Have we ever had a more humiliating season ?

[dannythomas]

I dont think so. 11/12 we were let down by a manager who took his eye off the ball. But we played some great football that year. Lost 2-5 to Scum, 1-5 to City and 1-5 to Chelsea in semi. So there were a few similarities. But we also beat Liverpool 4-0 and we played some good stuff with Bale, Modric VDV and Adebayor all firing at times.

 

[dannythomas]

2001-2005: Mid table wilderness

Team management passed to Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle who took over in April 2001 with the team lying thirteenth in the table. His first game saw defeat to Arsenal in an FA Cup semi-final. The club captain, Sol Campbell, after a season in which he made repeated statements in the media outlining his desire to remain at Tottenham, joined Arsenal on a Bosman free transfer that summer. By signing Campbell on a 'free transfer', Arsenal were spared a hefty transfer fee for one of the best defenders in the country at the time. Consequently, they were able to offer Campbell a contract believed to be worth in the region of £100,000 per week. The loss of a transfer fee by Spurs, the move to their bitterest rivals, and the perceived underhanded fashion in which he negotiated his move, led to Campbell being vilified by Spurs fans thereafter. The relationship was further soured several years later (after Campbell had moved to Portsmouth) by accusations that he had been subjected to racist and homophobic chants during a match against Spurs. While the national media argued Campbell's part, the police sought prosecutions against 16 fans, some of them children, filmed as taking part in the chants. The chanting, which was quoted by the Magistrate as "Well-Rehearsed" and well-planned, included Lynching and HIV. Campbell meanwhile has never expressed regret or remorse over his defection to Spurs' fiercest rivals.

The summer before Hoddle's arrival as manager, Tottenham had plunged into the transfer market for their first eight-figure signing when they paid Dynamo Kiev £11million for Ukrainian striker Sergei Rebrov. However, Rebrov was not a success at White Hart Lane, managing just 10 goals over the next four seasons (the last of which was spent on loan in Turkey) before joining neighbours West Ham United.

Hoddle turned to more experienced players in the shape of Teddy Sheringham, Gus Poyet and Christian Ziege for inspiration, and Spurs played some encouraging football in the opening months of his management. Season 2001–02 saw Spurs finish in ninth place, as well as reaching the League Cup final, where they lost to Blackburn Rovers, having been the favourites after their 5-1 demolition of Chelsea in the previous round.

The only significant outlay prior to the following campaign was £7 million for Robbie Keane, who joined from Leeds United. 2002–03 started well, with Tottenham in the top six as late as early February, but the season ended with a tenth place finish being the result of a barren final 10 games of the league campaign that delivered a mere seven points. Several players publicly criticised Hoddle's management and communication skills. Six games into the 2003–04 season, with Spurs struggling at the foot of the table, Hoddle was sacked and David Pleat took over on a caretaker basis until a permanent successor could be found.

In May 2004, Tottenham appointed French team manager Jacques Santini as head coach, with Martin Jol as his assistant and Frank Arnesen as Sporting Director. Santini quit the club in bizarre circumstances in early November. He was replaced by Jol, who turned things around and secured a ninth place finish. In June 2005, when Arnesen moved to Chelsea, Spurs appointed Damien Comolli as Sporting Director.

Were those seasons worse ? How many thrasings did we get then ? This season total capitulation and lack of pride in playing for the club will be the overriding memories.

 

[Spurger King]

11/12 had the most disappointing end to any season I've ever experienced, but prior to that it was one of the best seasons I've witnessed as well. We played some great football at times, and genuinely looked like title contenders for a while. For that reason 11/12 will always be bitter/sweet for me.

The 90s weren't anything like this. We were a poor team trying to slowly make progress. We usually had a star or two to keep us entertained, and were always capable of springing a surprise. We also had players that put the effort in (even if they weren't very good). We had dire teams, and very little success, but I never felt humiliated during that decade.

The early 2000s were more of the same really - low expectations, and more of a sense of frustration than crushing disappointment.

This season is the worst I can remember. People point to the position we're at in the table but that misses the point entirely for me. Finishing 14th with a mid-table quality squad isn't humiliating or even particularly disappointing. This season we could finish 5th and I would still consider it to be a massively humiliating season due to the huge gulf in class between us and the teams above us. We're pretty much back to Jol's "best of the rest" era, instead of being part of a 'big 5' or even a 'big 6'. We've lost our identity, we've either blown our Bale cash, or wildly misused the players we've brought in, and have had two inexperienced managers messing up a good squad due to being completely out of their depth.

I can't remember disliking a Spurs team as much as I do now. Horrible to watch, no passion, no excitement, shit tactics and attitudes. As soon as we went a goal behind yesterday I'd imagine almost every Spurs fan knew we'd be in for another hiding (most probably expected it before the game). Considering where we were two years ago, this season has been an abomination, with the painful realisation that we blew a great opportunity to get to the next level, and are now more than likely going to sink back to mid-table obscurity, whilst nothing teams like the chavs and Oil Money treat us as whipping boys on their way to buying trophies.

