Have you ever felt more disconnected?

[joelstinton14]

I don't know how old you are, but considering the references you've made in your post, I'd say you're maybe a similar age to me (35).
But what an excellent post. I was about to post something similar, but couldn't have said it better.

Thanks man, appreciated! Yes, you’re bang on the money. 35 too!

 

[DCSPUR64]

Last night felt like a watershed moment for me. I've been a season ticket holder since the Martin Jol era in 2006, a supporter all my life (I'm 37) and I've never felt more disconnected with the Club than I did yesterday and still do today. Before the game Levy put out his statement about how we're a family and we're stronger together but last night they made us fans in the stadium feel like they simply don't care about us at all.

I was one of the unlucky ones who chose to spend £60 on watching that shower on the pitch. Like most others, I hadn't been to the stadium since March so I was buzzing to get back. I got to see a couples mates that I hadn't seen since March either so to feel that little slice of normality again was a big moment.

We were told at various points before the day via email and on the actual day in the stadium to stay in our seats after the game for the traditional lap of appreciation from the players to the fans, to thank us for our support as they do every single season.

The full time whistle went. Kane, Bale, Son and Dele clapped every single side of the stadium immediately after the full time whistle before heading to the changing rooms. Hojbjerg and Toby to a lesser extent, meanwhile everyone else went back inside. What would normally happen is the players go and put their tracksuits on, then come back pretty quickly (with all the staff) to clap the fans. That didn't happen.

We were soon politely told over the PA to leave. No explanation, just basically told to go home. That's when the atmosphere started to become pretty toxic, scuffles broke out with stewards, negative chants towards Levy, ENIC and the cost of tickets began and people were angry.

We may not have a permanent manager but we have people on the staff like our caretaker manager Ryan Mason and coach Ledley King who are supposed to be Spurs through and through. Where were they last night? Hiding because a few fans decided to boo what was a poor performace? Spineless. Not only did they not show their own faces but they clearly didn't stand up for us fans and get the players and staff to come out and show us some appreciation.

What about our captain, where was he? Hiding in the changing room with everyone else.

This disconnect has been slowly breaking for the last few years. The last season in the old stadium I had never felt closer to the Club, it was an amazing place to be but there's been a steady decline between how the Club treat the fans and taking us for granted since.

Any good will built up before that time has now completely gone, all bridges completely burned and that's sad.

You love the club, this lot have let you, 10.000 fans and all of us down.
Your statement is sincere and powerful.
Hopefully we get our club back, soon.

 

[db1]

Thanks man, appreciated! Yes, you’re bang on the money. 35 too!

Yeah agreed and a similar experience to yours as I'm 38. As terrible as the 90's were though and all the more so because of Arsenal winning so much, it didn't frustrate as much as you didn't expect too much. You got guys who were admittedly not great but they really tried and once in a while we saw some magic from a flair player and felt entertained. I still get so much stick (banter?) from a lot of people especially about trophies, by these guys 'supporting' Man Utd/Liverpool/Chelsea but from this area. Can't take the glory hunters seriously like they don't even account for why only a certain few clubs will win things and how it's destroying the game.
Off topic but I think it'll get worse- some kid was talking to me at the kids park (earlier in the season) and he had a city shirt on and within the conversation he was debating if he'll support Liverpool next year. I wonder if that's the majority of kids now, just follow the team winning year on year...

 

[Tyler24durden]

Literally feel like the soul has been ripped out if the club and wondering why I have bothered supporting the club when I could be spending my time do other things.

I swear that’s it and a few hours later I’ll check on here or the news in the vain hope of more positive news.

I have had great times watching spurs for about 35 years but also had some terrible times, however, even when we were rubbish in the late 90’s etc we always played with flair and the club had an identity.

losing Poch and not supporting him was terrible but losing Kane and the last few months of this season has made me feel so detached to this club.

VAR has not helped either as you can’t even celebrate a goal until you’re sure a review isn’t taking place but levy has just destroyed everything from redknapp to Poch, and we are about to lose our talisman in Kane.

