Glory is football

Top four or silverware? It's a question that always gets asked and once upon a time the latter would have always won the majority vote without a seconds thought because nobody chronicles a top four finish in their history unless they've finished first. But modern football scoffs at such romantic notions that cup finals mean more than a place in the Champions League. I've got to be honest, in terms of sustaining growth and being able to build towards a title challenge many (along with Levy/ENIC) would favour qualification to Europe's elite competition because the fiscal out weighs the white and blue ribbons on a piece of silver. Even though the former will never make great reading in the next version of the Opus.

Lifting a cup is a moment. Perhaps these moments are not as magical as they once were and can not stand the test of time like Ricky Villa has managed to do. But then that's always going to be in the eye of the beholder. The Carling Cup isn't the League Cup but you'd hardly disputed Woodgate's ball-to-head winner.

Going back to Ricky Villa, think about how iconic that moment still is. Along with say Gascoigne's free-kick in the semi-final. Even the '87 Cup final was a majestic occasion, be it a disappointing one. But even though time has changed how we perceive this competition, it still shouldn't be scoffed at. Even though technically speaking when I've prioritised CL over cup silverware I've done just that.

We (football fans) have changed so much that we actually try to validate why finishing 4th or 3rd matters more. Sad really. I've fallen victim to it. I'd still argue about the importance of CL but this close to a final, how can I possible not contradict myself? Those moments; they should be far more important than a league placement. The moments are what make football so great.

I still want CL.

An easier way to deal with this is to just admit that the question isn't relevant. As a supporter you want your side to win every game. That isn't possible. You'll never turn the chance of silverware down but equally understand the importance of being able to compete for the very same silverware (which today means being a top four side). During the Sky Sports dominated Top Four era, nobody (hardly) got a look in, so far apart was the quality and power of the teams qualifying for CL every season. That ilk of superiority might not repeat itself again but thanks to the short term loyalty and stop-gap/stepping stone philosophy of footballers, its sometimes impossible to avoid transition and rebuilding.

Perhaps it's easier to just live for the moments without the crushing pressures of what modern football has defined as the acceptable normality for 'success'.

We spent a long time wondering around aimlessly but we now have stability to aim for consistency and to compete season in and season out. We shouldn't lose sight of that but we should also not be so dismissive of the bread and butter building blocks that made football so special in the first place.

It's a shame we've lost focus in the league. We could have had CL wrapped up by now. Instead we're having to struggle through trying to find the misplaced momentum (it's not behind the sofa). Whether its lack of mental strength, rotation or mismanagement, there should be no need for team talks and inspirational speeches before facing Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.

Sure, we've faltered a few times in the past at this stage. It's been way too long since we last graced a final (for this particular cup). It's this simple: Play with heart, desire and spirit. Wonderfully clichéd but these are the traits that set players and teams apart when the quality is level pegging. There's room for pride and belief in there as well. Although I'm not naive enough to think these traits are not fuelled by the individuals themselves as part of a well drilled and managed collective. Best players in their best positions, best formation and patience and astuteness with tactics.

Football really does look easy on paper. Form on the pitch is where it counts. We don't have much of that at the moment. My hope is we treat the semi-final like a cup final, like any cup game should be treated.

I can not be disparaging against a team that gives it everything. I want them to play the game like I would play it if I was blessed to wear the shirt I love.

Heart on sleeve, Tottenham. And when you're done with this there are five equally important ones in the league.

COYS

Fix up

I've been deeply philosophical in recent weeks and equally cautious. With each passing game when considering a battle cry for the next one (knowing the risk of repetition and the sorry fact that what follows is a post-match post-mortem allowing for both the knee-jerkers and the blind faithful to knock heads together) we stand waiting for something unexpected to happen. Like a win.

It's the FA Cup this time. That's not unexpected. We've had one of these puncture our league games before. The win in the previous round against Stevenage was hardly inspiring but taking into account the away team performed admirably in what was their 'cup final' it was never going to be a walk in the park. Spurs were professional enough in the end to get through and into the quarters with a semi-final the new prize to those that dare to achieve. Being that this is now a quarter, as a collective, we have to up our game to match the desire required for this stage of the competition.

