How is the New Season shaping up for Spurs?

Ever since the departure of Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham appears to be a lost cause. While Pochettino did not deliver any silverware, there was undeniable progress, with regular Champions League qualification and a style of football that kept the fans happy. A poor start to the 2019/2020 season led to his sacking and since then the club seems to be pining for his return. Guiding them to the Champions League final for the first time in their history had only given them false hopes of a glorious future soon to be shattered.

With most people seeming willing to give Jose Mourinho a chance given his track record, things appeared to start well. Topping the table for a time, their good form faded away, leading to grumbling amongst the supporters. Rumours of disharmony within the squad led to odds being slashed at sites like Energy Casino on Mourinho’s sacking. Yet, surprisingly, with the season nearly over and a cup final on the horizon, he was given the boot and former Spurs player Ryan Mason took charge temporarily.

Finally, a New Manager

Despite flirting with the idea of trying to lure Pochettino back to London and original claims that he longed for a return also, nothing ever materialised as French giants PSG were unwilling to let him go. Thus began what many saw as farcical scenes for such a big club as they were pretty much linked with every manager under the sun. Interviews took place, announcements seemed to be on the cards and then for various reasons deals collapsed. Issues surrounding the finances available and the status of some players’ futures did not help the situation.

In the end, after a long drawn out process with numerous names being mentioned, Spurs turned to former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo. He was believed to have wanted a break from football, feeling he had taken Wolves as far as he could. Also feeling extremely homesick, as due to Covid restrictions he had not seen much of his family, people were surprised he had thrown himself straight back into another job. Given a two year deal, he has the tricky task of guiding Spurs through these tough times.

The Harry Kane Dilemma

One of the first major issues facing Nuno is the job of trying to persuade superstar striker Harry Kane that his future lies at Spurs. Kane has become increasingly unsure of whether Spurs can deliver any kind of team success to add to his achievements. Consistently performing well in front of goal, he does not have any trophies to show for a very productive career so far. Spurs seem to be going backwards and at 27, Kane appears to believe a move to a bigger club is necessary to achieve his dreams.

Clubs are queueing up to make their move. It’s not often these days a player of Kane’s quality and the experience becomes available. Knowing his desire to move is a bonus for these clubs and it is a big problem for Spurs. It is unclear if they can manage to persuade him to stay. If not, they must try and extract the best possible deal for the club as it is guaranteed the fans will not be happy if he is sold. With three years remaining on his contract, Spurs are in a great bargaining position.

Time for a Clear Out?

If the Spurs manage to hang onto Harry Kane, they will certainly need to sell some players before deciding on new additions to the squad. The pandemic has played havoc with many clubs finances and Tottenham is no different. There appears to be a large number of players that could be on the departure list at Spurs this summer. Expensive contracts or disappointing performances have led to the idea that a complete overhaul under Nuno could be on the cards. 

Besides Kane, Dele Alli and Heung Min Son, few others could probably escape being touted about to other clubs this summer. The manager will have new ideas and while the club appears to be stagnating, it is up to the players to impress and retain their positions. Even the likes of club stalwart Hugo Lloris has considered leaving, thus certainly shepherding at the end of an era.

The Wrong European Competition

Spurs just about staggered into 7th place last season, fighting off the challenge of Arsenal who won their last five games to keep the pressure on until the final day. While just about claiming bragging rights over their local rivals, the only other satisfying result of this was that Spurs ensured they would play in Europe next season. However, after becoming nearly accustomed to playing in the Champions League during Pochettinos reign, it’s sad to report that they have only received a chance to take part in the newly formed Europa Conference League.

They will suffer the ignominy of facing a qualifier in the final round of games before the competition begins properly. While fans wish to see their team play in Europe, this is a far cry from the heady days not so long ago. Competitions like this do simply not hold as much interest from the fans as the Champions League and the finances on offer are not altogether appealing. Injuries suffered in this tournament could affect their chances of performing well in the Premier League, thus pushing it even further down the pecking order.

Summary

With such strong teams lurking at the top of the table these days, it’s hard to see Tottenham making much of an impression this year. Slipping down the table even further is a real possibility. Other teams around them have improved and the danger is there that a poor season could set them back years. Both Nuno and chairman Daniel Levy will have big decisions to make throughout this summer. It’s amazing how much the decision to sack Pochettino seems to have reversed all the good work previously done. A poor start to the season could see the pressure mount on Nuno and he could quite quickly become a favourite at casinos online in the managerial sack race.