 

[SpursSince1980]

I'm not sure when I last felt this indifferent or low about Spurs. Perhaps it was the end of the Scholar era?

We often tend to unconsciously adapt expectations based on what we see on a consistent basis. So, for me, from about 1992 to 2005 I never had high expectations for Spurs. Always started the season with a hope we can finish in the Top 6, make a good cup run. So, my expectations were set accordingly. Less anger about losing. More joy in winning. Was not overly emotionally invested. As I knew full well what to expect every single season. Moreover, we also knew not to get to attached to any of our 'superstars', as they'd leave to greener pastures.

Then, in 2005 we went through a big change. Jol, and then to Harry Red. I started to feel a bit more invested in the expectations of success. Suddenly we looked like a team that could actually, and should actually be competing for a top 6 or 5th spot. And should even go from 'hoping' we have a good cup run to 'expecting' we should have a good cup run. So, when losses came, it hurt more. Winning certain games was lovely, but tiny bit more muted in terms of overall enjoy. As I expected it. The most joyous moments were when we would win games we weren't expected to win. Like beating Chelsea for the first time in a zillion years. Or the infamous 4-4 with Le Arse. And, about this time, it actually started to getting very frustrating when a 'superstar' would leave... EG: Carrick, Keane, Berba, Modric. Felt like an insult. We still weren't grown up enough to have the best toys.

When we hired AVB, there were high expectations that we could make a run at the top 4. Again, expectations were elevated, but it was much of a muchness due to the fact that we had come to an end of a particular era when Bale left. It was time to re-build. But this time, it felt like we had a chance to still compete for the top 4, as we got a ton of money for Bale. How it was used is still open to debate, but I'd argue that his leaving, led us to the Poch era. Which is the most successful era I've experienced since the early 1980s. And now expectations were through the roof. Now, we had loads of alleged 'superstars', but the game had changed. We were no longer a feeder club to the big boys. We could hold on to our biggest playing assets. And now, most wins felt like an entitlement. Beat a lower-mid table team 4-0, and it's like, "Yeah, some great moments. But, what about this issue, or that issue, etc". And when we'd lose, it would feel like a huge punch to the gut, and would ruin my day. Or as my wife would say: "Off to the closet of frustration". Winning or losing would impact my mood... significantly. Again, because expectations were so different. And when you are one of the supporters who have been behind the club for over 20 years, you know how rare the Poch era was, and also how afraid we were of slipping back to mid-table obscurity again.

The game we have coming up against the Foxes this weekend, is the least 'excited' I have felt about a Spurs game in probably 15 to 16 years. I just don't give a shit to be honest. In fact, if I'm being absolutely transparent, I'd rather we lose this weekend. Or, I should say, I'd rather we finish 8th or 9th. I don't want anything to in some way, shape, or form, be an achievement, the likes of ENIC can point to and say, 'look, we're back in Europe again'. That's a great big Gaslight. 'Cos it's horseshit. We are not a team at this point in time that is deserving of anything. Those players certainly aren't deserving of any level of recognition at the end of this season.

I also don't have much vested in the manager either. I know I should... but I don't. Because what I want to see, is what won't happen. I want to see wholesale changes at the club. Some that are realistic, and some that are not. I want us to have a big bucket of money for new players, but we don't. I want Levy to actually walk from the football side of Spurs, and hire the likes of a Campos. But I don't see that happening either. I do think it is time for Lewis to cash in his chips and consider selling-up to a group that will bring in a new approach, and hopefully will care more about what happens on the field than off. Will that happen? Very much doubt it. Hard to see a where we go from here, as there's a lot of fixing that needs to be done. I know other feel very differently. And that it's just a case of us missing three or four players, and the squad has been decimated by the monster that is Jose. Perhaps they are right. A new gaffer will come in, and can take the majority of the same squad and get them looking something like a cohesive teams again -- with 'Patterns of Play'!