 

[Stoof]

There is the precise problem.
Too many people saw us spend £100 million, while United, Chelsea & City appointed new managers, and assumed/expected that we would legitimately challenge for the title or at least top 4.

I on the other hand was the eternal pessimist, knowing full well that there was no way we could integrate that many new players in one go and be capable of any sort of challenge....... We are exactly where I expected us to be, although I thought AVB would get the full season.

We weren't particularly good last season, we just had one player who single-handedly picked up the points for us.

But it's more than that.

The anger at the moment is surely more directed at the fact we gave the manager the backing, and then withdrew half-way through. We didn't let him do anything like the job he was told he could do. He needed time to mould those new players. He needed time to fit them into his system. Instead, we blew up the system and confused the players. They're not that bright to start with. They must literally have no idea what they're supposed to do.

I know people say that football is a simple game - this is true. But we've not stripped it down that way - or if he has, then he's certainly got an odd way of demonstrating it. I've never seen us look so confused. So many players playing in the wrong position in the wrong style for the umpteenth time.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Listen, for all the irate indignation and feather spitting apoplexy going on right now, I still wouldn't swap where we are now for any time between about 1993 and 2005. That was a baron football wasteland of a place to be.

Levy fucked up big time sacking AVB when he did. His biggest mistake since taking over as chairman. And there is shit that needs addressing and a better man than Sherwood to do it by the looks of things. But despite several humiliating score lines, things have been much, much worse.

 

[dannythomas]

The thing is also that if we would have been able to consistently pick a team of say

Lloris

Walker Vertonghen Chiriches BAE

Sandro Dembele

Lamela Erikson Chadli

Adebayor


I think that team could have had a pretty good season and at the very least lay solud foundations for next season.

 

[Stoof]

Listen, for all the irate indignation and feather spitting apoplexy going on right now, I still wouldn't swap where we are now for any time between about 1993 and 2005. That was a baron football wasteland of a place to be.

Levy fucked up big time sacking AVB when he did. His biggest mistake since taking over as chairman. And there is shit that needs addressing and a better man than Sherwood to do it by the looks of things. And despite several humiliating score lines, things have been much, much worse.

But I enjoyed going to the Lane then.

This is not enjoyable.

 

[Riandor]

It's the most miserable I have felt being a Spurs supporter since Sheringham went to Man United.

Losing Bale at the beginning of the season was a hammer blow, Spurs were a joy to watch with that kind of player in the team. Explosive, passionate...

I was really worried when the players coming in all looked like good squad acquisitions, but with a huge imbalance of lots of good players in one or two areas of the pitch vs any spectacular ones. Lots of siggurdson style signings , not a lot of bale replacements (yes i know that's tough but hey).

Too many cooks spoiling the broth and no Left back when it was perfectly clear that Rose was not going to be good enough without the machine that was Bale in front of him (or even with him, the point being it was and remains a big weak link).

But on top of that, to then see us just turn into drabness personified, bar the odd game, was just a horror.

This for me as i said has just been a miserable season where any team relatively on a par or better has not just beaten us, but soundly thrashed us multiple times over.

Benfica at home was another abject lesson in how far we have fallen. We might have good players, but they are all playing like a midtable team and sometimes worse.

Levy needs a rocket.. this is unacceptable.

I have written off the rest of the season and just hope that the summer proves to be the time when Levy makes another corrective decision that pushes us back up the table.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

But I enjoyed going to the Lane then.

This is not enjoyable.

Exactly.

Back then beating Birmingham or Leeds at home with some great moments from players like Kanoute, Keane and Poyet felt great and the atmosphere was good (as far as I recall).

Beating Southampton the other day, even with an excellent last minute winning goal, didn't feel that great. More of a relief than anything.

This is the worst season in terms of my enjoyment for a long time, and the most humiliating, at least, since the season Pleat was caretaker for pretty much the whole season and Arsenal went unbeaten, winning the league at the Lane.

 

[nicdic]

I wrote off the rest of the season and stopped really caring when we sacked AVB. Not because it was AVB per se, but because of what it quite clearly showed, hiring Sherwood just compounded it all. I've not felt humiliated the rest of the season, because I think we're as much of a joke as any fan from any other club.

Lasagnegate, Redknapp's eye off the ball, Chelsea winning the CL was embarrassing and humiliating.

 

[EastLondonYid]

We have seen much worse seasons, we have had many years in the wilderness...but...

Never have we been so poor with such a quality squad...its like having a Formula 1 car driven by Mr Bean.

 

[Spurger King]

Listen, for all the irate indignation and feather spitting apoplexy going on right now, I still wouldn't swap where we are now for any time between about 1993 and 2005. That was a baron football wasteland of a place to be.