As for repetition, I was going to cite the catalyst nature of this fixture . In isolation, it's potentially 90 minutes from a game at Wembley. A push for silverware (remember when this ilk of adventure meant something important?). In terms of our season, it's a chance to re-birth lost confidence. Blah blah blah. Re-read any of my prior match previews. It's the same colourful emotive nonsense that has failed me each time.

To compound matters further, Harry Redknapp appears to have taken responsibility to inspire the troops and fans in the post-match build up.

“Finishing top four is not a must to keep those players. If Arsenal don’t get in the top four, are their best players going to leave? If Chelsea don’t, will their best players walk away?"

“It doesn’t work like that. We don’t have a divine right to be in the top four. If we finish in the top four — and I think we will — we’ve punched above our weight"

“If we don’t make it, it’s just one of those things. We’ll have given it our best shot. We’re third in the league and we would have taken that at the start of the year"

“We’d be way over expectations if we finished in the top four. We haven’t finished above Arsenal or Chelsea for a long time and it looked like it would be tough to finish above Liverpool at the start of the season. We’ve finished in the top four once, not every year. If we do it this year, it will be fantastic, and I think we will.”

My blood is pumping and I'm dizzy from the head rush.

Underplaying much there Harry? Protecting the brand name? Comfortable? I'm hoping his team talks are a little more zesty in delivery when standing in front of the players with the aim to muster up some passion.

Pundits, managers, fans, the lot of us basically change our perceptions on a game to game basis to suit our emotions and analysis and protect ourselves from suffering if what is expected and first predicted doesn't happen. We've gone from just outside top four, to top four, to third, to title challengers, to third, to possibly 3rd, to probably 4th and now 'it will be expected if we finished 5th'.

Fix up Spurs. Regardless of the contradictions and media sound-bites, finishing outside of the top four now would be a failure compared with the form we've displayed across the season as a whole. A failure of ours rather than the result of others.

I'd like to see far more emotion (from the players its a given) but also from the gaffer, but then this is hardly a revelation (his comments to the press). It's textbook. Still, words are just words. Actions on the other hand...

We have a chance to stick those white and blue ribbons back on a piece of silver we've not had our hands on for far too long. A cup once synonymous with this club. It's all about glory, right? Nothing in the small print saying that glory can't be packaged up in two parts.

Get it done Spurs. Cup on Saturday. Then Stoke under the lights. Wake up. A good performance is imperative (rather than 'just win any which way') as we have the tools to play well and with flair. We need to apply them to inject that belief back into the side. Momentum. Remember that?

As for a traditional DML battle cry, it would be rude not to, so I'll end on this:

COYS

FA Cup or 4th - Revisited

Remember this?

FA Cup or 4th?

FA Cup = immediate silverware, club shop dvd, another chapter written into the history books

-

4th = CL

CL = more money, better players

More money, better players = possible title challenge

Title challenge = top 4 placement every season

Top 4 placement every season = CL every season

CL every season = even more money, even better players

Even more money, even better players = sustained title challenges

Sustained title challenges = potentially lots of silverware

Simplified, I know. Qualifying one season for the CL doesn't mean there's a guarantee you'll be in it the following. But that's a defeatist attitude. Anyways, to answer my own question:

Both.

A Cup final didn't quite work out for us, but the intensity of the Prem game at Eastland's felt like one. And tbh, as much as tangible silverware means the world to me (it goes down in history as history and the game is meant to be about glory, right?), in order to push on we need CL football. It's just the way the modern game is built. Otherwise all you're left with is the odd cup final win now and again, leaving you somewhat empty because you're missing out on the next level of play (read the quoted text above again).