Lastly, I don't warm to many of our players at the moment. There are some serious attitude issues in the team. And that's the key problem. It's not a team anymore. Just a group of individuals with different needs and agendas. It's not like three or four years ago, when there were so many on the team I adored: Dembele, Wanyama, Jan, Eriksen, Harry, Sonny, Toby. But as we know, some have moved on. Some have stayed, but have either started to recede as a player, or just don't seem to have the right attitude.

Let's be honest and real... Sonny has been a shell of himself since December. Not sure what has happened. But his entire style of playing changed. Far less direct. Far less running. Far less concentration and care. As for Harry... yes, he's had a lovely season. But over the last seven or eight games, we've had a huge 'shit or get off the pot' moment. And he hasn't been fully vested. Maybe he's a bit crocked. Maybe he just doesn't give a shit anymore. I don't know. But I do know he's played much better this season, than he showed during that run of games, when we needed everyone at their very best. Willing to throw themselves into the game. But, I can't say we've seen much of that at all.

I can't simply shrug this feeling off. I am annoyed and disappointed with the whole kit-and-caboodle. Levy has served us well, but every general eventually needs to retire. Lewis should put up or shut up. Time to decide if you want to own an elite football team, or an elite football business. If the latter, than I truly hope he fucks off soon.

As for the players... I wouldn't shed a tear over at least 9 or 10 players leaving this summer. The only ones I will shed a small tear over will be Sonny and Kane... more because it's a bitter end, more than anything else. They should have more to show for their efforts. But, at the end of the day, they also have accountability. And if they're no longer interested or invested... then fine, they can leave. We can use money from the sales of Harry, Sonny, Dele, Lamela, Winks, Aurier, Sanchez, Doherty, Dier, Toby, Sissoko, Lucas and even N'Dombele to finance a wholesale re-build of the team. Of course that's not what will happen. As this is a tricky transfer market to navigate this summer, and too many of the above are on big contracts that many will have no interest in taking on. Hence, why it is so hard to move deadwood.

In short, I think it's time to move on and make profound changes at the club, from head to toe. Sadly, I don't see it happening this summer. However, if we can see the odd hint or two over the next few months that big changes are coming, albeit a slow rolling white squall... I can live with that, and maybe feel more invested. For now though... I'm back in my late 1990s mode. Expectations have been re-set for next season, to hope for a potential top 6 of 5th finish and maybe a nice cup run. The cherry on top, would be seeing a young team improving through the season, to believe and have hope again that a golden era could be just over the horizon.

1981. That's the year I started to support Spurs. Now, 40 years later... five trophies later... and two since 1991... it's really starting to become an existential question of why do I invest so much of myself into a team, for a rather piss poor return on investment? I guess that's what it means to be a Spurs fan. Yes, we get mocked ruthlessly by other fans. Pundits seem to despise us. Young fans around the world who have jumped into the PL fandom, hooked on the mega-rich clubs like Man City and Chelsea, have no idea what it means to be one of us. And can't understand why on earth we'd choose to support one of the biggest also-rans in professional sports. It requires a lot of courage and patience and stupidity to be in love with Spurs. It should be commended. Not taunted, by classless pricks such as John Terry. We stick in there. Through all the bad. The very, very bad. The average. The slightly better than average. And the odd good here and there. How do we do it?

We adjust expectations accordingly.

 

[Shelf59]

Wow, that's quite an epistle, jeremystorey. You've prompted me to break my usual custom and to post a reply.

As you might tell from my member name, I saw my first Spurs match on the shelf with my Dad in 1959. I'm now 71 and am as much in love with our team as I was then. I was privileged to have seen the double team at their imperious best but also experienced the lows including our relegation in 77/78. In a few short years we went from Greavesy, Gilzean, Cliff Jones, Mike England, Martin Peters and Pat Jennings to Barry Daines, Gerry Armstrong, Jimmy Holmes, Don McAllister and Ian Moores. Honest triers but literally and figuratively not in the same league. We picked up brilliantly in the Eighties with Ossie, Glenn, Waddle, Garth Crookes, Ricky etc but then into the Nineties. Need I say more? Enough said.

