We all need to make sacrifices (part III)
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 10:03PM
I love my club and I want them to succeed.
That sentence above could be tagged to either ‘group’. One has had enough and wants change, the other wants the uncertainty of battle even if there’s the chance they will be outnumbered. Side by side, they are quite normal reactions even if each side will argue the opposite isn't.
There is no right or wrong. There's opinions on how things should be handled. But there will also be opinions on how you should go about supporting Spurs. Nobody has the right to tell the person standing next to them the best way to support their team is the way they support them. However, if there is friction and disagreement then this will spread and destroy atmosphere. Arguably atmosphere that has been degrading for a while because of other issues at play (concerning fear of failure, the pressures of success and the usual complaints of modern football match-day experience). You're one, but inside the ground we're meant to be as one.
What happens next is usually left to occurrences on the pitch. A moment of sheer genius, magic or luck and a winning goal to give us three points. A change of luck. A catalyst. Not that we are in the same position but say coming back from 4-2 down to draw 4-4. Confidence, it breeds belief and helps push things along when they’re being held back due to adversity that may or may not even exist in some people’s eyes but can’t be ignored because it does in others. Some fans think we're on the road to nowhere. Those outside of Tottenham will magnify that thought. If you asked Villas-Boas he'd probably shrug and mumble something about time. There's another type of catalyst that can take us the opposite way. Although I can hear some of you suggesting that particular catalyst is under way already.
So there is no right or wrong. Just that perception and opinion on how to handle a particular scenario and what you believe is the correct way to behave in amongst it.
Perhaps the ones that are disgruntled, deep down, believe it’s going to fail and simply don’t have the heart or desire to fight for something that is not going to work. But then the very fact they are disgruntled and want to be heard is them showing desire and fight they don’t believe they’re seeing on the pitch. They are standing up for something they believe in and want the world to know. They want their team to know and react to it.
Those that wish to sing want to believe and do believe it will work out and want to take that risk, that leap of faith, because if you don’t roll with the punches then how are you going to cope next time you’re low on confidence and lacking spark? A winning mentality, a winning team needs to know and understand it's weakness to be able to strengthen and evolve. If you can’t dig deep do you give up and look to start over again? Every time?
The great thing about a problem? It's there to be resolved. To some it's not even a problem. It's a learning curve, a necessity that has to be experienced so that progress is made. At the moment we can't consolidate a lead. The last problem we had before the summer was an inability to break the opposition down. Which is more troublesome? A team supposedly at it's peak with the first problem or a team starting afresh that harbours ambitions to exceed the previous heights reached?
The dynamics around what is acceptable and what is not acceptable is the foundation of the entire argument between the two groups. That perception of expectancy around how the players should be reacting and performing based on not just the immediate past but also the quality of players available to the coach at present. The results so far could so easily have been a score-draw away followed by two home wins - without the errors - but achieved with the same erratic tempo and structure. There would not be too many complaints because of points accumulated. But concern would still be evident until the swagger is back. It's all ifs and buts. It usually is until things either improve or they don't.
There are so many layers, it's impossible to define it all as so much of it is theoretical when it comes to the pragmatism and lack of with the football but it's still all fuelled by emotion. It's practically akin to religion. One God but different cults and sects, different ways of worship and preaching. Fundamentalism anyone? It's disputable who exactly has the Kool-Aid within arms reach.
There’s probably a third group out there left scratching their heads wondering why there has to be two extremes at play. They are probably far less vocal and might even be a majority that are just sitting back to wait and see what happens next.
My view, to push it back towards that ‘be patient’ speech I've tried hard to avoid (sorry), is something I’ve already alluded to here. The fact that these two groups (even the pro-AVB camp that still boo) are so evident the fragmentation cannot be good because outside of White Hart Lane and beyond, patience does not exist and can distort and damage and exaggerate. So back inside the stadium, it’s the only place where we can truly take ownership of it all. I was actually going to say 'destiny' instead of 'it all'. As romantic a notion that is, isn’t football meant to about romance?
Say, if you were in a relationship – a new one – you need a candle lit dinner or two along with perhaps the theatre or a nightclub and a romantic walk before you’re swinging from the chandeliers doing upside down doggy. No roof-top on the Lane, so no chandeliers but under the floodlights or in the soon to be winters sun, is it not best that we all sing from the same hymn sheet?
You think it’s doomed? Then what have you got to lose? You’ll get what you want in the end so why not join the other half and those that are left in-between paralysed with uncertainty will join in because let’s be honest - you’d all rather be singing and bursting with pride about what it means to be Tottenham, what it means to follow Tottenham than feeling like you're at odds with the club. There’s no chance of any of us having an affair with another club, so all that’s left is angry sex with the one we’re stuck with.
And if things do change for the best, you’ll be singing anyway so what do you have to lose? Aside from losing face? The ones that sing regardless, we have more to lose because our loyalty will be tainted and misplaced because it didn't work out.
We all need to make sacrifices, we all need to accept them.
Politics and tactics aside the games lifeblood is an emotive one. The way we're playing at the moment is not the way our coach envisages our style to be. He knows about our traditions. He's cited them many times, and not in cheap and fanciful way. If what we're watching isn't anywhere near the end result he's working towards then is it not worth some faith to see what that end result will be? If that means a siege mentality, so be it. But that's me. Like I said a few times already, I can't tell you what to do and I can't force you to do it.