Levy fucked up big time sacking AVB when he did. His biggest mistake since taking over as chairman. And there is shit that needs addressing and a better man than Sherwood to do it by the looks of things. And despite several humiliating score lines, things have been much, much worse.

Perhaps this highlights the issue of age when it comes to measuring disappointment. I started supporting Spurs in 1990, so never saw our success in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. For me, our football in the 90s and early 2000s wasn't humiliating or disappointing - it was simply where we were as a club. Each season I'd hope things would get better, but was never particularly surprised when they didn't.

The question isn't whether this is the worst team we've ever had, because quite clearly we were in a worse position in the period you mention. The question is about humiliation, and with the expectations we had, the group of players in the squad, the money we spent, and the relative success of recent seasons, this season has been a huge and sudden fall from 'grace'. If we were a struggling mid-table team, the thrashings wouldn't be anywhere near as embarrassing as they are when we're supposed to be a 'top team' according to some.

 

[CornerPinDreamer]

We have seen much worse seasons, we have had many years in the wilderness...but...

Never have we been so poor with such a quality squad...its like having a Formula 1 car driven by Mr Bean.

its like having a learner practicing in a Formula 1 car

 

[worcestersauce]

2011/2012 was more humiliating tbh.

To drop 10 points on Arsenal, and to watch Chelsea win the CL thus taking our spot in the CL that we earnt...well, i'd take this season over that.

And thats saying alot seeing as that was the best i've ever seen us play, we were fantastic.

Spot on, I am astonished that there arepeople who seem to forget that season.
That was the season that I lost all hope for the future, I no longer feel the lows and highs as I always have done.
I now make myself care whereas before I couldn't stop myself.
This season has been a breeze.

 

[EastLondonYid]

its like having a learner practicing in a Formula 1 car

A nutter.

 

[tototoner]

Yes, quite a few

We could still reach a record Premier League total this season, hard to believe granted but true and we have done well against the teams below us

The run in doesn't look that bad if ( and I know that is a big IF ) the players still up for it

33 07.04.2014 Sunderland home
34 12.04.2014 West Bromwich Albion away
35 19.04.2014 Fulham home
36 26.04.2014 Stoke City away
37 03.05.2014 West Ham United away
38 11.05.2014 Aston Villa home

 

[Gassin's finest]

Those back to back seasons where we got humped 7-1 by Newcastle... those were worse.

 

[EastLondonYid]

Yes, quite a few

We could still reach a record Premier League total this season, hard to believe granted but true and we have done well against the teams below us

The run in doesn't look that bad if ( and I know that is a big IF ) the players still up for it

33 07.04.2014 Sunderland home
34 12.04.2014 West Bromwich Albion away
35 19.04.2014 Fulham home
36 26.04.2014 Stoke City away
37 03.05.2014 West Ham United away
38 11.05.2014 Aston Villa home

And that is us in a nutshell.....and why we are still here....but for the first time in 40 years of supporting Spurs,passionately, i am really exhausted and done for this year.....all i want is for Tim to fuck off, the results are secondary to me right now.

 

[Coyboy]

Because he's cowering in the fucking stands. The fucking coward.

Poison.

This is without doubt the worst season I've experienced as a fan. The sniping in the stands, the terrible support, the directionless money-burning from the highest echelons, the directionless and clueless management from the touchline. With probably one of our top 3 squads we've had in the last 20 years (if you look at the squad, fully fit).

Even when Jurgen was scoring against Wimbledon, there was at least an element of desire, an element of passion from Daveeed. When Gus Poyet got substituted when we smashed Chelsea in the League Cup he danced all the way to the touchline arms aloft. When Keano did his jig after the Ar5ena1 game. When Rafa shushed the Arsenal fans at the Emirates and at White Hart Lane.

Who out of that lot is gonna do anything like that? Did any of them look like they even gave a shit? How does Sherwood expect to instill anything like the above if he's still doing the equivalent of his first year at Uni when others around him have all their qualifications and 10 years experience of the actual job he's studying for.

Maybe it's just the final embers being blown out by Modern Football. Christ, I get more excited by switching on my Xbox and playing FIFA than I do about going to the Lane. The former only costs me £40 a year. The latter costs me a grand.

Gah! So much Spurs. So little love right now.

This is it, I'm not renewing next season because there are far better things to spend my time and money on. I don't enjoy or look forward to games anywmore. I will see if I miss it next season, if I do I will go to as many games as I can and some away too. If I don't, I will have made the right decision.

The club seems rudderless in the boardroom, on the bench and on the pitch.

 

[crisp1979]

Based on the fixtures we have remaining how many more thrashings are we likely to receive, on paper our run-in looks decent but with a team full of legends and pussies I can see the West Ham game looking like the biggest hurdle. Going to renew my season ticket with gritted teeth and hope for some big changes in the summer.