Jamie Daly was an AVB fan, but he is a bigger Spurs fan. Support the club, throw your passion behind the team, regardless of who is at the helm.
The life and times of a Spurs fan
It’s a funny thing being a Spurs fan, how I feel about football seems to change every few weeks. Us fans seem to bounce between complete disillusionment and utter delight every few weeks. At the moment, it isn’t difficult to know which side our emotions fall.
Six league games in for Tim Sherwood, with five wins, and just the single home draw to West Brom on Boxing Day means we sit 3rd in the form table. Perhaps more remarkably, our goal difference over that period is the joint-highest in the league. Furthermore, our chance conversion rate is the highest in the league since Tim took over (as of before the Swansea game).
Compare that to the worst in the league under AVB’s reign this season, and you start to get the idea of how quickly things have changed. I’m not going to pretend that I was happy when Sherwood was appointed or that I was even happy when AVB was sacked. Both decisions upset me to be honest with you.
I felt AVB was treated harshly. Between the media, who have been biting at his heels ever since he has come to England, and some of our less patient fans; I feel he was never really given a chance. I guess my biggest issue was, had we not lost 6-0, 5-0, and 3-0 in 3 games this season, but instead lost, 1-0, 2-0, and 2-1, would he have been sacked? No chance. Yet we’d have been on the same points.
[authquoteleft text=”with five wins, and just the single home draw to West Brom on Boxing Day means we sit 3rd in the form table[/linequote]
That being said, AVB has gone, and whilst it is too early to see whether it will be a masterstroke from Daniel Levy, or a diabolical decision, the early signs are definitely positive. But I have my fears. Not even necessarily about Sherwood. I can put up with him. I fear that down the line, once he runs into a tricky spell of results that we, the fans, won’t back him. I mean, it would be very easy to suddenly point at his managerial inexperience and suggest that he isn’t the man for the job. I hope we just give him time.
To be honest, I wanted to give AVB time, and Tim Sherwood is not the man that I’d have chosen to replace him. But that’s done. He’s our manager, and nothing would make me, or I’m sure all of you, happier than to see him succeed and for him to lead us into the promised land of the Champions League.
We all complained about the boring, methodical nature of the football under Villas-Boas, and even if Tim (the no longer interim) Sherwood achieves nothing else, he has managed to make us exciting again. And what is football if it isn’t entertainment?
[authquoteright text=”Tim is our manager, and nothing would make me happier than to see him succeed lead us into the promised land of the Champions League[/linequote]
So back him. Give him time. Look at Liverpool, look at United under Sir Alex Ferguson and dare I say Arsenal? Stability has improved them and brought them on to new levels that without a little patience they may have never achieved.
We can’t throw money at players like Chelsea or Man City can, so we need to understand that there will be tough times under Tim. It’s all the more important to realise this now, whilst we are on a good run, so our expectations aren’t inflated above what is realistic. And as I said at the start, we all know how quickly the way we feel about Spurs can change.
I didn’t want Tim, but the last thing I want is to change manager in 6-12-18 months. I want Mr. Stability. However bad it may get, sometimes you have to be patient and look in the long-run. This isn’t easy, as John Keynes once said, ‘In the long run we are all dead’. But with a bit of patience we can become the brilliant team that we have the potential to be.
[author name=”Jamie Daly” avatar=”https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2157382097/166346_1759916607089_1514277820_1794497_2379094_n_bigger.jpg” bio=”18 year old Spurs season ticket holder. Passionate about all things Tottenham. And Andrea Pirlo. Everyone loves Andrea Pirlo.” twitter=”JamieDaly1995[/linequote]
All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.
18 Comments
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21/01/2014 @ 7:02 pm
nice
21/01/2014 @ 7:13 pm
avb was a waste of space his team sellections were crap his tactics were worse as to weather sherwood is the answer who knows maybe it will depend on weather adeybayor desides to play
21/01/2014 @ 7:53 pm
Highest finish in the Premier League era. His selections can’t have been that crap…
22/01/2014 @ 3:30 am
I’m sorry say that again,highest finish ?Forgotten ‘arry’s two 4ths and a 5th,got to agree with Stuart ,he hadnt got a clue.
22/01/2014 @ 9:23 am
I should have been more specific; highest points finish in the Premier League era…
21/01/2014 @ 7:22 pm
When I was your age Jamey, I felt the same way. I was not bothered about what was going on behind the scenes and Spurs could do no wrong. In 1978, we did not have access to information like we do now. With the experience of following Spurs since 1966 and having access to all the latest news about Spurs, I have reached various levels of cognitive dissonance. The problems as I see them are that Spurs appear to be in constant transition and this is because we have owners who do not have the savvy nor desire to make Spurs a success on the field of play because they are business people first. As long as 3rd party ENIC are at the helm, Spurs will never reach their potential. You say that you were sad when AVB was sacked. In addition to his 4.5 million pay off, the guy exiled 2 of our most effective players because he considered them trouble makers leaving the squad short for a left back and world class striker. Tim is doing a grand job at the moment but if we do not get top 4, he will be sacked and it’s back to square one again.
