumbled upon the single most significant element, which is that I still feel it. That powerful emotional attachment with Spurs has been severely challenged over the years but remains intact in this, my 54^th season of going to the Lane and the single point of continuity with childhood. The team infuriate me, energise me, give me joy and sorrow, but they are all one and the same because football reminds me of who I am and what I feel, deep down. Of family and friendship, loyalty and camaraderie. Of how being a fan has sustained me through darker times. Of what’s important in life.  

I’m less demonstrative at games these days but that’s the only difference compared with when I was a kid, travelling across London on my own and queuing at the boys’ gate. Now, it’s dodgy knees and the family keeping half an eye on me in the crowds. A reminder of how my life is gradually changing. I used to keep an eye on them.

Now, less of a leap of celebration when we score, more an unsteady wobble to my feet.  I miss that, when the ball hits the net and the instinctive leap of celebration, or, better even, standing to crane your neck in anticipation as an opportunity opens up and the mighty Lilywhites bear down on goal.

So an odd season and mixed emotions. Ange has brought so much that is good to the club, chief amongst them that sense of anticipation that Spurs have the ball and something is going to happen. The thrill of early season as we, at the same time as the players, discovered Ange’s philosophy and style, fast attacking football in the Spurs way and players and fans released from the suffocating rigidity of our last three managers. Reading another end of season article this week reminded me that Spurs topped the league early on. I genuinely didn’t recall that. What mattered to me was the style, the excitement, going to the ground and looking forward to the football.

Later in the season, I still felt something could happen when we attacked, although I note that I typed ‘could’ not ‘would’, then thought we would concede every time the opposition attacked. It meant that I couldn’t enjoy games, or goals, because from my seat high in the South Stand, I had a perfect view of the yawning gaps we left behind. So this leaves the sobering conclusion that this was the most enjoyable season for several years but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have. This is what football does to the committed fan, the unspeakable emotional contortions of watching Tottenham play.

Odd too, in that our best players this season are all defenders. Van der Ven swooping down on attackers like an eagle closing on its prey, Romero rising as true leader on the field in the latter stages of the season, front foot defending at its best, Udogie such a prospect, Porro highly committed, and behind them Vicario excellent both on and off his line, exuding confidence. I am protective towards him – the corner thing has been over-exaggerated and is down primarily not to him but to weak organisation and defending at set-pieces, plus some rotten refereeing.

Football’s changing, I hear, I read, but it hasn’t really. Not in its fundamental nature. It’s highly tactical, the players are supremely athletic and meticulously prepared, but you have to defend, still have to be creative to score. If we make a ricket at the back, I curse out loud, but there’s a little voice inside saying, hey, human frailty, what can you do?

Well, at Spurs what Ange can do is sort out that defending better than he has. Good players need better organisation than we have, especially that they need more protection. I’m wholeheartedly supportive of our manager. In a single season, he’s had to overcome both the loss of one of the greatest players the club has ever seen (and do not doubt that Harry is that good), and the heaviest burden of all, the weight of history. It is impossible to underestimate his efforts to change the culture of caution and negativity imposed by That Man and Conte, which came on top of our lack of trophies during the Levy era.

He understands how to take the club forward and bring supporters with him, an understanding improved rather than harmed by the bruising experience of the reaction to the City game. But the relationship between fans and the club is reciprocal, and maybe we’ve learned about his infectious will to win and utter determination to succeed.

 He’s had to work with and revamp a squad made up of components from, what, four previous managers, each with their different perspectives, as well as integrate new players, several of whom are young and new to the PL. It is a mark of his success that we view Udogie, VDV and Sarr as established first choices when they were respectively 20, 22 and 20 at the start of the season.

Given all this, I’m delighted with fifth place. The Europa League is a winnable competition, and the manager deserves real credit for getting us there, however nervy it was getting over the line. It’s ok. First season, so much achieved and we know what the problems are. Result.

Turning points. I said at the time that he was wrong to field a weakened side at Fulham in the League Cup but at least he learned fast about weaknesses in the squad and our mentality. I see that Chelsea game as a one-off, not a turning point in the season.

What happened is what always happens in the PL. The league learns quickly and sussed us out before you knew it. Teams shut us down with blanket defences and cutting out passing lanes in front of goal. Some added intensive pressing in midfield and punished us on the break. W Ham and Villa at home come to mind as early examples the rest of the league followed. We struggled to get over this and to break down packed defences. We made mistakes, and Ange’s system relies on not giving the ball away in situations where we are moving into attack. Later, to make matters worse, we got in a right mess at set-pieces.   