If we're truly honest with ourselves, our expectations for this year were founded in hope rather than in reality. We flattered to deceive on so many occasions until reality called and smacked us around the head and the continual behind-the-scenes shenanigans only revealed the discontent within the squad. The speed and abruptness of Mourinho's departure has never been fully explained and understood. Why terminate someone with days before the Carabao final and with just a handful of games before season's end? Clearly something went badly wrong. I'm not into the blame game but I do think Levy has much to answer for. We've squandered all the great work of the past 5-6 years. Yes, we have a wonderful stadium that was intended to make us match it with the very best but the investment in players good enough to make us the best didn't follow.

So, yes, I understand that disappointment is a bitter pill to swallow. That's why I broke my habit and wanted to reply and support jeremystorey. He's spot on. We stick in there, through all the good and the bad (sometimes VERY bad) and learn to live with and accept what it means to be a Spurs supporter. This board gives us the opportunity to let off steam and vent our frustrations. However, if we've got a few lean years in front of us, and lose Kane and Son, well we take it on the chin because it's par for the course when you support our team. This is how it always has been. Being a Spurs supporter is a lifetime commitment. I may not be around much longer but I'll be navy-blue and white until my last breath. Shit has happened in the past and will happen again but we learn to cherish the high notes when they happen. So, by all means have a good whinge, vent your frustrations but don't forget to dust yourselves off and never lose sight that we're a great club. Come on you Spurs!

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Yet I preferred being a spurs fan then than I do now!

There's the rub. In many ways, so did I. That's because its all about expectation. Back then, I could laugh at my team and take the piss (I still do) as everyone knew where we'd finish, give or take. The odd star player to watch and an occasional cup run.

It was more enjoyable without any expectation, or to borrow an overused modern phrase, entitlement.

With the winning mentality, the 'almost but not quite' success, we start to think that way. It takes away my enjoyment to a large degree. There's multiple factors, like ticket prices, player salaries etc etc that mean we ought to be competing more. But as fans, we've become closer to the Liverpool and United lot than we realise.

Sit back, laugh a bit and take the piss. Stop caring about club finances and worry about your own. You have no control over how the club spend.

It is a shame though, I'd like to see an FA cup win, European nights again. But football for me, was as much about self depreciating humour and banter. @Nine while nine often posts in the 'what our opponents' thread, some very funny comments from 'smaller clubs' and i love that. We used to do it far more.

It's not to say I want to follow a smaller club or for us to be 'shit' again in the long term. You can't change your hearts club. No matter how much you'd like to. But you can choose to sit back and see the funny side. Is that a losers mentality or a fan who wants to enjoy things? Somewhere in the middle probably. Having been a spurs fan since my early years, at 44, the pessimism is in my DNA. Might be different for the younger fans.

The one thing I would caveat my point with. (Whatever it was), is seeing a lack of effort on the pitch isn't cool and not particularly funny. A poor player who puts effort in, that's different. For me anyway.

Hope? That evil bastards loves taunting us. Just ignore it and pray instead.

 

[brisbanespur]

Off topic but I think it'll get worse- some kid was talking to me at the kids park (earlier in the season) and he had a city shirt on and within the conversation he was debating if he'll support Liverpool next year. I wonder if that's the majority of kids now, just follow the team winning year on year...
[/QUOTE]

I very rarely post in here, but that sentence above sums up everything that is wrong with football and it hit a nerve with me.
I and everyone I grew up with would never entertain the idea of swapping your team out, sure you might say as a joke.
it iss now just a form of entertainment in the same way as you like going to the movies, It used to seem like so much more......

I guess I am from a different era...

 

[Danners9]

It's close. While I've seen worse squads and more difficult times, this feels different.

