What do we do now?

I never want to hear Spurs singing Allez Allez Allez ever ever again. Time to get creative in our songs.

Trix said:

Yes but you are ignoring the fact that money has ben available for the last 2 transfer windows and Poch has chosen not to spend it, because he couldn't get the very specific players he wanted. I know a lot of people still don't believe this even though pretty much every credible ITK has been saying it since January, not to mention Alan Sugar, Glen Hoddle and Poch himself, but I can assure you it's true.

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Thanks Trix. What is odd is that from a 35,000 foot view, things never looked better for the club even with a few bumps coming up. And while the hand wringing over yesterday is understandable, the club has made massive progress and set an economic base which should give us the flexibility to continue that as long as Enic re-invests. We're respected in Europe now having emerged from two groups of death and then making it to the finals.

I'd suspect the emergence of Poch ended up changing the goals of Enic as well as the time scale. The original business plan (upgrade the practice fields, improve the academy, (sell young players for profit) get a new stadium, would be a lucrative investment whether by selling youngsters, selling the club or rising near the top of the most lucrative league in the world in the premier city in the league. Given the Olympic stadium chase, it doesn't seem we were shooting for the top originally but just trying to create a sustainable business model. With Poch convincing DL et al that it was possible for continuous CL qualification using young, low cost players with potential and developing them (especially on the mental side), led to Enic re-considering the ultimate goal of "the project". Hence the first five year plan.

With Poch proving his business model (he fancies himself a budding business man if memory serves correctly) it seems that Enic and Poch realized that Spurs could play with the big boys but had to be smarter about it. Hence, we had our unique project and unique approach recognizing the business reality of Spurs. Switching from the Olympic Stadium to the NWHL (adding additional revenue streams {NFL, concerts]to make up for lack of global brand recognition) seems to be the proof that the board/club realized that there was an opportunity to create a global power which could dwarf the return on being a perennial #3 to #6 in the table. Sure there is a profit motive there but there is/was considerable business risk. Given that the ITK's have been pretty consistent with their message as has Levy, Poch et al, it does seem to be a plausible explanation of the last several years especially if Poch turned down lower quality players. Obviously there is a huge amount of conjecture in this, but if true, it would suggest that if Poch and Levy and the board are already on the same page for the most part. That means Poch is here for the long run and there will be some significant signings this summer.

What to do now? I'm going to wait and see what Poch et al do. They seem to have done well so far despite the obvious hiccups. And they have to know that we need significant upgrades at some specific positions which are discussed ad nauseum on these pages . The next few moves will tell us what the ultimate intent is but i'm more enthused than worried. (The number of people here that are worried causes me far more angst than anything else but i guess i'm a sucker for social proof)

BBC article with just the Spurs bit ....

Spurs, with a magnificent new stadium, must now grasp the opportunity in front of them.

Spending has been tight while a £1bn stadium has taken shape on the site of their old White Hart Lane home, but there now has to be financial backing for a manager who has not been near the market since signing Lucas Moura from Paris St-Germain for £23m in January 2018.

It also means Pochettino stopping the dance around his own future and clearing the confusion about his intentions.

Pochettino has provided a masterclass in extracting the maximum from relatively limited resources this season, but his squad needs strengthening in all departments.

Christian Eriksen's future is still a subject for debate, Dele Alli was desperately poor in Madrid and seems to have lost sparkle, while Kieran Trippier - by his own honest admission - has had a poor season.
Adding quality will also signal to stellar talents such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min that getting to Madrid, despite the pain it brought, is the start of something big.

Liverpool suffered similar agony in losing three finals under manager Jurgen Klopp before Saturday's breakthrough victory and now a whole new vista is opening up before them.

Tottenham must look at how the Merseysiders have approached it; an outstanding manager has been backed with smart and ambitious spending.

Spurs have so many of the building blocks in place under Pochettino, who signed a five-year contract in May 2018, but it is also time for the Argentine to put to bed the questions about his own future.

