COMMENT: Why Tottenham seem destined to repeat the same mistakes

On January 31st, 2012, Tottenham Hotspur beat Wigan Athletic at White Hart Lane.

It was the last day of the January transfer window and the feverish rumours that always seemed to surround the club suggested they would sign the Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, possibly at half-time. Tottenham won the game 2-0 and manager Harry Redknapp celebrated the goals “like a two-year-old… I’ve been sitting down for over a week and it was nice to get on my feet again.” The crowd had chanted his name during the game and the victory moved Tottenham within five points of Manchester City, who had lost on the same evening at Goodison Park, and Manchester United, who were level with City at the top of the table. A week later, Redknapp was cleared of tax evasion in a London court and it seemed as if everything was falling into place for the Spurs manager. Outside the courtroom, he remembered the support from the Tottenham Hotspur fans. "I must thanks the fans at Tottenham, especially the other night. The Wigan game was the most moved I've ever felt, to have the fans singing my name throughout the game while all this was going on. That will always be special to me and I will never forget that.” Later that day, Fabio Capello resigned as England manager following the FA’s decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy as he awaited trial on a charge of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand (Capello had previously stripped Terry of the captaincy himself when stories emerged that Terry had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of a former team-mate). Terry was subsequently cleared in court of racially abusing Ferdinand, but suspended by the FA. The allegations about his affair remain unproven. The following Saturday, Tottenham beat Newcastle United 5-0 to maintain a challenge for the title. By then, Redknapp was the favourite for the England job and it seemed that, after a difficult time, nothing could stop him. By the time Tottenham next won a Premier League game on April 1st, they were eighteen points behind Manchester United. A month later, Roy Hodgson was appointed England manager. Spurs held on to fourth place and the final Champions League spot, but that was denied them too when Chelsea won the European Cup on penalties in Munich. In June, 2012, Tottenham sacked Redknapp. It was a spectacular fall, but few mourned Harry Redknapp. Tottenham were moving with the times, even if they moved a bit too fast in appointing Andre Villas-Boas which resulted in a return to the more familiar form of Tim Sherwood, before Mauricio Pochettino became manager in 2014. Those months in 2012 were seen as defining for Redknapp. He was the man who blew an unlikely title challenge by taking his eye off one prize as he pursued another. Daniel Levy was said to have become frustrated with his manager as the speculation about England had increased. For many, this was the problem with Redknapp. He had an all-consuming knowingness, a street smart cunning that was always looking for the next opportunity, sometimes at the price of the opportunity that was available. That he appeared to lose it all - except for the tax case and the pay-off from Spurs - was somehow fitting. Redknapp’s achievements at Tottenham were quickly forgotten, perhaps because he reminded people about them too often. It had become a catchphrase that he had taken over when Spurs had two points from eight games, although it also happened to be true. In 2010, Spurs qualified for the Champions League. The following year, inspired by Luka Modric and Gareth Bale, they progressed to the knock-out stages of the Champions League, defeated Milan with Bale only available from the bench in the second leg, before they were eliminated in the quarter-final by Real Madrid. Redknapp preached the primacy of players, a theme he has developed since he left. It is all about players, he said, but he happened to be a manager who was good at spotting the good ones, and getting the best out of them. "Harry is a very special man, that's why I already feel at home at Spurs. It feels like I'm back on the street," Rafael Van der Vaart said in 2010. "There are no long and boring speeches about tactics, like I was used to at Real Madrid. There is a clipboard in our dressing room but Harry doesn't write anything on it.” Redknapp would tell a player like Roman Pavluychenko “to fucking run about a bit”, and that was seen as sophisticated as he got.  There was a lot more to him, of course, but when it all unravelled in 2012, it seemed football had passed him by. Spurs caught up again once they appointed Pochettino. They had a modern manager, a disciple of Marcelo Bielsa who has many profound and interesting ideas about football. Pochettino, too, likes his players “to fucking run about a bit”. When Spurs beat Watford in February, Quique Sanchez Flores described Pochettino’s side as “animals”, and the manner in which Tottenham had achieved victory said a lot about the team created by their manager. Tottenham’s training regime has been detailed, the tough double and sometimes triple sessions Pochettino puts his players through recorded, and their devilish intent to win the ball back within three seconds of losing it noted admiringly. Pochettino has transformed Spurs. Alex Ferguson’s teamtalk - “Lads, it’s Tottenham” - no longer applied. He had created a team that never stopped. He has also provided a core of England’s players for the European Championships, even if Eric Dier and Danny Rose would seem to be over-praised. But it could be argued that the same can be said of Tottenham, especially if they fail to beat Manchester United at White Hart Lane today. A month ago, Tottenham needed to win at West Ham to move to the top of the Premier League on goal difference. Having lost at home to Leicester, Spurs had won six Premier League games in a row, including most impressively at Manchester City, to move within touching distance of Claudio Ranieri's side. Leicester had dropped points at home to West Brom the night before and this was Spurs’ opportunity, the moment when they would show that ‘Lads, it’s Tottenham’ had become obsolete. Unfortunately, it was Tottenham. West Ham, who are having a year as worthy of praise as Pochettino’s side, beat them 1-0. The following weekend, Spurs came from behind to lead against an Arsenal side down to ten men. They then threw away the lead and Arsenal came back to take a point. Spurs have not collapsed as they did in 2012 but they have also failed to put pressure on Leicester who have moved seven points clear thanks to four 1-0 wins since they drew with West Brom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRH5lZ70H2E In 2012, Tottenham could at least claim they were in pursuit of clubs with greater wealth and experience than them. They chased the two Manchester clubs then, but they are one of many who have failed to make things difficult for Leicester. After finishing fifth last season, Tottenham might not have been expected to challenge this year, but those rules don't apply with Leicester on top. Spurs have found themselves in a strong position and so far they haven't taken advantage. At the same stage in 2012, Tottenham had 59 points and were twenty points behind Manchester United. This season they have 62 points after 32 games and the leaders are seven points ahead. In itself, this demonstrates the failure of all those who claimed to be in pursuit of Leicester this season. The Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal are the sides who are more culpable, but Tottenham need to win against United if they are to try and put some pressure on Leicester in the final games. Tottenham have had tougher games than Leicester in the weeks when the gap between the sides has increased. At Anfield, last weekend they demonstrated much that is good about the way Pochettino has developed the side, and Harry Kane gave another glimpse into his talent. Victory at White Hart Lane on Sunday and Spurs might feel hopeful again. It is another difficult game against another big side, but if Tottenham are to live up to recent praise three points shouldn’t be beyond them. Last week, Harry Redknapp made the news again when he wondered why Wes Morgan hadn’t been capped by England. Morgan has played 25 times for Jamaica. In those moments when Harry is Harry it is easy to forget that he, too, built a Tottenham side of purpose and intent, before it all fell away. Since he arrived in England, Mauricio Pochettino has demonstrated he is a manager of vision and conviction. He would arguably be a better manager of Manchester United than Jose Mourinho. He has created a new kind of Spurs side, but if they don’t challenge Leicester over the coming weeks then they will join the ranks of those who failed the test set by the most unlikely league leaders in the Premier League’s history. Spurs don’t want to throw it away again