Being overseas, football is a TV programme I tune in for rather than a day out with friends and drinks and it's become a show I don't want to watch anymore. 3am kick off against Villa the other day really ruins my whole day in more ways than just the result. It's easier than ever just to let it go and watch a 2 minute highlight package later on.

Several factors including how dull it is without an atmosphere, how VAR has sapped the spontaneity from an already-sterile COVID-era event and the inconsistencies laid bare for all to see on the screen. The forensic investigation into disallowing Kane's goal vs Leeds just a week after the lack of interest in pursuing Fleck's stamp on Lo Celso just one example. Throw in WBA's goal being disallowed the other day against Liverpool if you like. It's not just Spurs games it is frustrating to watch.

Add to that how greed has shot to the forefront with the ESL shambles (despite the board being told for years by the Trust that it wasn't going to be accepted by fans and the board denying their intentions) and the resentment from other clubs' fans for the 'big 6'.

Then we have the deficiencies at Board level on show to the world during the Amazon documentary as Levy fawns over Mourinho, hangs out in the canteen waiting for someone to notice him and Donna unsure why playing without fans wasn't ideal and firmly stating that the league won't be suspended.

Maybe it all goes back to the first 30 seconds of the CL Final. Imagine if that had been allowed to be a proper game... or maybe it goes back to the lack of investment in 2018. The squad badly needed a refresh and we're still seeing players who should be long gone in the line up this season.

There have been so many opportunities, all missed. Football365 had a headline the other day about Spurs being a joke.. and it's true. It's so bad that the best player to come through in decades wants to move on when he's so close to setting the all-time scoring record because, ultimately, those goals have resulted in nothing but runners-up medals.

But overall, the biggest disconnect I have is with football as a whole. I can handle Spurs being shit - we've been midtable for most of my life - but what is really pushing me away is that football is their game now, not mine. The City, Chelsea, PSG types who can skip ahead several steps with money while Spurs don't. Probably could if Lewis was prepared to, but we've been through moments where the team needed that one puzzle piece to make it so much better and they don't - like here: https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/news/daniel-levy-carlos-tevez-saha-17097249 - whether true or not in this instance, players like Tevez or Cahill at that time would have pushed Spurs up a notch and instead we got Saha and Nelsen. There are other examples where former coaches have said player X was lined up and Levy opted for player Y.

It's draining and watching other clubs recognise the opportunity in front of them and take that risk while we muddle through time and time again is upsetting.

 

[KingKay]

Not too much. Maybe modern football as a whole. Becoming disillusioned with the game because of the money involved, high transfers, wages, agent fees. I really hate how social media and the likes of Talksport as altered the way people think and talk about the game. I don’t like football banter. I don’t like the instant gratification and obsessions over transfers. I really don’t like the vilification of player who aren’t playing well (lamela, trippier, Sissoko in recent years). I don’t like how fans are happy to sell their soul for success (some fans wanting oil owners, Newcastle fans happy to have a person who happily kills journalists amongst others, as well as presiding over appalling human rights record for example). There isn’t too much to enjoy about modern football. It’s a grotesque circus at times.

What as kept me going in recent years is Spurs. A team that I really adored under Poch in his first couple of years. It was anti modern football in many ways. Young side. Academy players. 100% commitment. A football ethos. A life ethos instilled in the team and fans that life was something to enjoy. Every moment of it. The way we achieved success (relative) through doing it the right way. We saw that under Jol when we challenged the top 4 for the first time. Saw it under Redknapp with a Brilliant side when we did qualify for the CL for the first time. To be honest, aside from a minor blip with the end of Avb and when we had sherwood in charge until the end of the season we havehad it pretty good for 12 or so years. First time since 2008 where we been in a bit of trouble. Which is quite remarkable really. So not too disconnected with the Club. Not compared to the mid 90s when our only redeeming feature of a season was perhaps beating Utd 4-1. But then we lived for those one of performances. Watching Ginola light up a dismal side was as good as it got. This may turn worse or just get better again. Who Knows. But when you support a side you have to take the pain as well as the wins. We just got so used to winning we generally forgot how to feel when we lose (repeatedly).