When Klopp was asked about a tenuous link with Juventus, his colourful, eight-letter response left no room for doubt that he was staying at Liverpool.

Pochettino has left doors open, perhaps to ensure chairman Daniel Levy supports him this summer, and this has led to uncertainty.

Like Klopp, he is revered by his own supporters, a modern manager who made their dreams reality.

Spurs must seize the chance they now have to build on what they have achieved.

Full link
Champions League winners Liverpool have lift-off, while Tottenham are at a crossroads - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48491893

We need refreshing and I'd suggest the team needs a 25% turnover. I'd like the Eriksen decision to be made soon - I'm ok if he stays or goes, but that seems critical to who comes in and how we set up. I'd also like us to find someone like Zaha, someone who could take the game to a team on his own. He's no Hazard, but hes got Hazard like qualities and he could be golden for us. And we need a right back tests as decent as Danny Rose.

We stay proud of what we have achieved this Season, 0 money spent, Top 4 Club and a Champions League final appearance , I could not be more proud of my childhood club, now we have to get in some fresh blood and get rid of some stale players, players who are not good enough, RB for Trippier or Aurier hopefully both but I won't hold my breath, ST/CF to push Kane, but I would also like a CM in and an Attacking player in the mold of a Hazard who can take on a Defense , change the game when we need.

Krule said:

BBC article with just the Spurs bit ....

Spurs, with a magnificent new stadium, must now grasp the opportunity in front of them.

Spending has been tight while a £1bn stadium has taken shape on the site of their old White Hart Lane home, but there now has to be financial backing for a manager who has not been near the market since signing Lucas Moura from Paris St-Germain for £23m in January 2018.

It also means Pochettino stopping the dance around his own future and clearing the confusion about his intentions.

Pochettino has provided a masterclass in extracting the maximum from relatively limited resources this season, but his squad needs strengthening in all departments.

Christian Eriksen's future is still a subject for debate, Dele Alli was desperately poor in Madrid and seems to have lost sparkle, while Kieran Trippier - by his own honest admission - has had a poor season.
Adding quality will also signal to stellar talents such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min that getting to Madrid, despite the pain it brought, is the start of something big.

Liverpool suffered similar agony in losing three finals under manager Jurgen Klopp before Saturday's breakthrough victory and now a whole new vista is opening up before them.

Tottenham must look at how the Merseysiders have approached it; an outstanding manager has been backed with smart and ambitious spending.

Spurs have so many of the building blocks in place under Pochettino, who signed a five-year contract in May 2018, but it is also time for the Argentine to put to bed the questions about his own future.

When Klopp was asked about a tenuous link with Juventus, his colourful, eight-letter response left no room for doubt that he was staying at Liverpool.

Pochettino has left doors open, perhaps to ensure chairman Daniel Levy supports him this summer, and this has led to uncertainty.

Like Klopp, he is revered by his own supporters, a modern manager who made their dreams reality.

Spurs must seize the chance they now have to build on what they have achieved.

Full link
Champions League winners Liverpool have lift-off, while Tottenham are at a crossroads - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48491893

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Absolutely nailed it.

All the talk from the ITKs is that Poch will be backed this summer. If that turns out to be true, Poch needs to come out and put all of the speculation to bed.

Of course I am still disappointed and sad. But I am feeling much better than I would expect. I feel even worse after the 2012 CL final when we missed out the top 4. I wanted us to win the CL. But I am really looking forward to this summer. Very huge transfer window. We will have a very bright future if we do a Liverpool 2018 transfer windows.

The players should get a good break. Who cares about summer friendlies? What with the CLfinal, nations league etc, and a tired squad, I think a good rest before pre-season would do them good.
Not gonna happen though.

Back the f****ing manager.

/thread.

To quote the mighty Alfred Pennyworth from Batman - The Dark Knight:

Endure.