It's just that, I've heard of the 12th man but I've never known him to be accompanied by a 13th one?
Reader Comments (54)
I would like to propose an idea that the problem is not in the boardroom (Levy) or behind the bench (AVB/HR), but rather it is on the field. Regardless of the manager's system and the management philosophy the lads on the pitch have to get the job done and ever since Arsenal last year that hasn't been happening. We have been playing with a lack of confidence and on-the-field leadership for some time now. Harry tried to address that problem with Parker last year and deserves credit for it, but I think the effort burned Scottie out; and with Leadley King's diminishing ability/self-confidence towards the end of last year there was no one to help. We have wonderful players and can be totally dominant at times, but as the last three games have shown we can't hold-up under pressure. Other teams have sensed that and can smell the blood in the water...as can the journos.
How we overcome this is going to be the real test for AVB, the team and us. Someone asked if AVB has done one good thing since he arrived at the Lane and curiously enough I think he did several. He put the kibosh on Dawson's transfer to QPR and Huddlestone to Stoke even though neither player fits his 'system'. He then put Hudders on the field against Norwich. If AVB was truly rigid in his thinking they would both have been gone despite their objections. I think he's listening to us and to people at Tottenham and he's trying to develop some leadership potential among the cast of characters he has at his disposal. It hasn't worked yet, but it's early days. Trust isn't something easily given or won and it takes time for any group of athletes to gel into a successful team.
I don't think a 'system' is going to help us much if the players don't believe they can win and run around like decapitated chickens during the last ten minutes of a game. The difference between most teams and ManUre is that the latter know they are going to win even if they are trailing with ten minutes left on the clock. Experience has taught them that over the years. Our experience has been different. That is only going to change when the belief is there. We need leaders on the field who will steady the team in times of crisis and keep them going even when the luck turns against them. Will it be Dawson and/or Lloris at the back? Can Dembele and Dempsey transform us in the midfield by providing some backbone? Will Parker's return pick-up our lagging morale?
I don't know. I don't think AVB does right now either. Nor did Harry last year. Maybe HR would have sorted the team by now... who knows? We have AVB and I think he's trying to find the switch that will turn Spurs on. I think that's why he got Lloris, the French captain, and why he's kept the others around. Will he succeed? I don't know but it's going to be fun watching as he calls the changes. I, for one, hope he succeeds because I love the shirt and can tolerate AVB even if he squats. I think he believes in Spurs and his ability to help us become winners again. Right now belief is what we need more than anything else and I don't particularly care where it comes from.
COYS
@Caterham7
Good points !
A bit more Patience, We gonna be just fine!
COYS
@Caterham7 - good post, but it is precisely AVB`s job to instill the necessary confidence in the players. He needs to be careful not to become totally immersed in `the new system` to the point where he forgets man management.
Without dismissing anything at this stage, we were always outsiders for a top 4 finish this year regardless of who was our manager. The transfer window would have panned out the same and the man in charge would have had the same squad as AVB has.
Those condemning Redkrapp`s sacking and AVB`s appointment, I cannot see their precise problem. `Arry is water under the bridge like it or not. No point spouting 4th 5th 4th after three games. If their problem is Levy, then please save your breath. DL is going nowhere until he`s good and ready. Yes the anti-Redkrapp front and slightly less radical front of anti- Redkrapp, maybe even the liberal AVB`s -not-right-but-let`s-give-it-a-go brigade were all quite voIciferous towards the end of last season and immediately following the season. Nobody has suggested that the criticism had an adverse effect on the players.
However, as much as I do not buy into the `let`s give it 6 months` ethos, I cannot for the life of me understand the supporters who boo after two home draws with a new manager and new signings watching on from the stands.
During the Norwich game Dembele certainly provided something to be optimistic about, Lloris is clearly a great signing and hopefully Dempsey will provide some goals.
But professional as they are they are human. Now imagine playing for a new club as a striker or goalkeeper in a negative atmosphere, feeling as though the crowd are just waiting for you to fail. In a less than illustrious playing campaign I played in both of those positions and can assure anyone that both require confidence, or rather are horribly effected by lack of confidence.
Please if you have a problem with AVB, DL or whatever, please let`s all give the players a chance and support them. They are the ones who wear THE SHIRT.
We need to reach 75 pts to get to CL football next year. Raises two key questions:
1. Can AVB get us into the race early enough to sustain a challenge and galvanize the team and the support?
2. If the answer to Q1. is no - what are reasonable benchmarks to assess if he will be worth supporting in second 2/3 of the season towards medium term success?
A. 1 - Lets look at short term first - try to answer if AVB is worth a damn or not for this season - can he get us into the race for the top 4? If we need 75/76 to be sure of CL place next year this means we need 2 pts per game. So, after 10 games we need to be at least 16 pts to be in the hunt. IF we have not reached 16 then what should our response to AVB become? can we risk another 10 games?
A. 2 - In the event we are not in the hunt for 4th after 10 games I have no idea what we can look for for signs of rest of season success or medium term development at the club writ large? Thoughts?
Knocked out in 10?