If wasn’t for Spurs i probably would have abadoned football a long time ago. Save for my local side. Just become more passionate about Cycling and F1 in the last 10 years. The former especially. It’s easy to love something when you see people put everything on the table. Spurs under Poch especially tapped into that. But what we had is rare.

I always said that Liverpool fans were entitled because they always expected to win and demanded they did so. Their fanbase has an arrogance that I didn’t like. No one is entitled to win. It must be earnt. Sadly we’ve become those fans. But growing older I just realised its a symptom of success.

The stadium build, Covid, the ESL as made it difficult at times, sure. But it wasn’t that long ago we played our last game at WHL and that connect from the fans through to the board was there. It wasn’t that long ago. It was a remarkable day. We may have lost sight of that a little bit but I think we can get that back. Have to believe so anyway. Other wise what’s the point.

Similar age and couldn’t agree more ?? I’ve made the decision not to watch it on Sunday and it’ll be the first time I’ve purposefully not watched us in decades.

As you say, football has changed massively in recent years. If I had to point out the thing that has alienated me the most it would be the 24/7 media coverage and everything that comes with it. They have turned football into a soap opera and have largely instilled the insufferable banter culture. They also have way too much power, and control the narrative around certain football clubs. Frustratingly people seem to lap it up, but then again there’s no way of escaping it if you want to watch your team at the minute.

Also what happened to enjoying the game and supporting your team? These days there is even a subsection of our fans who seem to take some perverse delight in willing the worst to happen to our own club. What’s that all about? It can’t be healthy and I don’t want to end up like that. There are enough people outside the club trying to derail us without our own fans joining in. Even this seems to stem from social media. I find it all genuinely odd, but I suppose its a sad reflection of society as a whole these days.

There is such negativity around the club and I need a break from it all. There’s a reason we’ve all devoted a large part of our lives to following this football club and it wouldn’t hurt to reconnect with that. I need to change the way I interact with football and cut out certain aspects. Hopefully a break will allow me to do that.

Apologies for the rambling post.

 

[NEVILLEB]

What’s really sad is the amount of members who have aggressively backed Levy’s every mistake.

This is the inevitable outcome.

Yes Kingkay inevitable

 

[db1]

Off topic but I think it'll get worse- some kid was talking to me at the kids park (earlier in the season) and he had a city shirt on and within the conversation he was debating if he'll support Liverpool next year. I wonder if that's the majority of kids now, just follow the team winning year on year...

I very rarely post in here, but that sentence above sums up everything that is wrong with football and it hit a nerve with me.
I and everyone I grew up with would never entertain the idea of swapping your team out, sure you might say as a joke.
it iss now just a form of entertainment in the same way as you like going to the movies, It used to seem like so much more......

I guess I am from a different era...
[/QUOTE]
Same here, I can't get over the concept of just switching teams. I was equally disgusted and shocked at what the kid was saying, as well as the realisation that this is probably common now.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Not since Sherwood.

That was the last time i felt that there was the complete absence of a plan.

 

[belsunz]

I live in Belgium and have been supporting Spurs for a good 25 years now. In the ‘pre-broadcast every game’-era, I used to listen to BBC London to follow our games. Every single one of them. Since the mid 2000’s I watch every game on TV. The wife knows our match times are holy for me...

The absolutely dreadful football served by Jose ruined it for me. Zagreb away and our derby loss were the final nails in the coffin. I cancelled my subscription to the Belgian provider of our games.

I don’t bother with highs and lows, we’re Spurs, we got used to it over the decades. But if you can’t take any satisfaction out of it, only bitterness and frustration, you have to let go to a certain extent.

So to the answer the question of the OP: no, I never felt more disconnected about our club.

 

[nicdic]

Sherwood and the end of Mourinho was worse.

The fact that Mourinho is gone is better than the prospect there was of him staying. At least now there is a chance we can get a manager with the right kind of vision to rebuild in.