Whatever happens next, its going to be suitably mental.

jeremystorey said:

Savor a rather amazing 5 year story under Poch. But book one is over now. Put it up on a shelf. Pick up a new set of blank pages and write the next chapter in what will prove to be an even more amazing sequel that will build off, and eventually pay off, the promise of the awesome narrative that came before. Some characters will leave, some will stay, some new ones will be introduced. The stakes will be raised, the opportunities will be aplenty, the lows will be less frequent and the triumphs more consistent. It’ll be a golden era for the ages.

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It took Fergie 5 or 6 years to rebuild Utd and win the league with them.

And then came the glory-years.

So you never know...

wirE said:

To quote the mighty Alfred Pennyworth from Batman - The Dark Knight:

Endure.

Click to expand...

To quote the mighty Alfred Pennyworth from Batman Begins:

Never.

luptic said:

I never want to hear Spurs singing Allez Allez Allez ever ever again. Time to get creative in our songs.

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I see why people sing it as it’s a catchy song but ye joining in with scousers is so cringey.

Trix said:

And what has Poch actually said?

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You keep re-fueling this idea that it is such an either-or black-and-white binary option between only one of Levy or Pochettino carrying the blame. After 1,5 years of no discovering and recruiting even one player to the senior squad, it is derived from classic logic that both of them must be at fault and share the blame for various reasons. It is impossible that the blame for lack of sourcing players resides with only one of the two men.

hellava_tough said:

It took Fergie 5 or 6 years to rebuild Utd and win the league with them.

And then came the glory-years.

So you never know...

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But before he did that, they'd won an FA Cup and a Cup Winners Cup on the way. He built that winning mentality into them first. Its why, for all the love I hold for the man, I'm disappointed when he doesn't take cup competitions as seriously.

Gassin's finest said:

But before he did that, they'd won an FA Cup and a Cup Winners Cup on the way. He built that winning mentality into them first. Its why, for all the love I hold for the man, I'm disappointed when he doesn't take cup competitions as seriously.

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?

In terms of answering the thread headline, I like to eat an elephant one mouthful at a time. So what we do from here is simple, we start by selling/letting go of every single player who is not close to be in the plans for next season, or who does no longer have the right motivation to stay. Sell players on a cheap if needed, just get rid early of surplus players. That's a corner stone in re-building for next season.

Taking a look at the squad, as many as 8 players could realistically leave. Get rid swiftly, early and decisively, so the right players can be added early. We could easily benefit from 4 early signings, maybe even 5 is needed to steady the ship. But first we must get rid.

Gassin's finest said:

But before he did that, they'd won an FA Cup and a Cup Winners Cup on the way. He built that winning mentality into them first. Its why, for all the love I hold for the man, I'm disappointed when he doesn't take cup competitions as seriously.

Click to expand...

To be fair though, it was a different era; no oil tyrants or Russian gangsters owning clubs.

I think there are a number of basic things that need to be addressed as well as some decent recruitment.
I am always astounded that our deadball situations are so predictable and poor , what the hell do we do in training?
Same goes for Lloris and his distribution, its dreadful, nearly always ends up with the opposition and cost us a number of goals this season ,always puts us under pressure. While we are at it, he needs to be stripped of his captaincy, he can't lead the team from between the sticks, doesn't even command his area, proof was when he should have shouted to Rose to leave the cross, which led to the corner and ultimately the second goal.
Our movement up front is non existent compared with previous seasons, we are so static hence all of the back passes and shithousing at the back.
All of this should be sorted out at training sessions, perhaps with a full pre season some of it can be sorted, but we are always going to be nearly men until it is.
My other gripe and I love the man, but Poch needs to be tougher and stop with the loyalty with some of the players, Lloris, Kane, Eriksen have had times this season when they should have been left out of the side.
As far as transfers go, its probably going to be the biggest window ever across Europe. A number of teams need to rebuild and the current prices are going to mean the records for total expenditure will be broken, even if Chelsea are banned
Fans need to realise that agents run the game now and players have more choice in where they go, yes we will spend this window, but it's not always Levy or Poch to blame if we fail to get some across the line.