21/01/2014 @ 7:52 pm
I couldn’t agree with you more, AVB made mistakes, and he was clearly wrong to freeze out Adebayor. But I still felt, at the time, I’d have rather stuck with him, given him 2 more seasons, and judge him then. Unfortunately, the board and the owners are very short-sighted and out of fear of failing their trigger-happy (no pun intended, RIP) attitude may ultimately cost us true success down the line. Tim is doing brilliantly thus far; and long may I hope it continues, but it’s important to me, that the Spurs fans remain realistic and patient. I personally don’t think we are a top 4 team yet… That’s just my opinion.
21/01/2014 @ 7:25 pm
very articulate young man (unlike the comment and spelling above).
21/01/2014 @ 7:59 pm
Much appreciated haha. Hope you enjoyed my article
21/01/2014 @ 7:26 pm
not camel of course
21/01/2014 @ 7:41 pm
Will you be passionate in 15 years time?
21/01/2014 @ 7:55 pm
Why wouldn’t I be? I’m a Spurs fan, and nothing would make me happier than seeing my team succeed. But whether they do or not won’t change how passionate I am about supporting Tottenham Hotspur.
21/01/2014 @ 7:42 pm
Not sure anyone would say ‘if we sack AVB I would like Tim Sherwood’. Surely it goes without saying that we would not ‘want’ someone who has not managed before. I am also pretty sure Arsenal fans didn’t say ‘if we sack Rioch I’d like that bloke in Japan, you know the one who looks like a failed school teacher’. What annoys me is people saying ‘Sherwood’s not the man for the job’. How the **** do they know. All I know, is that he was captain of the first team bought to win the league and Shearer et al totally respected him. That says a lot. He is highly regarded in the game by people such as Kenny Dalglish and David Pleat. Only a top manager with total confidence in his own ability would play Bentaleb ahead of all our midfield players. Nabil has made a massive difference to the way we play and has been the most accomplished home grown player since Hoddle, in terms of making an immediate impact. Sherwood has changed the way we have played. He has quickened everything up. He has made us fluid in attack, while remaining organised in defence. He has given freedom to Eriksen; demanded we cross the ball more and earlier; put players in their most natural positions. He has followed the adage of all great managers that ‘football is a simple game’. Modern (and often foreign managers) seem to think you need to tinker all the time to demonstrate what a great manager you are when the opposite is true. Great managers bring simplicity and confidence. Poor managers bring chaos and uncertainty. AVB did not know what his best side was; Sherwood has decided immediately what he needs to do and has backed a 19 year old to be the cornerstone. Sherwood is a man who has great confidence in his ability; a great understanding of Tottenham Hotspur FC; a clear idea of how football should be played and how to get the best out of his players. We may have found the next great football manager and we must get behind him. Everyone is smiling again; everyone feels the shackles have been lifted. We now need the WHL crowd to get behind the team and get us into the Champions League and support the team in the way we do away from the Lane. COYS
21/01/2014 @ 7:58 pm
Great comment, I appreciate what you’re saying, my only point would be that purely because things are going well right now doesn’t mean they will be going well in March/April. And when we do hit a patch of bad form, and maybe even finish lower than expected, I want Sherwood to be given time. I would happily say, keep us in the top 6, and you have the job for the next 3 years. I don’t think we’re good enough to finish in the top 4 yet, but I have no doubt we’ll get there, all we need is a bit of stability! Thanks for reading mate
21/01/2014 @ 8:30 pm
I believe we can finish 4th as long as we are not competing in the europa cup. Hopefully, Tim has learnt from AV no plan B’s mistake of fielding strong squads for europa while compromising our premiership campaign.
21/01/2014 @ 8:47 pm
In my opinion, we won’t finish above Man City, Chelsea or Arsenal. And if Liverpool can keep Suarez fit, then I can only see him getting better and better, and him taking them to new heights also. I think we need another season before we should expect top 4, but yes, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility of course.
22/01/2014 @ 3:55 pm
The flat track bully will continue scoring against the poor sides and failing to score against the good sides. How about the counter argument, that teams will suss Saurez and cut off the supply so he’ll get worse and worse. Liverpool are having a ‘great’ season and are level with us having a ‘poor’ season. This shows where the 2 clubs are at the moment. Frankly, I find it sad that you can look at Tottenham and Liverpool and believe they will end above us especially as we have caught them up since the game against them and have the momentum. We have a better first XI and a better squad. You are basing all of this on Suarez continuing to score – well he won’t. All strikers have lean spells. If we fail to reach the top 4 this season, it will be less likely that we will do it next season because Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and (in your opinion) Liverpool will have more money and the promise of CL football to get stronger. Manchester United will strengthen massively so where will that leave us. Thankfully, Levy understands why we need to qualify this year.
22/01/2014 @ 3:46 am
The one thing thats always puzzled me is where the portoplonker got his reputation,an average season at Anenema or whatever their called,then a brilliant season at Porto,in SPITE of him, not because of him.Then Chelski for a few useless months,then unfortunatly us.First season with ‘arry’s old team a boring,virtually unwatchable 5th.Then he gets his own team,had,nt got a clue!I make that two and ahalf seasons before he wrecked us,not agreat deal more than Sherwood !,plus Sherwood has been involved in top flight football,been at Spurs for several years.I’ll take Sherwood,Londoner at Nth London club,COYS