So by and large, we need to improve collectively, rather than focus unduly on the faults of individuals. As an example, Bissouma is a fine player in my view, albeit his form fell away in early 2024, but the real issue is that alone, he cannot deal with all the defensive midfield responsibilities as well as perform his role in turning defence into attack.

By the end of the season, Ange dismissed one strand of criticism, that he had no plan B, by trying different set-ups out of possession. This needs more work and another player who performs the deeper-lying midfielder role.

Players in and out – go. Bear in mind we need squad depth too in what, all being well, will be a 50 plus game season, so don’t go chucking players out too readily. We need another 6 and a central striker with presence in the box, someone who will occupy centre-halves and be on the end of crosses. Too often this season we’ve played it wide, got the crosses in and it’s turned into heading practice for defenders. We need two central strikers – Sonny is wasted there. I wouldn’t sell Richarlison unless we have those two in place, unless of course the club know his fitness is more of a concern long-term.

We need like-for-like cover for both full-backs, who work so hard in our system and have to be rotated. I’d like another creative, busy midfielder, plus 4 centre-backs and cover for Vicario. Austin has just been given a long-term contract but I have no idea if he’s ready to step into the first team.

Also, it’s hard to gauge how close our group of promising youngsters are to the first team. Moore, Donley and Hall impress me in what little I’ve seen of them, while Devine, Phillips and Dorrington are rated, plus Keeley, the keeper who has been on loan at Barnet this year. And Bergvall arrives this summer (let him settle and play, set Youtube showreels aside).  They all deserve a chance yet the league is unforgiving in a team with Spurs’ aspirations.

Outgoings require the board to exhibit realism to move players on. I’m sure we can get N’Dombele a loan but he’s not going to go until his rumoured £200k a week contract runs out, surely, or is paid up. Thanks to Hojbjerg, Lo Celso, Gil, Sess and Emerson, and goodbye. Davies deserves our heartfelt thanks but with a year left on his contract his time may have come too. I would keep Skipp unless we can replace him, either with a transfer or the youngsters.

As always it remains to be seen if the board support their manager’s ambitions. The burden of history again. The board have consistently failed to identify the moments of opportunity where transfer commitment is an investment not a waste, and that must change, a sentiment I have repeated so many times, it should be my equivalent of a pinned post.  

I feel more confident about our recruitment processes now, another change that has come with Ange, an upgrade sanctioned by the club. We’re ready for a couple of top quality players, difference-makers, but I’ve said that several times under Redknapp, Poch and Jol, and they didn’t arrive. One shred of optimism here is the financial situation in the PL. In terms of FFP, we’re in a good position whereas other clubs need to sell. Levy came a cropper in recent years when his policy of exploiting weakness suddenly became outdated as clubs had the PL money to resist his lowballing and brinkmanship. Now, we’re in a stronger position but he must recognise market prices set the fee, not what he thinks the price is.  

And so to end with another reason for mixed feelings about the season. Our chairman often refers to his role as the club’s custodian but it seems this does not extend to looking after loyal Spurs fans. The season was bookended by fan protest summed up by the slogan ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’, beginning with the ticket price protest and ending with the Save Our Seniors campaign. The decision to reduce senior discount and, more perniciously, to refuse to allocate any new senior discounts to season ticket holders turning 65 the season after next is utterly disgraceful. I wrote more about this a while back.

I’m left with the inescapable conclusion that the board do not care about supporter loyalty. They just want people to pay the maximum amount and do not care who sits in those seats. This isn’t just about us seniors. That they choose to exploit and punish the club’s longest-standing fans demonstrates their contempt for loyalty, the one quality fans value the most.  

When I complained to the club about this, I received a standard reply. They said an increase in the number of senior concessions was no longer sustainable. They also said it will start to limit ticket choice for others. In other words, senior season ticket holders are blocking other fans getting a ticket. On one level, this is a lie – in respect of the waiting list my holding a senior ticket is no different from that of any other fan who chooses to renew. On another, it implies seniors are getting in the way, an encumbrance. The website trills about the Spurs family. The message to me is, this is a family where the younger members are keen to shift unwanted seniors into sheltered accommodation.

In response to adverse publicity, I understand Arsenal met with their supporters trust, who have not protested as vocally as we have, and reversed their decision. It gives Spurs the opportunity to follow suit. Acknowledging a mistake is a sign of strength, but I fear, despite critical pieces on Channel 4 News and the BBC (with ‘ahem’ me), the board remain intransigent. So, sadly, this is the feeling I’m left with.

To end on a more upbeat note, sincere thanks to everyone who has supported and read Tottenham On My Mind this year. Deeply appreciated, it means a lot and keeps me going. I’ll still be here come next season, writing as and when something is on my mind. Come on you Spurs.