 

[onthetwo]

Its plain for all to see that the football side of 'Spurs PLC' is rudderless at the moment which isnt a surprise given that we need a DoF, coach and arguably a more vocal on-pitch leader than Hugo so yes, the whole place feels like an empty shell at the moment.
I dont have much confidence that Levy will get the right people in place on the football side but i sincerely hope im wrong!

 

[mumfordspur]

Of course there is a disconnect.
Every bleedin' pod/web cast I watch the faces on screen are gurning in dismay at what has happened but still say "but there are fans who think differently"
I just for the life of me cannot think of any reason why they are mildly happy with things.
I will put my next thoughts in the Enic thread.

 

[ARMASPUR]

The 90’s were bad, no doubt about it but I felt much more connected to the club back then even in the really bad times . I feel much more disconnected to the club now than then but I just feel like that about football in general now to be honest and have done for quite a while .

 

[Blockbuster]

Wow, that's quite an epistle, jeremystorey. You've prompted me to break my usual custom and to post a reply.

As you might tell from my member name, I saw my first Spurs match on the shelf with my Dad in 1959. I'm now 71 and am as much in love with our team as I was then. I was privileged to have seen the double team at their imperious best but also experienced the lows including our relegation in 77/78. In a few short years we went from Greavesy, Gilzean, Cliff Jones, Mike England, Martin Peters and Pat Jennings to Barry Daines, Gerry Armstrong, Jimmy Holmes, Don McAllister and Ian Moores. Honest triers but literally and figuratively not in the same league. We picked up brilliantly in the Eighties with Ossie, Glenn, Waddle, Garth Crookes, Ricky etc but then into the Nineties. Need I say more? Enough said.

If we're truly honest with ourselves, our expectations for this year were founded in hope rather than in reality. We flattered to deceive on so many occasions until reality called and smacked us around the head and the continual behind-the-scenes shenanigans only revealed the discontent within the squad. The speed and abruptness of Mourinho's departure has never been fully explained and understood. Why terminate someone with days before the Carabao final and with just a handful of games before season's end? Clearly something went badly wrong. I'm not into the blame game but I do think Levy has much to answer for. We've squandered all the great work of the past 5-6 years. Yes, we have a wonderful stadium that was intended to make us match it with the very best but the investment in players good enough to make us the best didn't follow.

So, yes, I understand that disappointment is a bitter pill to swallow. That's why I broke my habit and wanted to reply and support jeremystorey. He's spot on. We stick in there, through all the good and the bad (sometimes VERY bad) and learn to live with and accept what it means to be a Spurs supporter. This board gives us the opportunity to let off steam and vent our frustrations. However, if we've got a few lean years in front of us, and lose Kane and Son, well we take it on the chin because it's par for the course when you support our team. This is how it always has been. Being a Spurs supporter is a lifetime commitment. I may not be around much longer but I'll be navy-blue and white until my last breath. Shit has happened in the past and will happen again but we learn to cherish the high notes when they happen. So, by all means have a good whinge, vent your frustrations but don't forget to dust yourselves off and never lose sight that we're a great club. Come on you Spurs!

Made me emotional reading this... Thanks for posting

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Football at this level has changed though. It's not really about the local supporters or players. As the Wealth has increased, so has the appeal to a global audience. Premier football is now a global product, with higher than usual ticket prices, global tours etc. It's gone a long way to watering down the original passion locals had for a team. That's how I see it. More corporate functions, hospitality. You still get the local fans and loyal followers, of course. But It all leads to a corporate product, designed to try and capture larger audiences and money. (Although someone needs to tell Daniel that!). A lot seems to be... functional support.

I've started watching a bit more championship. Sure, you don't get the silky skills of KdB etc, but you get a great crowd and passionate footy . ?

I watched a lot of Norwich and really enjoyed it. I still love spurs, you can't change that and I'll always go to games. But I think it's just different now. Because money.