“It’s magnificent to be in Europe and this club – a club like Tottenham Hotspur – if we’re not in Europe…. we’re nothing. We’re nothing.” No one should need telling who muttered these immortal words. And it’s equally safe to say that once this great man has spoken, his ideologies transcend time and set a […]
The Glory in it All
“It’s magnificent to be in Europe and this club – a club like Tottenham Hotspur – if we’re not in Europe…. we’re nothing. We’re nothing.”
No one should need telling who muttered these immortal words. And it’s equally safe to say that once this great man has spoken, his ideologies transcend time and set a standard for all the future Spurs players, managers, fans, tea ladies, and ground staff to adhere too. Fast forward 40 odd years, and a rather different character occupies the White Hart Lane dug out, one who divides opinion among the Tottenham faithful. However, I feel, AVB does follow in that glorious shadow left behind by the great Bill Nicholson.
As we look forward to the away leg of the FC Basel game on Thursday, and turning a 2-2 aggregate stalemate into an advantage and a Europa League semi final, it’s almost unconceivable that little over a year ago the same tournament was rendered as an unwanted distraction by Harry Redknapp. Using a European competition as a chance to ‘blood the young lads’ is against those customs that our greatest manager first set. However commendable you may think giving youth team players competitive game time is, it makes a mockery out of a trophy that is etched into the history of Spurs and AVB alike.
Boas made his name at Porto and made his mark on the European stage by lifting the Europa league in 2011, Tottenham where there first to held aloft the cup in 1972, becoming the inaugural winners of the UEFA cup and the first British team to win two continental honours, 12 years later a Keith Burkinshaw led spurs repeated the feat when Tony Parks and Graham Roberts inspired a penalty shootout win against Anderlecht.
Undoubtedly two of the most memorable and glorious chapters in the history of the club.
[linequote]However commendable you may think giving youth team players competitive game time is, it makes a mockery out of a trophy that is etched into the history of Spurs and AVB alike.[/linequote]
The question remains though, however much Redknapp did for spurs, who he is still soils the traditions of Nicholson and while, the Inter first leg aside, we have failed to completely convince in this year’s competition at least we are taking it seriously. And I for one would much rather win the Europa League, with all the immortal splendour that it in tales, that cement a top four finish, no one remembers where you finish in the league (unless its first) but trophies and honours are the things that enkindle the child like romance with football.
Anyway, here’s to a thumping 4-0 win on Thursday, and a trip to Amsterdam come May.
Come on you Spurs.
[author name=”Jasher” avatar=”” twitter=”james_asher” website=”” tag=”Jasher[/linequote]
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9 Comments
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10/04/2013 @ 2:59 pm
Let’s play out possible 2 scenarios:
Scenario 1. Spurs win the Europa Cup, fantastic night, trophy in the cabinet and we all laugh at the empty crates down the road. But, we lose out to Arsenal in the race for 4th spot. All sorts of speculation kicks-off during the summer, “experts” saying Bale should be playing in the Champions League. Man City make a bid, but it’s knocked back, then Real Madrid come in and lay 50m on the table. After weeks of to-ing and fro-ing, Bale eventually comes out and says he’d like to go to Spain. Levy caves in and takes the cash. However, due to the fact that we’re not in the Champions League next season, we find it hard to attract a World Class replacement for Bale. Next season is all about “can Spurs still mount a challenge on the top 4 after selling off their best players again?”. Down the road, Arsenal have finally spent some of their money on Higuain and a couple of other World Class players, to mount a serious challenge on the title next season. Further down the road, Mourinho comes back to Chelsea and spends another 200m on all kinds of ridiculous talent. Man City follow suit, and the top 4 for next season is looking like a foregone conclusion before its even started. Liverpool, Spurs and Everton will be the best of the rest, again.
Scenario 2. Spurs lose to Basle and are out of the Europa Cup. However, Bale comes back for the Man City game and gets a last minute equalizer. We win the next four games, leaving us needing a draw against Chelsea to stay above Arsenal for 4th place. We get it. The Europa Cup is long forgotten because we have finally finished above Arsenal, and relegated them out of the Champions League. Bale signs a new contract and Levy opens the vault allowing AVB to bring in Higuain and two other top-drawer players. All the talk is of Spurs mounting a serious challenge on the title next season, and with Champions League football back on the agenda. Down the road, Arsenal find it hard to hang on to their best players let alone attract new ones. Fans starts demanding that Wenger leaves. He eventually does. Tony Adams is appointed their new manager and the first thing he does is resigns Thierry Henry.
Scenario 1 will give you one night of glory and some great memories to look back on over the next few years of mediocracy, while wondering where we would be if Bale still played for us.
Scenario 2 gives us a step up, and a step over Arsenal. We’ll be looking forwards instead of backwards, and we can think about the Europa Cup if/when we get knocked out of the Champions Leagues next season.
10/04/2013 @ 3:52 pm
Wow… I had never realised football was so black and white! your two scenarios are not based in reality (seen as we’ve only ever qualified once before yet in the other years your doom and gloom scenario hasn’t really played out – we have lost players but I still see us currently 4th in the table) – also, I think it’s becoming widely accepted Bale will stay whatever happens this year… you are obviously a keen follower of Spurs news, as am I, and it seems he has dropped a lot of hints about staying.
I think the main point is… I started supporting Spurs because my Dad told me about the E$uropean finals, semi finals, +FA Cup etc, he’d been too… not once deal he feel the need to tell me the times we’d qualified for a single tournament.
Spurs are about glory, glory is a trophy!
10/04/2013 @ 4:24 pm
Which do you regret the most – not having won the UEFA/Europa Cup since 1984, or not having finished above Arsenal since 1995?
10/04/2013 @ 3:14 pm
Problem with Scenario 2 is that its no longer up to you whether you finish above Arsenal or not, we win our games and at least 4th is our’s regardless of what you lot do. Coming from a Gooner which the Champs League is great and produces a lot of revenue neither Spurs or Arsenal are in with much of a chance of winning it so I’d likely take the Europa Cup in your position.
Think Bale will go but likely be next summer rather than this one.
10/04/2013 @ 3:16 pm
I would also take winning the Europa Cup and getting 4th place above Chelsea :-)
10/04/2013 @ 3:53 pm
Great comment from a gooner… and I agree, but if we win all our games we finish above Chelsea (I think form memory,, so still in our hands there as well).
10/04/2013 @ 4:02 pm
my point was that you cannot put a top 4 finish into a trophy cabinet and regardless of the financial gain of CL football, it isn’t going to be memorable, trophies are the very essence of football and the glory that winning a cup in tales is what makes you support a team (so im not sure why anyone supports A*****l)
10/04/2013 @ 3:14 pm
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for winning the Europa Cup this season, and rekindling memories of Bill Nicholson. It would be immense.
However, if I had the choice, I’d choose a top 4 finish above Arsenal. I think we need this, and the timing could not be better. Failing to achieve this yet again will not be consoled by winning the Europa Cup.
11/04/2013 @ 8:20 am
Europa minus CL = lose Bale.
CL minus Europa = keep for one more season.
If that is the situation – it’s now likely they won’t get either. But if it’s black and white I’d take the CL as:
Spurs don’t have the resources to win anything, the best we can ask for is to see a player become one of the world’s best in a Spurs shirt, like with Gazza in 90/91.