The three captains

Late in Saturday’s game against Stoke, the camera caught Pochettino barking at someone on the pitch, saying “What’s the matter?” We never saw which player was the target of his ire, but by the look of the scowl that followed, the response was not satisfying. Join me in assuming we would have been as equally nonplussed.

This moment was a gem. Hypothetically, one could delve through every public statement made by Pochettino, whether to the press or “press” (looking at you, Spurs TV), to gain some insight as to the state of his clubhouse, and you would probably still learn more from this five second interaction on the touchline.

A day before the match, Hugo was named captain, with Vertonghen and Kane as vice-captains. All three started the match, but only the former two ended it. After Kane’s substitution, the team switched off, and again failed to rebound from disappointment mid-game. Changing off a striker should not cause the defensive side of the team to become the personification of ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

After the game, everyone put on their Roster Doctor, M.D.™ coats to explain how they would have avoided the concession of a draw. A Twitter search for “FFS”, “Levy” and “cheap” would likely melt your hard drive. So you’re saying if our team was filled with world-class players we could win the league? Huh, can’t argue with you there, champ.

[linequote]A good captain should not consider himself above any of the other members of the team, resolve differences among squad members, and foster an atmosphere where everyone embraces their respective roles[/linequote]

Perhaps it is my tendency to internalize, but this sort of hypothesizing seems useless. We have good players, who need to be less bad when playing. I’d incredulously scream “YOU GET TO PLAY A GAME FOR STUPID AMOUNTS OF MONEY” and think that would suffice, but I’ve also never been tasked with motivating people who have always been the best around at what they do wherever they’ve been, earning millions while maturing as adults.

Coaches can’t do this all on their own, so captains are deputized with influencing their teammates when necessary. A good captain should not consider himself above any of the other members of the team, resolve differences among squad members, and foster an atmosphere where everyone embraces their respective roles in furthering the team’s success, however small or large the contribution. As a player, Pochettino presumably knows this. So why then have his captaincies felt more political than practical?

Two of last year’s captains, Kaboul and Adebayor, at best finished the season on the bench, and at worst were excluded from team activities. I can excuse these choices as a rookie coach looking to form relationships with his players. This year, I get putting Hugo into a prominent role in the club, not only based upon his quality and tenure, but also to fuel my theory of Levy insisting anything be done to make the club more money. (“What’s that, Man U? You need ANOTHER keeper, and want us to give up our captain? Add another zero to your offer and we’ll talk.”)

Who do the players follow and respect? Can Hugo influence players while far back in goal? Is it possible for Jan to communicate visually though his various frowns, or do you need to rub them like a palm reader? Only access to the locker room or candid interviews with players would tell us the true clubhouse dynamic, which, please. Our ignorance will forever be a symptom of the sport and its relationship with the media.

Does our squad have an ideal leader? The answer, as with most current questions related to Spurs, is Harry Kane. He’s young, but so is most of the squad. He is familiar with the former academy players in the first team, and will be looked up to by all those to come. He’s respectful of the veterans, and none seem to speak ill of him. He consistently runs more than anyone else on the pitch during the game. He’s been known to find the back of the net too, you know.

[linequote]Who do the players follow and respect? Can Hugo influence players while far back in goal? Is it possible for Jan to communicate visually though his various frowns, or do you need to rub them like a palm reader?[/linequote]

He is already drawing comparisons to past greats for the club. Former Tottenham players gush about him. An international career for England seems a fait accompli. He continually professes his desire to be a club legend. What Woolwich jersey? No idea what you’re on about. One of us.

Should Kane have been given top billing over Lloris? Promoting a vice-captain from last year, and not having a captain who has never been a vice-captain, works on paper. Maybe Hugo would have been offended had he not been chosen, and demanded that switch to redder pastures before the transfer window closed.

Can Kane do it? Dunno. I hope so, because though the effort last weekend was not boo-worthy, the team was visibly different with him off the pitch, whatever amount you want to attribute that to his skill as a player. All the locker room chemistry in the world won’t win a big, shiny, trophy, but a lack of it will surely prevent it from happening.