The way some of you are behaving it's absolutely ridiculous, let's get some perspective and focus on the facts of what's gone on as we know them thus far, and also discuss the present and the future in order to have something more than knee jerking!!!
Firstly AVB was not actually sacked, he left by mutual consent. From the info which is now being played out, (which is often well orchestrated by Levy, manager and the media) AVB had a meeting with Baldini and Levy in which suggestions were made to AVB. Like the bitch he proved to be, AVB threw his toys out and probably took it as a gesture of a lack of support. Agreeing on mutual terms the day after saying he wouldn't quit
There had been rumblings throughout the season and alot of question marks about AVB, not helped by the fact his star player was being sold. However, things didn't always go as planned in the transfer market though this is the system which is employed and actually preferred by AVB, a director of football system.
No matter which way you look at it, the players are all quality players, we haven't bought any duds, of this there is no doubt. These were all the next best of the bunch, besides the one's we simply can't compete with such as those purchased by clubs with better financial muscle than us, for considerably larger fee's and wages than we could afford, Hulk, Willian, Oscar, Moutinhio etc. Yes, we may have been hasty paying big numbers on a few, but we were also victims of the market prices from which we also benefited.
So although AVB didn't get exactly the players he wanted, he was left with a fucking decent squad. He did not say no to any of the signed players, so no matter how anyone tries to cherry pick half truths, he was on record saying he was happy with the signings and he wasn't moaning.
The season started and it was obvious to all that watched Spurs week in and out that this was last years Spurs less the magic. With steady results and a solid start, albeit against mostly lesser sides, the boardroom were beginning to feel the rumblings from supporters.
To understand the atmosphere, you have to know what kind of club Spurs is, by this, I don't mean what it projects it is, but how it's run from the inside from the halls and corridors of THFC. So taking this into perspective, Levy is NOT the only person making important decisions, there are a few on the board who's voices aren't ignored although it is Levy who takes final action, decisions aren't always solely his own, only as a collective does such a serious matter as parting ways with the 'head coach' or manager take place.
So imagine the character AVB is, by all accounts, keeps very guarded, doesn't endear himself to staff, cold and machine like, basically a bit of a cunt. There's staff at Spurs who didn't perhaps get the best of run ins, if any with him, now imagine how the likes of Harry or Jol would have been in and around the Tottenham facilities, especially Redknapp. Having good relations with all this buys you some leverage in bad times, it's people management 101.
So AVB gives cunty vibes off to lots of people, from those on the training ground staff, doctors and even members of the board. Different to the cunty vibe's they would have got from Redknapp, who's cunt vibe meter is firmly set on selfish, delusional, dodgy, lovable rogue.
When performances start to look a little boring, the moan's can be heard even louder.....I like to describe the kind of person who is now the average person with a season ticket at Spurs, let's say well, they are mostly in their mid 40's and they love a moan.
So then there's the executive boxes, fan groups, media & pundits, ex players, club staff etc....Slowly everyone starts having a moan, then West Ham happened...We carried on as if it was a blip, then Newcastle happened, shortly followed by Man City and finally Liverpool. Throughout this time the pressure was being put on AVB and he basically made the presses self fulfilling prophecy into a reality.
All this talk of "attacking & possession football that he believes in" or the 'it wasn't him, it was Chelsea ego trippin", "Abramovich back stabbed him" that was all smoke and mirrors, to those that really mattered, those real supporters, the one's who spend alot of money on Spurs, the one's closest to THFC, the one's who earned a living off Spurs and follow Spurs relentlessly and the one's within earshot of the board and Levy, to those, AVB's philosophy was bullocks because they could see it on the pitch and in the stadium, there wasn't any character, personality or genuine feel of passion to the football we played. It felt like a scripted system, a typical European philosophy successful in Mediterranean countries.
Levy even saw this lack of character and charisma, (Levy perhaps also identifying this shortcoming in his own personality) by appointing Steffan Fruend, to try and bring the passion but again AVB soared that, by explicitly asking Fruend to stop his sideline antics in the middle of his first season, (something fans loved) and by the start of the second season, Fruend looked more like backroom staff than assistant manager.
AVB had already alienated alot of people in England with Chelsea, players and press. The same was happening at Spurs. From the start, he alienated Modric and several players were told in no uncertain terms and actions that they were not required. As a human being, this fucks with you, especially when as in some cases, you are not even told by the head coach directly?
No matter what you may think of Benny & Ade they both brought something to the Lane. For Benny, he's become a cult figure and one of a few who has regular contact with real supporters. For Ade, let's face it, he took the piss but simply put Spurs are not the type of club that can afford to have a £100k per week striker left in the cold especially when our other options aren't scoring nor could we afford to loan out last seasons first team left back out to a championship side. Then there's Gomes, say what you will but not even registering him for the Europa League as a 3rd goalkeeper is a piss take. Now obviously they wanted to sell him abroad perhaps to someone who wanted him eligible for Europe but even so, the way you communicate that to your players and how it comes across is important! These players are experienced and add to the atmosphere of the dressing room and the corridors of THFC especially a team who were getting rid of some big characters in the dressing room like Parker, Huddlestone, Livermore, Caulker all English players with EPL experience who understand the mentality and commitment whilst.
Our balance was tipped, where before, the blend of old and young, British based and foreign import was just about right, we ended up with 7 EPL virgins, whilst losing several English based one's and it didn't help that AVB was on the one hand trying to impose himself on the club (alienating those within the club, who weren't convinced with him) and his rigid tactics on the un-tested new squad.
His stubborness blinkered him on establishing quickly, which players and which area's of the team needed what. He got it wrong countless times in his team selection and subs. He was making the beautiful game into rigid game of possession with no end result, no speed, no flair and no passion.
At this time of everyone loosing their heads, we need the experience, we need the characters and those players who can do the managers bidding and understand what this league is all about but not enough players did that for AVB regularly enough besides Bale, without him in his second season, he was challenged to his core and was found wanting.
Now we all need to regroup and get behind the team. Sherwood made mistakes but he knows (so do we) he's not permanent, because of the fact it seemed the Doctors were making the team decisions against West Ham on Wed, not the interim manager. Sherwood's lack of experience was exposed but we enjoyed the attacking game more, we played with more passion and although the personnel who would have normally been strong in the air and defensively, Dawson, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Sandro were all missing, I for one don't think it's doom and gloom unless we make it so....
What we don't need is a bunch of us losing our heads and creating a similar atmosphere to Emirates. The future, well we take what we can for the rest of the season and crack on. It's football and in particular it's EPL football, and to succeed we need to show a united front. AVB was clearly a man who divided opinions.
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aulinhofacepalm:
:gylfi::lennon:
