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Success is temporary, class is forever

4 min read
by The Fighting Cock
One of the main things I love about Tottenham football club is the aura of class it has. Or maybe it’s not just class, perhaps ‘pride’ is a more appropriate word. We are proud of our history, proud of the way we play football, we try to do things our own way (some might call […]

One of the main things I love about Tottenham football club is the aura of class it has. Or maybe it’s not just class, perhaps ‘pride’ is a more appropriate word. We are proud of our history, proud of the way we play football, we try to do things our own way (some might call it stubborn but I prefer ‘proud’) and proud of our support. It starts with our logo, the cockerel standing in defiance of every problem that it may face, keeping its head up high as if it was saying to the world: “Come have a go at me, with my head up I face the adversity.” And lets not forget our club creed, the very essence of pride: Audere est Facere. Daring is also having the courage to do it, and that shows just what we are made of. Because of our high expectations and pride, some people tend to call us fickle or claim that we punch above our weight, but that’s not how we experience it. We just want to achieve great things and even in defeat we will still be there flashing our badge and singing our hearts out. Its better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low is a quote that we hold very dear.

In the modern game class has gone out of the window, the best clubs in the world take it as a given that players cheat to win games. They call it professional behaviour and it is condoned by pundits, coaches and fans under the weak pretext that only winning matters. And yet we , proudly (or stubbornly), refuse to accept that as a given. We have a world class player in Bale but if he takes the odd dive, we frown upon it and tell him to man up. We can accept players lashing out at opponents during a game because it shows passion and grit, but we would all be disappointed if one of ours acted like Van Persie did against Wigan, you can feel aggrieved but a true gent takes his loss with grace and dignity. That’s why Wenger could never be a Spurs manager, not just because he personifies Le Scum, but also because he lacks the moral fiber to be the face and strategist of our great club.

[typography font=”PT Sans” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#222222[/linequote]We take the abuse of the other fans because we are still proud to be Tottenham fans. Not just when things are going for us, but especially when times are tough.[/typography]

Redknapp has severely disappointed me recently, not only because of the results (cant deny that they are a catalyst for my feelings) but first and foremost because of the way he handles himself in the media. I (dare I say we) expect more from a man at the helm of a club that has settled itself in the very core of my heart. I do respect the things he’s done for us, but I loathe (yes loathe) the way he does it. The constant soundbites, the lack of respect for the fans and the club and the constant use of “they” and “them” infuriates me. In times like these you should pull together as a team and the manager is a key factor in that , he needs to stand behind the players and create a feeling of unity. But that’s not the style of mister Redknapp , or so it appears anyway. In fact, every time I see a press conference from Harry , the theme music in my head is that famous De La Soul song, ‘Me, Myself and I’.

As a manager you should take a stance and take it on the chin when it does not work out, that’s what the fans do on a regular basis. We go to work, to the pub, remain active on the internet and so on even if we get humiliated at the weekend. We take the abuse of the other fans because we are still proud to be Tottenham fans. Not just when things are going for us, but especially when times are tough. When things get rough it is time to show the world what you’re made of, that’s when you separate the men from the boys. Be proud like the cockerel, and make people wonder why you are still strutting around the place like you can’t be touched. But that’s not what Harry does, class does not include changing your opinion every time the wind blows from a different direction.

So for me the time has come to shake his hand and genuinely thank him for the good he did, give him a pat on the back (after all that’s what he likes to do himself) and gently push him towards the exit. Not because he is tactically inept or can’t take us to the next level, but just because he does not understand or appreciate what it means to be Tottenham. We have never had it this good actually means, I have never had it this good. And the culture of ‘me, myself and I’ that surrounds him can go with him.

We’ve been having the ‘who to come in after Harry debate’ amongst ourselves. I don’t like Jose (because of the way he behaves) and do like Martinez (same reason) but we can debate the pros and cons of the next ‘insert name’ blue white army all day long. The final decision rests in the hands of that strange little bald man. Mr Levy, all my hopes rest upon your frail shoulders. I admit that you sometimes have a funny way of showing it, but I know that deep inside you love this club. The time to react is near and please remember that in the end results are temporary but class echoes on forever.

Teflon6Author: Belgian Spur
Twitter: @Teflon6
Author archive: Read more articles from Belgian Spur

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