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What the pundits & media are saying about us

Hoops

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2015
3,650
6,363
Anyone who thinks there is an anti-Tottenham agenda in the media needs their head checked. The media have been very complimentary about us this season - as of course they should be - and all the most-often mentioned examples of supposed anti-Tottenham bias are completely legitimate:

Touting our best players for big moves
We're not an elite club, but have a handful of elite players. The reality is those players - Kane, Eriksen and Alderweireld most obviously - are unlikely to achieve everything they could do by staying at Tottenham long-term. There's more than a touch of cognitive dissonance in Tottenham fans hailing Harry Kane as the best striker in Europe, but not accepting that the media are going to link him with the top clubs.

Questioning our ability to compete long-term
Just about every player in our first eleven is earning less than they could do elsewhere; in some cases they could earn two or three times as much by leaving. With good management, accepting our secondary status and cashing in on the odd top player to sustain increased wages across the rest of the squad (as I suspect was the plan with Walker) can work, but it's definitely a major question mark against the club - we are trying to compete among the elite, but with far less money. There is no harm in the media acknowledging how well we are doing while questioning whether we can continue to punch above our weight long term.

Criticising Dele Alli for diving
Stop diving all the time then.

Pointing to Pochettino's lack of trophies
Again, it's a legitimate thing to point out - we have statistically been the most consistent team in the Premier League over the past three years, but have no trophy to show for it. With Pochettino pretty openly showing his disinterest in the cups, that means an all-or-nothing approach: win the league, or win nothing. So far, we've won nothing. For a club that is getting as much credit as we are, the lack of trophies is obviously going to be pointed out: we don't want to be the modern version of Keegan's Newcastle, entertaining everyone and earning plaudits across the globe, but winning less than we did under Ramos or Graham. No one in the media, as far as I'm aware, is pointing to the lack of trophies as a major failure or proof that Pochettino is never going to win anything with us, only that any praise of what a great team we are has to come with the caveat that we've won nothing...yet. Great teams win things.

Those are the criticisms I'm seeing most often, and all of them are completely fair game. In my experience (I don't listen to Talksport because I value my sanity) we are getting plenty of credit at the moment and any implication of an anti-Tottenham bias in the media is just laughable, the sort of theory we would be mercilessly mocking if it came from a Liverpool or Arsenal fan. Legitimate criticism of our club, even if you disagree with it, is not automatically unfair, contrived, biased or built on ulterior motives.

Thats fine, but when I put the telly on to hear about another win, the pundits spend 2 mins talking about the game and 10 minutes about our players and manager leaving. Its cliche and boring.
 

SpursSince1980

Well-Known Member
Jan 23, 2011
4,732
14,444
Thats fine, but when I put the telly on to hear about another win, the pundits spend 2 mins talking about the game and 10 minutes about our players and manager leaving. Its cliche and boring.
Agree with this, and often comes from the same group of former players that are basing their judgment on the Spurs from 1990 to 2014. Things have changed. They don't often factor into their thinking that we have one of the best training facilities in Europe, and very likely one of the most exquisite stadiums. On top of that, we also have the advantage of all of that huge TV money, just like all the teams at the top... Which levels the playing field considerably. We also need to temper the assumptions about wage disparity. No one knows how bonuses are structured at Spurs, and if it truly was a case of our players making three times less than they should, i would think they'd be kicking up much more of a fuss, as no matter of loyalty, brotherhood and team unity would keep them at the club. They'd be queuing up to leave.

So, while i agree that generally the media speaks kindly of us, you do get a few uninformed voices that sow seeds of doubt, based on outdated information.... I do think there are manynof them that don't like Spurs breaking up the traditional powers. I'm sure they don't like City too, but they know they're here to stay and outspend everyone in the world until their owners get bored!!!
 

guiltyparty

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2005
9,023
13,524
It does amuse me the clinging to our undetermined bonus structure, like anyone knows what it is any more than the pundits, and like, however generous it is, that it would be that much more than the moneybags clubs offer/can offer. Performance-related bonuses are pretty standard practice in business and football, and not some magic sauce that Levy invented, amazing what a bit of nudge-nudge wink-wink PR can do.

That aside, I actually think this debate is unwinnable as both sides have merit.

There is undoubtedly a pro Liverpool bias in the media. Whether it’s self flagellation over Hillsborough or just the massive over-supply of ex player pundits, they are overhyped hugely. They have years in the wilderness and are never talked about as past it. They are romanticised to a level beyond most clubs, regardless of performance. They are generally discussed as if they should be a top club, even when they’re not. Now they’re good again, it’s like order has been restored.

By comparison, Spurs are treated as a novelty, even after years of progress. I think it jars in comparison with Liverpool more than any other club, as we’ve been ahead of them for so long yet the reporting hasn’t changed. It feels like the media was willing them back to life. Traditionally on Fleet Street, too, Spurs have been the butt of jokes - typically because a vast majority of London football writers don’t support Spurs and there’s a massive number of West Ham fans there, too.

These things rankle Spurs fans, and merge with other factors to build a case. But in the modern age, the only real agenda is money and size of audience and Spurs are still largely behind the other 5 in terms of global fan base and ability to buy superstars, so we get shorter shrift and more speculation. But you only have to look at Arsenal to see they don’t blow smoke up your arse forever.

