As a Spurs fan I have become accustom to false dawns and us snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in every sense but this season we have not even kicked a ball yet and there is a feeling like we have already lost. The reason? A sensational and disturbing interview from our left back Danny Rose.
In case some of you reading this have been abroad or enjoying a media blackout of sorts you would have all read what Danny had to say about our beloved club. He pulled no punches in an interview HE arranged with The Sun Newspaper. The objective of which was clear, to force his way out of the club. What made the interview all the more shocking was how out of left field it was and from a player who had previously seemed happy at the club.
If Sissoko had given this interview would anyone have been hurt or surprised? I doubt it. It would have just been considered a parting shot from a player who we should not have bought and who has failed to perform even once in our colours.
What surprised me most about the Rose interview however was not the media circus that followed (I will come back to the media) but actually the divided opinion from Spurs fans. Almost like many hailed Danny as a hero for speaking out about the club.
So let me be clear. I am a fan of Tottenham Hotspur. I want us to win every single game and every single trophy. I realise that is unrealistic but that is what I want as a fan. I know to achieve that in the modern football world you need to pay higher fee’s than we do for established stars and we need to pay higher wages to both retain and attract the highest calibre of player.
HOWEVER I also understand that in this modern football world to achieve that you need a few things. (1) A consistent team in the Champions League, (2) A stadium with a higher capacity to increase match day revenue and (3) a global fan base for merchandising sales.
Now I know, this is the boring bit so bare with me. The clubs we are competing with ALL have that in place due to having more consistent recent histories so we are playing catch up. We have managed two seasons in a row in the Champions League (something we have not done before) and we have built through hard work over many years a large global fan base, especially in USA and Asia. I am sure you all might have noticed White Hart Lane is getting a bit of a refit too.
So this brings me back to the here and now. We are working hard to move from a side that challenges for European football and maybe a cup to a side that is consistently at the top table of European football AND winning trophies. At the start of last season all of our players were invited to renegotiate their contracts given they had achieved so much the year before.
Most if not all Spurs players were being paid a modest amount, not befitting a side that are looking to challenge for the title and as such most wages doubled when new deals were signed which brings me back to Danny Rose.
22nd September 2016 is the date that Rose signed a new five year deal where he doubled his weekly wage to £65,000. When he signed it he had the following to say: “We all want to go out and prove that last season wasn’t a one-off with us finishing third. Right now I’m so happy. I’m settled here – I’m slowly turning into a southerner! I hope I can stay here for a very long time and see where it takes me but at the minute I wouldn’t wish for anything more than to play for Spurs for the rest of my career.”
On the 31st January 2017 he picked up an injury and has not played for us since. He then gave his interview to The Sun saying the following just this past week:
“I am reaching my peak and have probably only got one big contract left in me…… Time is running out and I do want to win trophies. I don’t want to play football for 15 years and not have one trophy or one medal.”
“I will say this too, I will play up north. I don’t know exactly when but I will get back up north and play some football somewhere. I am going to make it my priority before I retire to play football up there…..”
Quite the turn around. Then, just days later this from the player via his agent:
Manager Pochettino is keen to draw a line under it, he wants to move on following his apology. Poch is the boss and so I am going to draw a line. I am not impressed with Rose one bit however its done.
So finally, my thoughts on the media. They are without doubt a constant contradiction. How many articles have you seen written or interviews on TV all about how “crazy” the transfer market is now? How wages are out of control and how eventually this bubble will burst?
AND yet Spurs are being now criticised for NOT paying over the top wages… for promoting youth and not buying players for big money. The media are a joke. Their agenda is clicks, sales and money. They will one day praise Rose and the next tear him down for the exact same comments. They will praise Tottenham when we win for not being like the other big clubs and then slam us if we lose for not spending.
I will finish this first blog post with something to remember. Last summer we spent less money than our rivals and finished above all but one and that one had a season with no European football to contend with.
COYS! -SJ
