- May 5, 2004
- 24,183
- 48,814
Really good post. I’ll add that what I’ve seen a lot on here and on Twitter is the the same as what I’ve seen in politics and the culture war. It’s people getting so obsessed with the “ends”, be that trophies, Brexit, socialism, whatever, that they’re prepared to justify any “means” and ignore anything they don’t like to get there. It’s a real unpalatable quality that I’m seeing everywhere at the moment.I have to take issue, from my perspective at least, with the claims going around that people who don't want Mourinho are allergic or scared of winning and accepting of mediocrity. Bullshit. I have higher standards and am harder to please than pretty much every single one of you on here and basically every fan I know, whether Spurs win lose or draw.
I've said it a few times in recent weeks, but for me it comes down to how you view football. Foot-ball. As in the game itself. I knew already I saw things differently to most fans of the sport, but this change in manager and the opinion around it just reinforces that further. Most fans are casual watchers, they want to cheer goals, cheer wins, and cheer trophies. Fair enough, and I get that. Ask them how you go about that, not really fussed. In fact for a lot of fans I'd say they have no ability whatsoever to analyse a match or tell you what happened, but that's another discussion.......... But for me, increasingly so as I get older, I see football as art/entertainment. I watch for the 90 minutes of play and am interested in the intricacies, all the tactical and technical stuff and nuts and bolts of a performance. I have my tastes and standards as to what I feel is the way the game should be played and how I want the team(s) I support to play - in my case, I'm of the Cruyff/Spanish/Dutch style as my starting point in terms of ideas for the game. High line, high press, (intricate) possession, technical players, focus on youth and developing players etc.
It's not even just 'defensive/boring' football that I take issue with. As I said in a post last night there are plenty of 'exciting' football teams that don't do it for me either. Anyone on here at the time saw my thoughts about the lottery open bollocks football of Redknapp. I didn't rate quite a lot of Poch's stuff, even on a good day. Currently even though they look unbeatable and might storm the league I don't particularly like Klopp/Liverpool's style of play and wouldn't want it at Spurs. And so on. Everyone has their own tastes and opinions about how the game should be played and what they want to watch, or at least should have in my view. Mine are quite specific, and also hard to please I admit.
The analogy I used recently was that whilst everyone wants the end Result (ie. wins and trophies), I cant separate that from the Process (the actual football being played week in, week out, game after game) on the way to getting to it. That is my main focus because it is what I will be watching. Most fans are different, and can forgo what happened if they're happy with the outcome, but that's not really me.
I am as competitive and want to win as much as anyone, fucking believe me, but I don't get the obsession with 'needing a trophy' from the fans either. Like there is some eternal glory to be basked in if we win. It's a good day and occasion if it happens, that's about it in my eyes, then life goes on. I don't know maybe I just have enough other things that interest me beyond football, and I'm not an overly emotional person tbh, but it's not something I can get worked up over. I woke up the day after the CL final quite honestly over it. Not forgotten it, happy to be on here discussing and picking over it to the nth degree if required and giving my opinion, but it was done with. Truthfully I'd have been the same if we'd ended up winning it. Tomorrow is the next day onwards, etc. That also goes for the obsessing over stuff like 'we need a big name', or 'we must start acting like a big club'. It's all image related crap to me. You get the right people in charge and right personnel, whether that's someone from the Champions League or Sunday League. Be an expert at your craft, have enough knowledge and skill, and do enough things right and you will end up succeeding is my philosophy on it all.
Mourinho has question marks over his recent tenures, the shine of bringing a bit of success whilst everything burns and implodes around it doesn't last long. He has a considerable point to prove. But I do think he is eminently capable of winning matches and maybe even trophies with us and being a successful manager. I also hope that my fears are proved wrong and that we get a style of play that I can enjoy and want to watch and say positive things about each week. But on his track record, he wouldn't be my choice, on the parameters that I set and the way I judge and see football. It will be a very niche view, I admit, and most will be skim reading this thinking what a load of old bollocks, but it's my view.
I'll judge him as I have judged every other Spurs manager. If I like what I see I'll say it, if I don't like it then exactly the same. Win, lose or draw.