In the hours since the sacking of Igor Tudor, I have seen a lot of mentions of how him not buying into the ‘Tottenham Way’, was a major part of his downfall.
Sunday seeing the Spurs boss sacked after six weeks in the job, quite incredible.
Tottenham say they intend to name the replacement in the very near future, this will be their fourth manager in less than a year.
Thomas Frank was sacked last month, following the 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United, before his sacking, not understanding the ‘Tottenham way’ often said about the former Brentford boss.
As they look for a replacement, needing someone who understands the ‘Tottenham Way’ is apparently essential, if they are to be successful in the role.
What this basically boils down to, is all of these third rate pundits who are former Spurs players, recommending other former Spurs players and managers to get the job.
Amongst the suggestions of those who would be ideal in fully understanding the ‘Tottenham Way’ if getting the job, include Tim Sherwood (who nobody else would dream of employing as a manager), Robbie Keane (who spent last season with a job in Israel and is currently managing in Hungary) and Harry Redknapp (who is 79!!!).
Yes, I can’t see what could possibly go wrong if Spurs employed any of these as manager, or indeed all three of them…
I love the delusions of grandeur amongst Spurs former players, pundits, fans and so on.
This belief they are somehow steeped in a long history of beautiful football that presumably the rest of us have all been green with envy, when looking from afar. If only we could also play the ‘Tottenham Way’….
In reality, it is all a nonsense, any club that claims they are somehow eternal keepers of the beautiful game. You hear this from the likes of Man U fans and supporters of other clubs. As though they are entitled to watch brilliant entertaining football because they always have done, even though this is definitely not the case. Yes, clubs such as Liverpool and Man U have had periods of time when they were the dominant team in English football, bought the best attacking players and played great football. However, this is far from this ‘always’ having been the case.
Anyway, back to Spurs, it is actually a different ‘Tottenham Way’ I want to talk about.
One which they have indeed become famous for in recent times, but most definitely, not a ‘Tottenham Way’ that I want Newcastle United to copy.
The other ‘Tottenham Way’
In charge of Tottenham
Until April 2021 – Jose Mourinho
Until June 2021 – Ryan Mason
Until November 2021 – Nuno
Until March 2023 – Antonio Conte
Until April 2023 – Cristian Stellini
Until June 2023 – Ryan Mason
Until June 2025 – Ange Postecoglou
Until February 2026 – Thomas Frank
Until March 2026 – Igor Tudor
Until – ?????? – ??????
Spurs will end up having had ten different (counting Mason’s spells as separate management times) managers picking the Tottenham team in the space of less than five years, once the latest appointment is announced.
Spurs have huge financial superiority over most clubs, as well as many other advantages, yet they are a total mess.
Brentford announced last month they were paid £6.7m compensation by Spurs to secure the services of Thomas Frank. The figure was revealed in the Bees’ accounts on the very day Spurs sacked him. Maybe not quite as much cash as Chelsea have gone through doing so, but just how much have Spurs paid out across these years, paying compensation to other clubs to get their managers, then having to pay off these same managers (and their staff) not very long afterwards? How much will Igor Tudor have cost Tottenham for six weeks work and one point from five Premier League games?
Of course, if you pick a bad one, you can’t just persevere blindly with them, but how can Spurs (and Chelsea) keep managing to do this, time after time?
Which brings me to Newcastle United.
Which brings me to Eddie Howe.
Eddie Howe has brought stability, continuity, consistency AND success to Newcastle United, despite not having anything like the financial and other advantages that the likes of Spurs and Chelsea have.
Yet a fair few Newcastle United fans would have our club following the ‘Tottenham Way’, despite what Eddie Howe has shown year after year, happy to replace him with some random choice that they are ‘sure’ will be able to do a better job than the genius we have as United boss.
On top of his elite player recruitment and tactical nous across more than four years, Eddie Howe is also a class act when representing us off the pitch, how he speaks to the media, his honesty and readiness to accept responsibility, not throw his players under a bus like certain jokers Newcastle United have employed in the past.
I would love to think that Tottenham will go through another ten or more managers in charge whilst Eddie Howe still remains our leader. If that happens, then Newcastle United will be in a really good place.
Spurs were lucky to find three teams worse than them last season, when finishing fourth bottom of the Premier League. Occupying that position once again, with seven games remaining, they appear reliant on West Ham (one point behind Tottenham) being just as bad as them in the final weeks of the season. The only problem with that is, whilst Tottenham have no wins in their last 13 PL matches and have picked up only five points from their last possible 39, West Ham have picked up 16 points in their most recent 13 PL games.