That said, until we do win something, I think people have to deal with it. We get plenty of regular positive press that winds other fans right up and makes a mockery of the media “hating” us. They’re just trying to tell stories that people want to read or see. If half a show is dedicated to Utd, not us, it’s no doubt because they’ve done their research and that’s what more people want to watch.
 
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Sir Henry

Facts > Feelings
Aug 18, 2008
2,706
2,817
This isnt really what the pundits are saying about us, but more what the pundits were saying about Real Madrid...when we played them, they were utter pish. They just knocked out PSG, are they now lo longer pish as it wasnt Spurs that beat them ?
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
26,945
61,824
This isnt really what the pundits are saying about us, but more what the pundits were saying about Real Madrid...when we played them, they were utter pish. They just knocked out PSG, are they now lo longer pish as it wasnt Spurs that beat them ?

My hope is that Real draw one of the other English sides in the next round and knock them out.

Our win against them was so underestimated it was unreal. We didn't just beat them we absolutely battered them.
 

tiger666

Large Member
Jan 4, 2005
27,978
82,214

cider spurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 5, 2016
9,399
23,731
Feck the media. As long as Spurs keep winning, couldn't give a toss for he said, she said nonsense.

Most of the untrue crap is sensationalized for the sole purpose of getting a reaction.

If pundits want to get all moist about Liverpool, fine. It'll just make their fall from grace all the more spectacular.

Let's just focus on Spurs, those that wish to, great. Those that don't, fine.

Won't stop us winning.

COYS!
 

Disconosebleed

Well-Known Member
Dec 22, 2005
2,553
2,569
This isnt really what the pundits are saying about us, but more what the pundits were saying about Real Madrid...when we played them, they were utter pish. They just knocked out PSG, are they now lo longer pish as it wasnt Spurs that beat them ?

We got a huge amount of credit after that game, the narrative (sorry) after the games was mainly about our excellence rather than Madrid underperforming. And in any case, that is a legitimate point - they did underperform in those games, as they tend to do in the group stages. Anyone who thinks we'd brush them aside as easily again if we drew them in the knockouts is likely to be disappointed; not that I think they would necessarily beat us, but they'd be much more motivated and give us a much better game.
 

hutchiniho

Top Cat
Mar 19, 2006
4,662
5,879
My hope is that Real draw one of the other English sides in the next round and knock them out.

Our win against them was so underestimated it was unreal. We didn't just beat them we absolutely battered them.

In the post game BT bumblings, I thought it was interesting that electing Madrid as winners again, or at least a Barca final, no one even half mentioned that Tottenham Hotspur, an English team, had defeated the giant already this season, despite Ronaldo's achievements.

Fingers crossed for Real v Liverpool. City v Munich. Utd vs Barca so we can pick up Roma or Shakatar (although, having written this, thats clearly not an easy tie). Maybe we take Sevilla
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
I personally enjoy that we're under the radar and taken lightly as long as we're winning who gives a shit. The sooner we start winning trophies all the better.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
21,898
There is undoubtedly a pro Liverpool bias in the media. Whether it’s self flagellation over Hillsborough or just the massive over-supply of ex player pundits, they are overhyped hugely. They have years in the wilderness and are never talked about as past it. They are romanticised to a level beyond most clubs, regardless of performance. They are generally discussed as if they should be a top club, even when they’re not. Now they’re good again, it’s like order has been restored.

By comparison, Spurs are treated as a novelty, even after years of progress. I think it jars in comparison with Liverpool more than any other club, as we’ve been ahead of them for so long yet the reporting hasn’t changed. It feels like the media was willing them back to life. Traditionally on Fleet Street, too, Spurs have been the butt of jokes - typically because a vast majority of London football writers don’t support Spurs and there’s a massive number of West Ham fans there, too.

The top four was always the top four until we started finishing in it and Liverpool weren't at which point it became the top five or six or wherever Liverpool finished.
 

GMI

G.
Dec 13, 2006
3,090
12,122
I was just pissed off that having bought a paper on the way to the game in no small part to read a preview of the game, we weren't in it.
I think the Mirror focus on Liverpool so much as they know people in that City won't buy the Sun and their paper is an equivalent tabloid.
 

guiltyparty

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2005
9,023
13,524
The top four was always the top four until we started finishing in it and Liverpool weren't at which point it became the top five or six or wherever Liverpool finished.

Yes indeed. Top 8 in 2015/16 ;)

Tho as I say about Arsenal, check out the amount of 'Top 5s' being peddled now. Already cutting them out. It's funny, but it's just as ridiculous and they're one managerial change from being a major player again.
 

shoggy33

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2007
1,354
4,538
This isnt really what the pundits are saying about us, but more what the pundits were saying about Real Madrid...when we played them, they were utter pish. They just knocked out PSG, are they now lo longer pish as it wasnt Spurs that beat them ?

Ray Houghton on the radio yesterday said 'this wasn't the under par Madrid that played Spurs, this was a good Madrid team'...

We have been really bloody lucky this year, playing Dortmund, Real Madrid, United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, all when they are under par.
 

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
5,850
8,794
Ray Houghton on the radio yesterday said 'this wasn't the under par Madrid that played Spurs, this was a good Madrid team'...

We have been really bloody lucky this year, playing Dortmund, Real Madrid, United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, all when they are under par.
And you can bet your house that if we get past Juve it will be because 'they're not the team they were last year'.
 
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