We need it season in season out. Now that might not be possible if Villa, Everton and of course City (and go on then) Arsenal continue to have aspirations to crack the top 4 or stay there. And let's not forget the red-faced Anfield club. Hence the importance that as much as we all like to remind ourselves that we sat at the bottom with 2 points from 8 games and CL football was never the true target this season - failure would have been / could have been devastating. Morale would have been impacted and potential of key players looking elsewhere for their top tier Euro fix a possibility much like previous summers. We now have the players anchored and can look to sign new ones who in the past politely declined because of our league standing.

The monopoly is dead, for the moment. And the new dawn might comprise of 5-6 clubs fighting for 4th and 3rd meaning that CL entry is shared from one season to the next. That might have a detrimental effect on Chelsea and United and the top of the Prem might end up being wide wide open. Which, for the love of football, would be amazing. But with feet on the ground, it could still yet prove to be a hardship. And that's how we should approach it. Take nothing for granted.

I've heard a few people say it, 4th is the new FA Cup. I don't doubt our ability to actually get our hands on that old and beautiful trophy. I'm sure we'll have our day again at Wembley. One step at a time, and the club should simply look ahead and prepare themselves for the qualifier and then (fingers crossed) the group stages.

Where Harry needs to earn his money all over again is making sure we don't get carried away with our travels into the promised land and continue to concentrate on the Prem - because until we are actually good enough to win the CL (dream the impossible dream - I don't actually expect us to win it by the way, but it would be stupid to make it THE only objective next season) the league has to remain the priority.

But honestly, all this is just hypothetical musings, way to early and too serious to be thought about in any great detail at this point, at the end of a fine season. 2010 has been a blast. Our club likes to take us through the mire, punish us for daring to support them, taking us to the edge and back so finally achieving this means a lot. Considering how dismissive other fans and the media have been in the past, it's a significant milestone in our recent history and the EPL.

In the mean time, get sodding drunk, enjoy Sunday at Burnley when there is no pressure on the players at all and sing up, sing up, with those arms out-stretched and fingers waving to the tune of...that song we sing, the marching one. I'm sure you've heard it a few times.

We'll let Levy and Harry worry about the '5 year plan'. As long Spurs continue to play with flair and entertain the f*ck out of us, whilst pulling our hearts from our chest down to our toes, I will continue to love my life as a supporter of THFC.

To dare is to do do do.

p.s. I'm wetting myself in anticipation for MoTD and Lineker v Hansen/Lawro.

Glory under the floodlights...

Every game now is pretty much a heart-in-your-mouth nerve disintegrating half-epic that involves plenty of watching through hands, wishing the 90 minutes evaporate into 90 seconds whenever we take the lead. That's if this end of season run-in is making you weak at the knees every time we play. The vast majority, I hope, will be enjoying it for what it is. Us pushing for it, on two fronts. So if we're going to go down in a blaze of glory or limp out of either challenge before us we may as well do so singing, arms in the air, fingers dancing.

If there's one competition that is Tottenham Hotspur in it's purist essence it's the FA Cup. It's testament to how much football has changed and how different it was back in the days of short shorts and rolled down socks when you can still see Ricky Villa twisting and turning City inside out. Cup final songs, classic never to be forgotten Wembley finals and replays. Flair players, all writing themselves into the history books and our hearts forever. And it saddens me it's almost been 20 years since we last graced a proper final and had our ribbons dressed up on the Cup.

So, Fulham at home in the replay. Won't be easy. This close to a semi-final, this game tonight should stand alone. It's the present. What I mean is, this has to be treated as the most important game of our season. We are too close to treat this game with even an ounce of disrespect or casualness. And 1991 is now just a memory on a VHS tape. But boy, what a memory! And what a Cup run that was. Back to the here and now, it's time for a new page to be written up. I want a DVD at the end of the season.

But tonight, I will make do with just high octane swashbuckling football. A pulsating North London night where everything just clicks together. The reality of it might be slightly more jagged. Fulham are no push overs. Just as that Old Lady they mugged the other night.

Probably no major unexpected changes to the team that played Stoke City - apart from Gudjohnsen starting up front with Crouch (who just has to score soon, right?) and Wilson Palacios back in central midfield (Kaboul is cup tied - with much thanks). Wilson might pick up a yellow tonight - something that some will be wishing for so he returns in time for the big big April games. Hoping the Iceman can continue his sparklingly intelligent play under the floodlights. You have to say, footballing brains are all the rage at Spurs at the minute; Gud, Luka, Niko. It's mouth-watering and add to it the power of the beast (Bale) and I'm pretty much gushing a waterfall. I'll be drowning in my own excitement if we had Lennon back. Soon, soon.

Fulham have one or two selection concerns so you have to say on paper we are...actually, there's no need to say that out loud.

Confidence. Belief. On and off the pitch. That's all that matters. Make them worry about us, and not be worried about them.

Sing up, sing up.

COYS.

An addendum to the 4th place issue........

by guest-blogger Tricky

*please not that the identities of the clubs in question have been protected to stop it becoming an automatic game-saying from opposition fans, or as they are fast becoming known 'the lowest common denominator'.

As a caveat to the question of ‘4^th or Cup’, Spooky asked a genuine question, but inadvertently in doing so has attracted some watching opposing fans.

It is an interesting question and one that naturally draws a comparative, it is emotive because of the comparison and the need to be honest about ‘what really matters in the game’. Accordingly it is subjective depending on the individual fans own views on whether or not football is about the trophies and days out to cup finals, or whether the business side and progression to recognition amongst Europe’s elite is of a greater long term consequence. Ostensibly ‘live for the here and now’, or ‘Jam tomorrow’.

But let me cast my mind back to the year 2005 and the month of May (as per Tony’s question of ‘who remembers the final’)

Well I for one remember well the FA cup in 2005. One team from the south (let's call them 'Farcenal'* for argument sake as it doesn't actually matter who it was) played 'anti-football' for 120 minutes whilst a team from the North West (let's call them Glazer United*) dominated possession, and did everything but score (Farcenal having 'parked the bus at the millennium stadium on the pitch'). Farcenal won on penalties, and it was to be their only piece of silverware for 5 years.

The manager of Farcenal then went on complain at every possible opportunity, for the next five years, when teams set themselves up to play a 'certain way' in break down his team, and yet no reporter has had the temerity to point out that 'well didn't your last piece of silverware come from exactly that scenario?'.

So yeah I remember it as it was two hours of my life wasted by negative play, and the 'wrong team' won (purely from a neutrals perspective as I have no love for either team) and football was the loser that day. The highlights were limited to a 10 minute analysis of defensive play by farcenal, and  the penalty shoot out, accordingly MOTD was only 16 minutes long that day, the shortest in recorded history for the National Game’s ‘blue ribbon event’.

Of  course since that day their fans don't like being reminded of that each time they start chanting the 'Farcenal mantras':

-          Thou shalt not tackle thyne 'farcenal players'

-          Thou shalt not defend only at the home of the effeminates

-          Thy manager knows best, for he is Le God and accordingly is never contradictory, myopic or wrong.

Since then the question has been posed to ‘Farcenal’ which would they prefer 4^th place or a cup, and each year the answer has been the same ‘Champions League is vital to the attraction and financial stability of the club’. So that’s their view, money over trophies in recent time.

As I said this is just an aside, as I remember 2005 and it added to the extensive list of reasons to ‘dislike Farcenal’.

'Farcenal' also finished 2^nd in the league that year, and was to be the last time in same five year period of finishing in top 2 in the league. Just thought I’d mention it, may come in handy during ‘discussions’ with the opposing fans later on in the season.

4th or FA Cup?

FA Cup = immediate silverware, club shop dvd, another chapter written into the history books

4th = CL

CL = more money, better players

More money, better players = possible title challenge

Title challenge = top 4 placement every season

Top 4 placement every season = CL every season

CL every season = even more money, even better players

Even more money, even better players = sustained title challenges

Sustained title challenges = potentially lots of silverware

Simplified, I know. Qualifying one season for the CL doesn't mean there's a guarantee you'll be in it the following. But that's a defeatist attitude. Anyways, to answer my own question:

Both.