AliousAnimosity at Tottenham have reached a boiling point following their defeat to Manchester City. While some Spurs fans were content to see rivals Arsenal denied a potential title, manager Ange Postecoglou was furious with the reactions he witnessed from both fans and suggestively, members of the club hierarchy.
Postecoglou arrived at Spurs as a serial winner from successful stints in Australia, Japan, and Scotland. He understood the Tottenham job would have its challenges, but he did not anticipate the bizarre celebration of the loss against City by a section of supporters. This has prompted calls for a change in mentality from all associated with the club.
Developing a winning culture is not something money alone can buy. Chairman Daniel Levy has brought in coaches with winning pedigrees before, only for them to be undermined by the club’s established mentality. Unlike his predecessors, Postecoglou is determined to instill a new mindset, but he cannot achieve it alone – everyone at the club must buy into his vision.
To reach the level of perennial title challengers and Champions League regulars, here are three key areas Tottenham must address:
Be willing to make a marquee, record-breaking signing
Spurs’ record with big-money acquisitions has been poor. Their current record transfer, Tanguy Ndombele, has spent most of his Spurs career out on loan spells. Richarlison, the second-most expensive player, has also failed to live up to his price tag so far despite improved form this season. This cycle of expensive underperformers must end.
Tottenham need to make the kind of transformative signing that can elevate the entire club, even if it means shattering their transfer record. Just as Newcastle lured Alexander Isak without European football, Spurs must be willing to break the bank for a genuine difference-maker, regardless of the fee – providing the player fits Postecoglou’s vision.
Bring in proven winners with experience
One criticism from former manager Antonio Conte was a lack of experienced professionals in the squad to complement the potential of the younger players. Postecoglou seems more accepting of following the club’s youth-focused transfer policy, but there is a need to balance it with battle-hardened veterans.
Rivals have benefited from experienced arrivals like Thiago Silva at Chelsea and Declan Rice at Arsenal. For Spurs to instill a winning mentality, they may need to sign elite free agents with winning pedigrees this summer, such as Real Madrid’s Nacho Fernandez and Luka Modric. Players who have tasted success at the highest level could be transformative.
Fans must get behind the team – no more cheering defeats
Most critically, the toxic attitude of seemingly celebrating losses, as occurred against Man City, has to end immediately. Fans actively wanting the team to lose in order to hamper Arsenal’s title charge is utterly unacceptable behavior that tremendously undermines the players’ confidence.
If allegations of coaching staff also expressing schadenfreude at the defeat are true, they have no place in Postecoglou’s new culture. A comprehensive clearout is looming – any player, staff member or fan unwilling to get behind the manager’s drive for success will not be part of the future.
Developing a winning mentality has always been central to Postecoglou’s vision. For it to be realized, Levy, the board and the entire fan base must unite behind the manager’s demands to revamp the squad and promote an insatiable hunger to win.
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